Working with Data entity in D365FO - Part I

Hi Folks,

In this post let’s see how to add custom and virtual fields on Data entities. This approach will work on both standard and custom entities. I will show you both scenarios. When adding new fields on a new entity, steps are very simple and all you need to add business logic in the respective data entity methods to work with the export and import process.

Custom field: When adding new fields in standard application entity like Customers (CustCustomerV3Entity), Vendors (VendVendorV2Entity), Customer groups(CustCustomerGroupEntity).

Virtual fields: Fields which doesn’t exist in a table but require to fetch any other table field. For example, assume we have purchase requisition records from another system which needs to import in Dynamics 365 FO. In source data, we have also had delivery address (string) which needs to insert into PurchReqLine table’s DeliveryPostalAddress(RefREcId) field. So we need to add a virtual field name as DeliveryAddress(string) and in code need to take this string values and create address at run time, use generated rec id to pass in PruchReqLine table. 

(Check this post to see, how to create Postal address at runtime)

In part one post, let’s see how to add new fields(table fields) on standard data entity’s extension. Here is the scenario, the client wants me to add new fields in the vendor group, to capture a unique reference number from their another system. Let's call it ‘SAPVendGroup’.  

1.       Create an extension of table VendGroup, and add a new string field name it SAPVendGroup.

You need to build/DB synch to get these fields in reference objects.

2.       Create an extension of VendVendorGroup data entity and drag and drop a new field from Data source to Entity fields.

3.       Create an extension of VendVendorGroupStaging table, add new field here as well.

4.       Build your solution and DB synch.

5.       Now try to export and import.

In the next post, we will see how virtual fields work with data entities. 

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