TIDBITS on the Microsoft Power Platform

Learning, Always Learning, Microsoft Learn

I have seen a few community posts leaning into Ageism. The small seed of passive aggressive doubt. The one that implies that perhaps your more experienced resources are not bringing the best and the most bleeding and current edge offerings to the table. 

In the world of Technology and Technology + Business Consulting, we (people who lean into this area, consult on this area, solve business problems with technical solutions)  have never had the opportunity to rest on our laurels. We know that on a daily basis we must have habits and techniques to keep current, change is constant and has only moved faster and faster in our spaces.

One of my favorite learning techniques is to adjust my personal work habits and processes with each new release from Microsoft. I re-evaluate the way I work with technologies to get my work done when given the chance. Technologies such as Microsoft Outlook, OneNote, Teams, Task management, Notes management, collaboration with team members and so many other tools and business habits.

I also love, love, love that Microsoft has enhanced and accelerated their efforts to keep Microsoft Learn current and updated and free. (Microsoft Learn: Build skills that open doors in your career) There are a lot more badges to be tackled and trophies to be won, but this is only one avenue of learning. 

 

In the world of Avanade, we also have Avanade University and Accenture University and partnerships with other training programs that we can align and join. We all regularly take classes and are encouraged to learn. These partnerships are not only technical training, but also master classes in so many subjects from Advanced Consulting techniques to emotional intelligence to Story Telling and more.

I also sprinkle all of the above with my long-term habit of knowledge shared, knowledge gained. Community. I had the HUGE opportunity to network this week with an industry expert in Life Sciences. What a treat to not only learn about technology in the world of Life Science, but also industry variables and cool stuff happening. It is hard to explain how valuable that one call was to me. A soul with a long-term secret passion and family history with all things "scientific" and "medical". 

There are other ways that I learn, following LinkedIn posts, Sharing internally on Viva Engage and Microsoft Teams, watching videos, ...

What are your favorite ways to learn?

Discussions with Copilot on the future of Exams

If Copilot can find the answers to all my exam questions, then I only need to know enough to know if the answers are right or not. Do you think this will change how we get certified in the future?

 

I decided to ask Copilot the question: 

Copilot said:

"The idea of using technology like Copilot to find answers to exam questions raises interesting questions about the future of certification processes. While it's true that having access to information can assist in learning and exam preparation, the core purpose of certifications is to validate one's understanding and ability to apply knowledge effectively.

Certifications often aim to assess not just factual knowledge, but also critical thinking, problem-solving, and the application of concepts in practical scenarios. Therefore, while technology may change the way we study and prepare for exams, the fundamental skills that certifications aim to measure are likely to remain important.

Moreover, the process of learning and studying helps to internalize knowledge, which is crucial for long-term retention and the ability to apply skills in different contexts. It's possible that certification processes may evolve to incorporate new technologies in a way that enhances learning and assessment, rather than just focusing on the ability to find answers.

In the context of Microsoft certifications, there have been changes and updates to the process, such as different types of vouchers with specific redemption procedures, eligibility for certification renewals, and the introduction of new certifications like the Power Platform certification. These changes reflect an ongoing effort to keep the certification process relevant and valuable in the face of evolving technology and industry needs."

What is fascinating about the answer is that one of the challenges with exams is the level of experience that the exam preparation team has with actual project work and getting this field experience into the answers. It is not about where to find something within the menus and when it comes to approach, it is Microsoft. We often have numerous approaches and solutions.

Certifications and Testing

Become Microsoft Certified

As we role into the sometimes slower holiday days I thought a share of the Microsoft Certification Poster might be helpful for those interested in the following: 

Power Platform Resources and Documentation

The Microsoft DOCS team has been incredibly busy over the last numerous months. You will find that many (if not all) documentation found at Docs.Microsoft.com has been updated and has a 2020 associated date. If you are not sure where to get started take a look at this incredibly helpful LINKS list. 

https://powerapps.microsoft.com/en-us/blog/microsoft-powerapps-learning-resources/

Getting Started with the Power Platform : A new Offering from Julie Yack

If you really like some hands on virtual training and your are ramping up your team, then  you might want to know about this new offering from Julie Yack, MVP. She really does offer some interesting training using a variety of learning techniques. Techniques that help you remember and retain. 

 

"If you are looking for an entry point for learning the Power Platform…

If SharePoint has been your only data source so far…

If you’ve made canvas apps, but never a model-driven app…

This is the course for you! In this hands on lab based course you will learn model-driven essentials and build a fully functional custom model-driven app. You will build out the data model, user experience, form automation and process automation.

And there’s puppies.

Seriously, the app you are building is for a doggie daycare.

#powerplatform #powerapps

 

https://365.training/Courses/Detail/zerotomodeldriven

The Power Platform: Keep Learning

If you have ever been to SourceForge.net and taken a look around, you have a good perspective as to the overwhelming feeling of the available paths and options for learning in the world of technology.  You can also add taking a visit to Microsoft Learning 

In technology we quickly learn that you take one bite a day of learning and keep learning. The pace of new has changed, but the fact that new is available has not. 

We each have our own prefer consumption methods. Some like to listen to podcasts, some like to read and others require hands on practice. We also have brains that sponge up material when an animated storyteller shares their world with community forums or at conferences. There are many differences and many brains. We all get hit with all options. 

So here is an interesting question: In your profile, do you have listed how you like to learn? Do you share this with others you are working with? Is it part of your career path? 

When it comes to Dynamics 365 for Customer Engagement and anything Relationship Management my brain is like an onion. There are years of layers. I have been lucky, the Power Platform has matured with time rather than being replaced with time. Certain pieces have been replaced and that layer of onion has been peeled off and recycled, yet the model and great structure has survived the test of time allowing me to layer my knowledge and yet there is always more. 

I must admit I have had a good time swimming in the training material for the newer exams. There are areas where it is smooth sailing and others where I have to shift left or shift right to absorb a new fact or two. There are areas that I will never use on any project, but are part of the core. There are other areas where I have used the material on all projects for the last numerous years. 

It is just what it is.  

For those tackling the MB-200 or any of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Customer Engagement exams. Mark has written a good summary of some great resources here. 

And Remember Pass or Fail you will be learning and that is the point. Have more knowledge tomorrow than you had yesterday. 

 

 

Canvas Apps, Model-driven Apps, Getting started with all the new Power Platform buzz

You have heard all the buzz on the new Power Platform and you have seen many posts on PowerApps/Model-driven Apps and Canvas Apps. You have also upgraded your Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM instance to v9.x either On-Premise or Online, but you are not sure where to get started with apps! 

This might be an interesting path:

1) If you are familiar with configuring Microsoft Dynamics 365 for CRM/CE then you might want to start by adding a Model-driven app to your one of your solution files.

A Model-driven app can be used in conjunction with what you are doing today (the classic menu) and there are some nice little short cuts to getting started. For instance you can create a Model-driven app using your current sitemap and/or a current solution file.

2) Once you get the hang of creating Model-driven apps (and there are some small little tricks) then perhaps it is time to dive into creating your first Canvas App. One of the differences between a Canvas App and a Model-driven app is that Canvas Apps tend to be focused on the Microsoft Stack first (think Microsoft 365) and Model-driven apps tend to be focused from a Dynamics 365 perspective (Think an app within a solution).

If you are empowered from learning online, you can get some nice step by step materials by working through some of the exercises on Microsoft Learning!  

If you prefer an in person type learning environment then you might want to attend the Business Applications Summit in Atlanta on June 10-11th or attend one of the App in a Day seminars in a city near you. 

 

Areas in the World of Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement

Put on the hat "Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Customer Engagement" and the dimensions explode. There are so many different angles to think about such as 

• The Product
• The CRM Industry
• The Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and their extensions, applications and products
• The Project Methodologies
• The Communities
• The Support Resources
• The Training Options
• Certifications
• Industry Uses
• Usability and Adoption 
• Integrations
• Mobility
• IoT
• CRM -> ERP : Bridging the teams, the products, the features and more
• Failures and the Why behind them 
• Working with the Microsoft teams (product, support, services, executives, sales, etc.)

and the list goes on! 

I recently completed a Solution Architecture Assessment engagement and was amazed at all of the categories of discussion and knowledge sharing that bubbled out of a three month, intense, team empowerment project.

So where to start??

 

Application Performance: Everyone's Worry

A bottleneck (in the world of data) is a point where the flow of data is restricted or stopped entirely. When you remove one bottleneck, the data then flows until it hits the next bottlenecks.

Many people assume that bottlenecks are caused by hardware. It is true that SOME Bottlenecks are caused by hardware, but you can also find and create application bottlenecks or database bottlenecks. You can create bottlenecks with hard drives or cables or  JavaScript or C# .. There are many ways in which bottlenecks can be created.

The challenge is then to find your bottlenecks, eliminating each and then eliminating the ones that you find once the upstream bottlenecks are removed.

Ideally you want to move the bottleneck to the point where it is simply hitting  how fast a user can work.

So where do we start?

One starting place is to prove that Microsoft Dynamics CRM does not have an application bottleneck. To do this a subset of awesome people did some testing on Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. They published their findings in this new White Paper: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online 2016 Update 1 Performance Benchmark 

Take a Look

Automatic Testing and Dynamics in the world of CRM

Automatic testing is a bit of a niche skill and every application is different in terms of what is needed or what tools can be used. In this situation I depend on knowledge shared, because there is absolutely no reason that we can't learn from each other. Following please find some notes from the field on Microsoft Dynamics "CRM" Automated Testing

Knowledge shared is a powerful skill in the world of technology. It requires that you admit that you might be wrong, that you might have more to learn and that being vulnerable is worth the risk. Yes, it is very much worth the risk in this crazy fast paced world of growth.

 

Tools that the field mentioned:

• Microsoft Visual Studio Coded UI  and Coded UI Best Practices
• StresStimulus
• FakeXRMEasy
• Daryl LaBar's OpenSource XRM Unit Test (check version compatibility)
• Selenium
• Telerik Test Studio

Sessions discussing Automated Testing

• XrmVirtual User Group discusses automated testing
• CRMUG National Summit Automated Testing Session (requires membership to CRMUG to watch)

Other Videos in this arena

• Tool Comparison between FakeXRMEasy and XRMUnitTest
• Automating using Test Complete
• Selenium Webdriver for testing CRM and Microsoft Dynamics CRM & Selenium
• Performance Testing using StresStimulus
• How to Test a CRM Plugin with FakeXRMEasy

 

 

Answers to the easy and hard questions to consider as we think about Managed and Unmanaged Solutions (#Msdyncrm)

Answers to the easy and hard questions to consider as we think about Managed and Unmanaged Solutions

1) How do you create a managed or unmanaged solution?

• Select Settings
• Select Solutions
• Select New

• Give your solution a name
• Add a publisher (see next question for details on publishers)
• Add a version such as 1.0.0.0
• Add existing entities you want to modify or new entities you want to create
• Save your solution
• Export as either an unmanaged or managed solution

2) What is a CRM publisher?

A publisher allows you to define a prefix and variables for your solutions. A publisher can be used to organize or classify components added to a solution. To create a publisher

• Select Settings
• Select Customizations
• Select Publishers
• Select New
• 
   
  Give your publisher a name
• Set your prefix
• You can also set the starting number for any values in option sets
• Save your publisher (you can now use it when creating solutions)

3) What benefit does the publisher give the customizer?

• Every component (attribute, entity, etc. is prefixed with that publisher prefix)

4) What happens when you import an unmanaged solution?

• The solution is merged with all other unmanaged solutions.

5) Can you export a managed solution?

• No, you can only export an unmanaged solution which gives you the option to create a managed solution.

6) Who is the primary audience for managed solutions?

• Independent Software Vendors (ISVs)

7) What are the disadvantages of using managed solutions?

• The components of a managed solution can not be changed.

Managed vs. Unmanaged Solutions (MS Dynamics CRM v7.x.x)

Let us take a look at Managed and Unmanaged Solutions.

Unmanaged and managed solutions

There are two types of Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions: managed and unmanaged. Managed solutions  require a clear depth of understanding of managed solutions. They are used by the Independent Software Vendors (ISV's) who sell a set of IP that is not expected to be changed or modified by the customer purchasing these solutions. They are positioned to be updated or upgraded only by the ISV that sells them.

This is an important point for customers (who purchase these solutions and then extend CRM) and for partners (who create solutions for customers that are designed to be given to the customer to maintain).

UNMANAGED solutions are the more historical, potentially more flexible and what I like to call more organic. Organically I can generally fix most issues found in unmanaged solutions whereas managed solutions I must go back to the ISV.

It is also worth mentioning the "System" Solution.

The system solution represents the solution components defined within Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Without any managed solutions or customizations, the system solution defines the default application behavior. Many of the components in the system solution are customizable and can be used in managed solutions or unmanaged customizations.

If you add customizations without using a unmanaged or managed solution you are modifying the system solution. If you create an unmanaged solution (so you can easily move your changes to other environments) you are merging your changes in with the system solution. Every component of an unmanaged solution is prefixed with the prefix you define in the publisher. Every component that you add to the system solution (without leveraging managed and unmanaged solutions) is prefixed with new_

The team doesn't let you add, without some indication that it was added. (smart team)

So some easy and hard questions to consider as we thinking about Managed and Unmanaged Solutions

1) How do you create a managed or unmanaged solution?

2) What is a CRM publisher?

3) What benefit does the publisher give the customizer?

4) What happens when you import an unmanaged solution?

5) Can you export a managed solution?

6) Who is the primary audience for managed solutions?

7) What are the disadvantages for the customer of using managed solutions?

 

 

Learning, Always Learning: Microsoft Dynamics CRM MB2-707 Exam

The MB2-707 Exam is focused on Customization and Configuration of Microsoft Dynamics CRM v7.0.x 

To help re-enforce the information in my head and to share knowledge, because knowledge shared is knowledge gained I will try to focus my next set of posts on the new material.

Much, Much More Depth on SharePoint + Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 Lovin'

Microsoft Dynamics CRM offers so much choice that it is good to take a deep dive around some of these choices and features. Additionally the features keep on improving and growing with speed unseen in any previous years. Please take information provided to you with a grain of salt and do your own research.

Never make the assumption that the product can't do something for if it can't do it today, it might be available tomorrow. Additionally Services (MCS) is doing incredible on every project (as are many of the partners)

Incredible Happening!

Dana Martens offers a great deep dive presentation on Hybrid mixing of CRMOnline and SharePoint OnPremise and other configurations.  

Calling All CRM Users: Please send feedback on the new DYNAMIC HELP Features!

 

Calling All CRM Users: Please send feedback on the new DYNAMIC HELP Features!

"This feature was introduced in the Dynamics CRM 2015 for Outlook Client and is referred to as “Dynamic Help”.   Prior to this feature, the Outlook Client included a help link that always directed you to the same troubleshooting page regardless of which error you encountered.  For each error code that occurs during configuration, Dynamic Help can now direct you to a KB article designed to help resolve that specific issue.  This feature was also backported to CRM 2013 Update Rollup 1 for Service Pack 1 and CRM 2011 Update Rollup 18.  The Dynamic Help feature is also included in the new CRM App for Outlook. "

To Read More and To provide Feedback CLICK,

One Person Can Change the World!

 

Dynamics CRM 7.x.x Certification Exams

Some good news about exams - You now have some Online Proctored Options so for those of us in more rural areas, we don't have to drive a couple of hours to an exam center!! Hurray!

• MB2-704            Application
• MB2-704OP               Online Proctored
• MB2-706            Online Deployment
• MB2-706OP
• MB2-707            Customization and Configuration
• MB2-707OP
• MB2-708            Installation
• MB2-708OP

MB2-720    Microsoft Dynamics Marketing

and there are so many more !     

Form Load Performance: Did you know you can ... in the latest versions?

I always learn something new when I follow and read the incredible Microsoft Professional Field Engineering CRM Teams Blog! Today I thought it was worth reposting and linking to their tip number 4 from Convergence that they shared.

So you might be wondering about performance on your forms. Check out this handy little tidbit.

CRM Performance Center     

• Ctrl+Shift+Q (Chrome & Firefox –> Ctrl+Shift+E)  Performance tool built into CRM 2013+. 
• Gives you the ability to see load times for each component on the form.  Available on form loads only

And thanks to PowerObjects for blogging about this item worth of consideration.

• Understand “Pay for play” and the impact each component has on form load times         

Access Teams and Security! #MSDYNCRM

A user’s security role needs to match the privileges at the ‘User’ level with the Access Team Template Privileges (R,W,A,A2,D,Assign and Share) associated with the Entity.  If an Access Team has Delete privileges and a user's security roles did not, the user will be blocked from being added to the team.  CRM Security is AWESOME and this shows that security can’t be bypassed just by adding someone to a team.  If that user cannot delete a record, then adding them to an Access Team with that privilege won’t work!

Big thanks to the awesome: Thymio Barbatsis, for continuing to share incredible tidbits with the community 

A little extra reading on Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013

Are you interested in a little extra reading on Microsoft Dynamics CRM? Check out this list of 2013 white papers.

Are you ready for some CRM v2013 reading?

 Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 Implementations Guide

Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 Software Developer Kit (SDK)

Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 Performance Counters

Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 Connectivity and Port Requirements

Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 Server

Scalable Security Modeling for Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013

Using multi-tenancy in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 to address challenges in enterprise business environments

 

Dynamics CRM Testing: UI Tools

Are you diving into the world of automation testing for extended Microsoft Dynamics CRM projects?

 

Take a look at Visual Studio 2012!

 

There is a whole set of UI Automation testing just waiting to be found!

To get you started you can read about testing for continuous development.

You can also read about What's new in Test Manager 2012.

and then there is the Visual Studio Magazine article on Automating UI Testing and

the list goes on ...