Author: Devikumari Krishna

I am a Solution Architect in Dynamics 365|PowerApps platform. I provide Architectural consulting for Microsoft Power Platform, Dynamics 365 CRM Cloud, On-Premise, CRM 2016, 2015 and earlier version.
PowerApps, PowerAutomate

Power Automate – Data sources using Environment Variables

Devikumari Krishna

In this blog , I will describe how to use environment variables to pass data sources in power automate flows.

Environment variables help us in a great way to reduce the manual association of data sources in each environment.

  • Login to https://make.powerapps.com
  • Navigate to Solutions -> Add New->More->Environment variables
  • Create an environment variable for Site .
  • Choose the Data Type – Data Source
  • Associate SharePoint connector if you have already created. Else create a connection and associate it here.
  • Choose the parameter type as ‘Site’.
  • Associate the SharePoint Site . You can pass the Default site value and a current value ( which is unique for each environment).
  • If the current value is not specified , default value will be used.
  • Once the environment variable for site is created, we need to create one more environment variable for List.
  • Follow the same steps as above and create a new environment variable,
  • Choose the Parameter Type as ‘List’.
  • Under Site , Specify the name of Environment variable we created in above step.
  • Now login to https://flows.microsoft.com
  • choose the flow that is using sharepoint list as data source or create a new flow,
  • In the Site Address – instead of specifying the URL directly choose ‘custom value’
  • Now you will observe that the environment variables are available to use in ‘Dynamic Content’
  • Use the Environment variables created for Site and List respectively,
  • This helps is deploying the Canvas Apps from one environment without manual intervention in Data source connections.
Apps, PowerApps

How to add custom themes and logo in PowerApps/Dataverse/MSCRM

Devikumari Krishna

In this blog, I will detail the steps on how to change the custom themes and logo in PoweApps.

  • Login to https://portal.office.com
  • Navigate to Settings->Org Settings.
  • Click on Organization Profile Tab and navigate to custom themes.

Click on Default Theme.

Enable the settings – Prevent Users from overriding their theme.

Click on Save.

Navigate to logos and upload the image ( < 10KB size).

Login to https://make.powerapps.com

Observe that the Logo appears in place of PowerApps in the header.

PowerApps, PowerAutomate

Microsoft Data verse – Create Data in Data verse from Excel using Power automate

Devikumari Krishna
  • Login to https://make.powerapps.com
  • Choose the environment.
  • click on Flows.
  • Choose the Instant Cloud Flow -> create a name and choose the PowerApps (V2) Trigger.
  • Add a Step and choose PowerApps as admin ->Get Apps as Admin
  • To know the Environment ID in Environment Name field ,
  • Click on Settings ->Session details->PowerApp Session Details ->Copy the value against Environment ID.
  • Add a new Action below Get Apps as Admin step -> List rows present in table.
  • Choose the Location. In my case I have kept the excel file in SharePoint.
  • Choose the Document Library, File and table name from excel file from where we need to read the data.
  • We need to loop through the list data output and create records in Data verse.
  • For this , choose the loop control Apply to Each.
  • Select the Output from previous step with ‘value’ returned from the List above.
  • Choose the Microsoft Data verse ->Add a new Row action.
  • Select the entity . In my case I am reading data from excel to create records in contact entity.
  • Map the mandatory attributes from value set to columns .
  • Save the Flow.
  • Apply the flow check and test the flow.

The Flow is complete and ready to use.

Reference to SharePoint list used in the flow,

Dynamics 365, PowerApps

Microsoft Dataverse Basics #1 : Create Custom tables in Dataverse/MSCRM

Devikumari Krishna
  • Login to Make.powerapps.com
  • Choose your environment
  • Navigate to Dataverse->Tables-> New Table
  • Enter the Display Name, Plural Name and Primary Field Name information.
  • Please check to enable Notes and Attachments.
  • Click on More settings to fill in Description, Table type, collaboration and Create and Update Settings.

Description : We can fill in the description about this table.

Table Type : We can choose to create the table as Activity table or Standard table.

Ownership : Ownership of the table can be at User/Teams level or Organization level.

Collaboration : We can enable Activities, feedback,Connections,Send Email, Enable SharePoint Document management setting, enable auto create teams option and queues for a table. Please note once queues are enabled , it cant be disabled.

Create and Update Settings : Enable Quick create forms, Duplicate Detection and change tracking settings for a table

Offline : Enable for Mobile phone and Dynamics 365 for outlook capabilities

Click on Create and the table gets created successfully.

Dynamics 365, Dynamics 365 Omni-Channel

Configure WhatsApp channel in Omnichannel for Customer Service

Devikumari Krishna

Pre-Requisite:

Please go through my post on Enable Omni Channel for customer service. To set up WhatsApp Channel, logon to Omnichannel Admin Center App as a Omni Channel Admin. Navigate to Channels and choose WhatsApp.

Choose the provider – TeleSign or Twilio where you have activated the Phone Number to receive WhatsApp Chat. In this post I will demonstrate with Twilio account.

Login to Twilio Account and copy the Account ID and Token.

Copy the Account SID and Auth Token from the Twilio Account. Update the Provider information in Omnichannel App and click on next.

Add WhatsApp Numbers to this account to send messages.

Copy the callback URL from next step and update in the Twilio Account.

Return to Omni channel Admin center App and create a work stream for WhatsApp Channel.

WhatsApp Channel

Set up WhatsApp Channel within Workstream.

Choose the WhatsApp number configured from Twilio Account.

Phone Number Activated from Provider

Set the Channel Operating hours in Behavior screen.

Set up the user behaviors.

Set up Routing Rule:

Review the Work Distribution setting. Enable Push Notification to yes and set the Agent capacity unit. Configure Skillset for Agent if we need to route the WhatsApp message based on Agent skill set.

Create a simple Rule Set and route the WhatsApp to right Queue.

Copy the Callback URL from Omnichannel App to Twilio Account.

Now test the connection by sending test messages to the Agent Mobile No configured in WhatsApp Workstream.

Dynamics 365, Dynamics 365 Customer Voice

Add Custom Domain in Dynamics 365 Customer Voice Survey

Devikumari Krishna
  • Logon to portal.office.com
  • Navigate to Settings->Org Settings->Services->Dynamics 365 Customer Voice
  • Click on Add Domain ->Enter the Domain name and click on next
  • Make Sure you enter a valid domain name without any https:// or www:// prefix.
  • Click on next once entering the domain.
  • System displays CName, CName and TXT values. These values need to copied in DNS records of the domain.( NOTE: In my case domain is purchased from godaddy and I need to add the DNS records in GoDaddy site.
  • The name values entered in DNS Records in GoDaddy should not have the domain suffix for names. The value in DNS should be fpeurkey1_domainkey and fpeurkey2_domainkey instead of fpeurkey1_domainkey.devisdemo.com and fpeurkey2_domainkey.devisdemo.com
  • Once the values are added in DNS Records, in portal.office.com screen click on Verify.
  • The records will be verified successfully and we need to enter the email address in the custom domain.
DNS Records Name and Value
Verify Domain
  • Once the domain is successfully verified, add the Distribution members email address in the below screen. These email ids associated here should have a valid mailbox configured for their ids.
  • The Approved User should be a global admin or Customer Voice licensed User.
Review and click on finish
Distribution member added successfully
Dynamics 365, Dynamics 365 Omni-Channel

Configure SMS Channel for Omnichannel

Devikumari Krishna

Pre-Requisite:

Please go through my post on Enable Omni Channel for customer service. To set up SMS Channel, logon to Omnichannel Admin Center App as a Omni Channel Admin. Navigate to Channels and choose SMS.

Copy the Account SID and Auth Token from the Twilio Account. Update the Provider information in Omnichannel App and click on next.

Add SMS Numbers to this account to send SMS.

Copy the callback URL from next step and update in the Twilio Account.

Return to Omni channel Admin center App and create a work stream for SMS Channel.

Set up SMS Channel within Workstream.

Choose the SMS number configured from Twilio Account.

Set the Channel Operating hours in Behavior screen.

SMS Channel configured successfully.

Set up Routing Rule:

Review the Work Distribution setting. Enable Push Notification to yes and set the Agent capacity unit. Configure Skillset for Agent if we need to route the SMS based on Agent skill set.

Create a simple Rule Set and route the SMS to right Queue.

Copy the Callback URL from Omnichannel App to Twilio Account.

Now test the connection by sending test SMS to the Agent Mobile No configured in SMS Workstream.

Dynamics 365, Dynamics 365 Omni-Channel

Enable Chat in Omni – Channel Dynamics 365

Devikumari Krishna

Configure Chat work stream:

  • In the Omni- Channel Admin center App navigate to General Settings->Workstreams.
  • Create a workstream with type as Messaging and channel as Chat.
  • Enable the Chat method as Live chat.
  • Enable the Work distribution mode as Push.

Configure Chat Channel:

  • Name your Chat Channel and choose the relevant language.
  • Choose the Chat Widget name, color and logo URL. The chat widget code received in this step need to be configured in Portal Code -Snippets.
  • Enable the User features for Attachments exchange.

Enable Voice and video calls from Chat Channel settings under User features.

  • Chat Set up is complete.

Dynamics 365, Dynamics 365 Omni-Channel

Configure Facebook Channel for omnichannel :Dynamics 365 Customer Service

Devikumari Krishna

To enable Facebook channel Integration, we need a Facebook Account and Facebook page from where customers will view the social post and share the likes/comments.

The Facebook page needs to be associated with a Facebook App. The necessary configurations needs to be performed on Facebook App. Once done Channel configurations need to be done on Omnichannel App.

Facebook App – Prerequisites:

Login to https://developers.facebook.com

  • Create app, which is automatically set to Dev Mode
  • Begin testing with your own assets, and compile the assets required for App Review
  • Submit for necessary permissions/features in App Review
  • After completing App Review, switch your app to “Live”
Facebook App with Facebook Page Configured
Enable Permission for pages messaging feature
  • Configure a work Stream for Facebook channel.
  • Enable Rule set.
  • Associate Queue to which the messages need to be assigned.
  • Enable Work Distribution mode to push.
  • Set the Agent Status during which Agent can received the notification in Allowed Presence Section.
Work Stream for Facebook channel
Configure Rules to receive notification

Configure Facebook page in omnichannel App:

  • Create a Facebook Page with Page ID defined in Facebook App.
  • Page Name should match the configuration in Facebook App.
  • Page Access Token in generated from Facebook App.
  • Associate Work Stream and Facebook Application(Channel).
Facebook page with Page Id from developers Facebook section

Facebook Application:

  • In Omnichannel App, Configure the Facebook Application. Application Id is the Facebook App ID.
  • Associate the Facebook page created in above screen shot. System generates a callback Uri and Token ( verify Token in below screen shot)
  • The Callback Uri and Token from above step needs to be updated in Facebook App -> Web hooks section.

Configure Channel Integration Framework

  • To receive push notifications from Facebook page Channel Integration framework needs to be configured and associated to Omnichannel App.
  • Now all steps are configured successfully to exchange communication between Facebook and Omnichannel live chat. Below are the sample screens in Omnichannel App when Agent receives incoming notification.