Demystify of Custom Process Action

During a technical conversation with a colleague of mine, he asked about the actual behavior and uses of this functionality, but I was unable to explain the feature and found it to be the most mysterious and least used by me, so I Decided to reveal the custom process action and share it with everyone. After a long and marathon studies, I succeed to get some knowledge about it.



Microsoft categorize it as Automation feature and named "Action" which is generally known as Custom Process Action or Custom Action.  This component is kept with workflow and it is defined by a XAML window workflow foundation document which is transported as part of a solution, but it can't edit or update by workflow designer.

The Action means a series of commands that can be organized as a business process.


Actions behave like workflows, but there are some features that make it different from workflows.

  • Custom Process Action does not have a trigger. This is usually triggered by a workflow, business process flow, or custom code.
  • Custom Process Actions allow us to define input and output parameters so that we can exchange values with the calling service.
Microsoft provides capabilities to extend the behavior of the Microsoft Dataverse with the help of events (messages). The Event Framework provides the ability to register custom code to run in response to specific events (messages) and custom process actions to create new custom messages (events) that can be called from a web service.

Why do we need this feature?

As per my understanding, this action works as hook which combines workflow and plugin under one message and it can call from anywhere like workflow, business process flow or custom code (workflow extensions or plugins). This means that developers can create a new functionality or chain of commands in a single message to accomplish a domain specific new feature.

An action is a wrapper for multiple service side data operations.

Summary:

Custom process action or action allows to create new message by no/low  code way to declaratively define  synchronous business logic which combines multiple server side events in one wire.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Exploring the Differences: Managed vs. Unmanaged Solutions in Dynamics CRM/Dataverse

Image
In Dynamics CRM/Dataverse, solutions are central to Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) , providing a structured way to manage, package, and distribute customizations across environments. Microsoft uses solutions to transfer apps and customizations by exporting them from one Dataverse environment and importing them into another.  Each solution is authored and maintained by a publisher and includes components like Power Apps (canvas and model-driven), flows, entities, forms, connectors, web resources, and configurations—excluding business data. Solutions streamline ALM practices within Microsoft Power Platform. In Dynamics CRM/Dataverse, there are two types of solutions: Managed and Unmanaged . When planning an implementation, it’s important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each to make an informed decision. Let’s explore both types to determine the best approach for development and deployment. In Dynamics 365 CRM, a managed solution is a fully packaged solution ...
Read more

PCF vs. Web Resources: Choosing the Right Extensibility Tool for Dataverse

Image
Extensibility refers to the ability to be extended or augmented beyond the default capabilities of the platform. This involves customization but also includes more advanced techniques, such as coding, integration with external services, and the use of custom components. In the context of Power Platform and Dynamics CRM, the term "extend behavior" refers to the ability to customize and extend the functionality of the platform to meet specific business needs. Extensibility often requires technical skills, such as coding in JavaScript, C#, or using tools like Azure Logic Apps and Power Automate for complex integrations. Customization  is a subset of extensibility. Customization involves configuring and modifying existing elements within the platform to suit specific business needs. Extensibility, on the other hand, covers a wide range of functions and techniques, including customization and more advanced development and integration tasks, to extend the capabilities of the Power ...
Read more

Effective Strategies for Debugging Plugins in Dynamics CRM

Image
In a recent interview, I was asked about debugging plugins in Dynamics CRM. The interviewer specifically wanted to know my approach to plugin debugging. In response, I mentioned using the Plugin Registration Tool profiler. However, I later realized there are multiple methods to debug plugins in Dynamics CRM/Dataverse, each essential for efficient troubleshooting. Debugging plays a crucial role in development, and having a solid understanding of various debugging approaches can help streamline issue resolution in Dynamics 365. Here, I'll explore different techniques for debugging plugin code. There are below options to use in the plugin in Dynamics CRM/Dataverse ITracingService : In Dynamics CRM plugin development, ITracingService is a service provided within the plugin's execution context that logs information for tracing and debugging. It allows developers to capture real-time. Plugin Profiler : A plugin profiler in Dynamics CRM (or Dataverse) is a debugging tool in the Plugi...
Read more