Development Concepts and Methodologies

This article will write about for developers who are new to xRM and want to join “xRM” world. Well come to xRM amazing.

It is very important for all of us about concept of xRM. These concept below, all of Us should remember :

Understand Out-of-the-Box vs. Custom Development

OOB is the tool which Microsoft supply developer for xRM customization. You can use it to customize basic things that do not involve complicated business requirement such as:

1. Customize entity (Create new entity, add new field)
2. Customize form
3. Customize Business Rules, Action, Workflow, Business process
4. Customize Security roles.
5. Create Web resource
6. Create basic report by report wizard.
7. Customize templates (Email template, Article template)

Custom Development

100 percent that OOB cannot meet for developer to customize all things to meet business requirement. In this case Custom Development is the best way to do that. Custom development require technical level, you have to do with:

1. Plugin development
2. Custom Activities
3. Web resource development (HTML web resource, Js web resource)
4. Working with Xrm framework.
5. SQL database

If you are familiar with .Net, it is very benefit to start with CRM. Beside programming skill, Network skill also recommended to play with xRM.

When is “Custom Development” required?

It is easy question but it is not easy to answer. I just keep in my mind what OOB cannot meet my requirement, it mean that i will make “Custom development”.

“When you can’t accomplish what you need using the out-of-the-box customization tools”

For this question, you have to at least 6 month experience in xRM development, you have to know:

1. what is strong and weak Workflow?
2. What is Action, Business rule?
3. What is Custom activities?
4. Client script vs managed code
5. When will we use client script? When will we use managed code?

All these points will be mentioned in this article.

 

Do you want your own UI?

Microsoft supplied the wonderful UI for CRM and we can use it as multiple mobile device.

• Web application
• CRM Outlook client
• CRM mobile

In the case, you still want to use your new own UI, you should consider about CRM system deployment option, using MS CRM as service is suitable for this requirement.

Data needs for users external to CRM?

Happy to you, xRM is powerful platform that you can integrated with other system such as ERP, SCM…and any system…

Knowledge requirement of custom development options

Below technologies are required that you should know to begin with xRM, in fact, xRM is built by Microsoft technologies, hence, major in .Net is benefit for you.

• CRM Web Resources
  • HTML and JavaScript
• Plug-In/Custom Workflow
  • .Net applications that run on CRM Server
• Portals
  • External web applications/pages that access CRM to read/create/update
• Technical skills/resources used
  • Custom Workflow and Plugin Development: .Net, C#, VB.Net
  • Web Resources for Client-Side (Front End) Development:
  • JavaScript, JQuery, REST, Soap
  • Web Api
  • WCF Services
  • HTML
  • Silverlight
  • External Portal Development: web application development, ASP.Net, HTML/JavaScript, etc.
  • Solution Management

Deployment 

• Working with Publishers and Solutions
  • Managed vs. Unmanaged
  • Source code management
• Deploying across environments
  • Dev, QA, Production environment flow and considerations
  • Understanding dependencies

What kind of custom development should we choose?

	JavaScript	Workflow	Plug-in
Triggers	·On load ·On Change of a field · On Save ·Portable Business Logic (PBL)	·On Create · On Change of a field ·On Status Change ·On Assign ·On Demand · On Record deleted	· On Create · On Change of field · On Delete · On Status Change · On Assign · Many, many more!
Processes	·Before record is saved – on form only	·After save of record – runs Asynchronously ·CRM 2013 – synchronous workflows	·After save or record, either Asynchronously or Synchronously (immediately)
Considerations	· Typically, a developer is needed to do JavaScript. · JavaScript applies *only* when a form is involved.  For example, you want to get the latitude or longitude based on address.  JavaScript will work for records created or updated using a form, but not for records created or updated any other way such as form data imports, integrations, web portals or workflow.	· Only on the record or N:1 (lookup) from the record · An intermediate technical person can develop workflows. · There may be some delay in seeing the effect (typically 1-3 seconds) · Workflows are heavier on performance.  Avoid triggering workflows on a common action such as on create of an Email. · Changes Modified By on the record to the owner of the workflow, which can impact integrations.	· A developer is required to do plugins in Visual Studio.