15 Dynamics 365 Interview Questions and Answers

Dynamics 365 is a suite of enterprise resource planning (ERP) and customer relationship management (CRM) applications developed by Microsoft. It integrates seamlessly with other Microsoft services and offers a range of tools for managing business processes, from sales and customer service to finance and operations. Its flexibility and scalability make it a popular choice for organizations of all sizes looking to streamline their operations and improve customer engagement.

This article provides a curated selection of interview questions designed to test your knowledge and proficiency with Dynamics 365. By reviewing these questions and their detailed answers, you will be better prepared to demonstrate your expertise and problem-solving abilities in a professional setting.

Dynamics 365 Interview Questions and Answers

1. How do you customize an entity by adding new fields and relationships?

Customizing an entity in Dynamics 365 involves adding fields and establishing relationships to tailor the system to business needs. This is done through the Dynamics 365 user interface. To add fields, navigate to the entity in the solution explorer and select “Fields.” You can create fields by specifying the type, name, and properties. Common types include text, number, date, and lookup fields. Relationships between entities are created through the “Relationships” option, allowing for one-to-many, many-to-one, or many-to-many connections.

2. Write a JavaScript function to validate a phone number field on a form.

To validate a phone number field on a Dynamics 365 form, use a JavaScript function attached to the form’s onChange event. This function checks if the phone number matches a specific pattern.

Example:

function validatePhoneNumber(executionContext) {
    var formContext = executionContext.getFormContext();
    var phoneNumber = formContext.getAttribute("telephone1").getValue();
    
    var phonePattern = /^\d{10}$/;
    if (!phonePattern.test(phoneNumber)) {
        formContext.getControl("telephone1").setNotification("Please enter a valid 10-digit phone number.");
    } else {
        formContext.getControl("telephone1").clearNotification();
    }
}

3. Explain how to create and configure a business rule to show/hide a section based on a field value.

Business rules in Dynamics 365 allow logic application to forms without code. To show or hide a section based on a field value, navigate to the form editor, select the section, and create a new business rule. Define the condition that triggers the rule and add an action to show or hide the section. Save and activate the rule.

4. Describe the steps to create a workflow that sends an email notification when a record is updated.

To create a workflow that sends an email notification when a record is updated, navigate to Settings > Processes, and create a new workflow. Set the scope to Organization and configure it to start when record fields change. Add a step to check the condition that triggers the email and a Send Email step to configure the notification. Save and activate the workflow.

5. Write a C# plugin to update a related entity’s field when a record is created.

A plugin in Dynamics 365 is custom business logic integrated with the event pipeline. To update a related entity’s field when a record is created, register the plugin on the create event and use IPluginExecutionContext to access the target and related entities.

Example:

using System;
using Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk;

public class UpdateRelatedEntityPlugin : IPlugin
{
    public void Execute(IServiceProvider serviceProvider)
    {
        IPluginExecutionContext context = (IPluginExecutionContext)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(IPluginExecutionContext));
        IOrganizationServiceFactory serviceFactory = (IOrganizationServiceFactory)serviceProvider.GetService(typeof(IOrganizationServiceFactory));
        IOrganizationService service = serviceFactory.CreateOrganizationService(context.UserId);

        if (context.InputParameters.Contains("Target") && context.InputParameters["Target"] is Entity)
        {
            Entity targetEntity = (Entity)context.InputParameters["Target"];
            Guid relatedEntityId = targetEntity.GetAttributeValue<EntityReference>("relatedEntityField").Id;

            Entity relatedEntity = new Entity("relatedEntityName", relatedEntityId);
            relatedEntity["fieldToUpdate"] = "newValue";

            service.Update(relatedEntity);
        }
    }
}

6. Explain how to configure security roles to restrict access to specific entities.

Security roles in Dynamics 365 control access to data and functionality. To restrict access to specific entities, navigate to the admin center, select Security Roles, and modify or create a role. In the editor, set the desired access level for each entity. To restrict access, set levels to “None” for that entity. Save the role and assign it to users or teams.

7. What are managed and unmanaged solutions, and how do you manage them?

Solutions in Dynamics 365 transport customizations between environments. Managed solutions are complete packages for distribution, ideal for production environments. Unmanaged solutions are editable, used in development and testing. Managing solutions involves version control, environment strategy, solution layering, export/import, and solution patching.

8. How do you create a flow in Power Automate to automate a task triggered by a Dynamics 365 event?

To create a flow in Power Automate triggered by a Dynamics 365 event, log in to Power Automate and create a new flow. Choose the trigger “When a record is created, updated, or deleted” from the Dynamics 365 connector. Configure the trigger, add actions to automate tasks, and save and test the flow.

9. Write a custom action in C# and explain how to call it from a workflow.

To create a custom action in Dynamics 365 using C#, define the action in the environment and implement the logic in a plugin. Once created, it can be called from a workflow.

Example:

1. Define the custom action in Dynamics 365:
– Navigate to Settings > Processes.
– Create a new process of type “Action.”
– Define input and output parameters.

2. Implement the custom action in a C# plugin:

using Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk;
using Microsoft.Xrm.Sdk.Workflow;
using System.Activities;

public class CustomAction : CodeActivity
{
    [Input("InputParameter")]
    public InArgument<string> InputParameter { get; set; }

    [Output("OutputParameter")]
    public OutArgument<string> OutputParameter { get; set; }

    protected override void Execute(CodeActivityContext context)
    {
        IWorkflowContext workflowContext = context.GetExtension<IWorkflowContext>();
        IOrganizationServiceFactory serviceFactory = context.GetExtension<IOrganizationServiceFactory>();
        IOrganizationService service = serviceFactory.CreateOrganizationService(workflowContext.UserId);

        string input = InputParameter.Get(context);
        string output = "Processed: " + input;

        OutputParameter.Set(context, output);
    }
}

To call the custom action from a workflow:
– Create a new workflow in Dynamics 365.
– Add a step to call the custom action.
– Configure the input and output parameters.

10. Write a code snippet to integrate Dynamics 365 with an external REST API.

To integrate Dynamics 365 with an external REST API, use the HttpClient class in C#. Below is a code snippet demonstrating this integration:

using System;
using System.Net.Http;
using System.Text;
using System.Threading.Tasks;

public class Dynamics365Integration
{
    private static readonly HttpClient client = new HttpClient();

    public async Task<string> GetDataFromExternalApi(string apiUrl, string accessToken)
    {
        client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Authorization = new System.Net.Http.Headers.AuthenticationHeaderValue("Bearer", accessToken);
        HttpResponseMessage response = await client.GetAsync(apiUrl);

        if (response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
        {
            string responseData = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
            return responseData;
        }
        else
        {
            throw new Exception("Error fetching data from external API");
        }
    }

    public async Task PostDataToExternalApi(string apiUrl, string accessToken, string jsonData)
    {
        client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Authorization = new System.Net.Http.Headers.AuthenticationHeaderValue("Bearer", accessToken);
        StringContent content = new StringContent(jsonData, Encoding.UTF8, "application/json");
        HttpResponseMessage response = await client.PostAsync(apiUrl, content);

        if (!response.IsSuccessStatusCode)
        {
            throw new Exception("Error posting data to external API");
        }
    }
}

11. How do you create a custom control using the PowerApps Component Framework (PCF)?

The PowerApps Component Framework (PCF) allows developers to create custom controls for model-driven and canvas apps. To create a custom control using PCF, set up your development environment, create a new PCF project, implement the control logic in TypeScript, define the control’s manifest file, build and test locally, and deploy to your Dynamics 365 environment.

Example:

import {IInputs, IOutputs} from "./generated/ManifestTypes";

export class SimpleControl implements ComponentFramework.StandardControl<IInputs, IOutputs> {
    private _container: HTMLDivElement;

    constructor() {}

    public init(
        context: ComponentFramework.Context<IInputs>,
        notifyOutputChanged: () => void,
        state: ComponentFramework.Dictionary,
        container: HTMLDivElement
    ): void {
        this._container = document.createElement("div");
        this._container.innerText = "Hello, PCF!";
        container.appendChild(this._container);
    }

    public updateView(context: ComponentFramework.Context<IInputs>): void {
        // Update control view logic
    }

    public getOutputs(): IOutputs {
        return {};
    }

    public destroy(): void {
        // Cleanup control resources
    }
}

12. What techniques can you use to optimize the performance of a Dynamics 365 instance?

To optimize Dynamics 365 performance, consider database optimization, efficient plugin and workflow design, form and view simplification, data management, network performance, and monitoring. Regularly perform database maintenance, minimize operations in plugins, simplify forms, archive old data, ensure a reliable network, and use monitoring tools to identify issues.

13. Describe the process of building and customizing a model-driven app.

Building a model-driven app involves defining the data model, creating views and forms, configuring business rules and workflows, setting up security roles, designing the app, and testing and deploying. Start by defining entities, fields, and relationships, then customize views and forms. Implement business logic, define security roles, use the App Designer, and thoroughly test before deployment.

14. What are the best practices for Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) in Dynamics 365?

Best practices for Application Lifecycle Management (ALM) in Dynamics 365 include version control, environment management, automated testing, CI/CD, change management, monitoring, and documentation. Use a version control system, maintain separate environments, implement automated testing, set up CI/CD pipelines, document changes, monitor performance, and maintain comprehensive documentation.

15. Describe the process of setting up and using AI Builder in Dynamics 365.

AI Builder in Dynamics 365 allows users to add AI capabilities to business processes. Access AI Builder, create AI models, train and evaluate them, integrate models into applications, and monitor performance. Use pre-built or custom models, provide training data, and integrate models through Power Automate, Power Apps, or directly within Dynamics 365.