PL400 : import and export solutions (Implement application lifecycle management (ALM))

Deployment processes are generally challenging to each software environment, but Microsoft offers a unique way to adapt and extend behavior from one environment to another. For this process, solutions are used to move apps and components from one environment to another, or to apply a set of customizations to existing apps.

Import Solution:

The Create privilege is required to import a component. Although System Customizer role has create privilege on most components , but it doesn't have create privilege on the plug-in assembly table. Only System Administrator security role has all privileges including plug-in.

Another points which would be noticeable that when we import a managed solution, all component change will be brought into the environment in a published state. However, when we import an unmanaged solution, the changes are imported in a draft state, so we must publish then to make them active.

Import Managed Solution  :

• We install/import a managed solution in the way we import an unmanaged solution.
• we should not import a managed solution back into the organization we used to create it.

Import Unmanaged Solution:

• we add all the components of the solution into your environment and can't delete the components by deleting the solution . Deleting the unmanaged solution deleted only the solutions container.
• Unmanaged solution contains components we have already customized, our customizations will be overwritten by the customization in the imported unmanaged solution , we can't undo this.

Export Solution:

We create an unmanaged solution to use for exporting your customization.

Following steps should be helped to export the solution:

• Go to Settings > Solutions.
• In the list select the solution we want to export and choose Export.
• In the Publish Customizations step we will be reminded that only published customizations are exported and we will have the option to Publish All Customizations before you choose Next.

Export Managed Solution

• We can't export managed solution or default Solution 

Export Unmanaged Solution

• Unmanaged solution can exported either as unmanaged or managed.
• Deletion of exported solution, only solution container of customization will be deleted. All the unmanaged customization remain in effect and belong to the default solution.