Workflow customizations
Part 8 of "11 things to know about customization"
Published: April 20, 2007
Workflow is a powerful automation engine and is frequently overlooked because you do not configure it in the Web application.
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Where to find Workflow
Workflow is frequently overlooked because it is barely visible to users. The only location they can see it is in certain action menus that show the Apply Rule option.
Figure 1: The Apply Rule Menu option
You configure workflows using an application installed on the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Server. This means you will need physical access to the server or the ability to access the server remotely.
Workflow capabilities
Workflow lets you define check conditions associated to specific events:
| • | Manual: This is when the Apply Rule option is used. |
| • | Assign: This is when a record is re-assigned. |
| • | Create: This is when a new record is created. |
| • | Change Status: This is when a record status changes, for example, becoming deactivated when an opportunity or a case is closed. |
When the event occurs, the workflow rule can check conditions and perform actions. These conditions and actions are specified by using the Rule Form shown in Figure 2.
Figure 2: The Workflow Rule Form.
The workflow rule can perform these actions:
| • | Create an activity |
| • | Send e-mail |
| • | Create a note |
| • | Update a record |
| • | Change status |
| • | Assign a record |
| • | Post data to a URL |
| • | Run another workflow rule as a subprocess |
| • | Call a custom assembly |
| • | Stop the processing of the workflow |
Inside each of these actions, you can reference data from the record and related records. This lets you include text from a record inside an e-mail sent by workflow.
Sales Processes
One special type of workflow rule that only applies to opportunities is called a sales process. This specialized type of workflow rule creates sales stages and creates activities that must be completed before the opportunity can continue on to the next stage. Microsoft Dynamics CRM MVP John O’Donnell (www.crowecrm.com) recommends using sales processes to help ensure your sales people are using the same range of values for things like probability to close.
Other options
The advantage of workflow is that you do not have to be a .NET developer to create business logic that works based on system events. However, if you are a .NET developer, or have one available to you, there is another option. The Microsoft CRM 3.0 SDK has a callout model that allows for the registration of assemblies that can contain all the business logic you want to add. These callouts, or business logic extensions, provide more freedom because they are not constrained by the Workflow GUI. Another advantage to callouts is that the update event is available. More information on callouts is available in the Microsoft CRM SDK.
Do not overlook workflow because it is difficult to find. It provides many capabilities to automate processes for the business.
