CRM 2013 – Custom Actions

Custom Actions are a feature shipped with CRM 2013. The easiest way to explain the feature (for developers) is:

“You are able to create your own OrganizationRequest”

It is possible to use the CRM UI for creating an “Action” or you can write Code that creates a custom Action.

Key Points (SDK)

• Is defined using a Workflow entity record, similar to a real-time workflow.
• Can be associated with a single entity or be global, meaning not associated with any particular entity.
• Is executed in the core operation stage 30 of the event execution pipeline.
• Supports the invocation of plug-ins and real-time workflows registered in the pre-operation and post-operation stages of the event execution pipeline.
• Can have plug-ins or real-time workflows registered in the pre-operation or post-operation stages while the action status is Draft.
• Is available through the organization.svc and organization.svc/web endpoints, but not the organizationdata.svc (OData) endpoint.
• Always runs under the security context of the calling user.
• Record cannot be deleted while there are plug-in steps and other real-time workflows registered on the action.
• Can be invoked only by a web service method call, not directly from a workflow. However, the workaround is to write a custom workflow activity that invokes the action and add that to a workflow.
• Can optionally participate in the current database transaction.
• Does not support a scope where the execution is restricted to a user, business unit, or organization.
• Supports input and output parameters.
• Supports auditing of data changes.
• Is not supported with offline clients.

This feature will reduce plugin code in the future, because it is possible to encapsulate a sequence of operations in one request.

cheers