How to Create a Plugin for Dynamics 365

Quick Answer

A Dynamics 365 plugin is a custom .NET assembly that extends the platform with business logic beyond its standard capabilities. To create one, developers typically build a C# class library, add the required Dynamics 365 SDK packages, write and compile the plugin code, sign the assembly, and register it in the appropriate Dynamics 365 environment. Plugins can automate processes, respond to specific events, and support business requirements that standard features cannot handle.

Key Takeaways

• Dynamics 365 plugins extend the platform by adding custom business logic and functionality beyond its standard features.
• Plugin development typically involves creating a .NET class library, adding the Dynamics 365 SDK, writing the required C# code, and compiling the assembly.
• Plugin registration makes the compiled assembly available within the appropriate Dynamics 365 environment and allows it to respond to specific events.

 While Dynamics 365 provides organizations with various ready-to-use business features, your company may have a business scenario that requires something more customized. For that reason, Microsoft made it possible for developers to create Dynamics 365 plugins to handle those situations. We’re going to walk you through the basics of how to create a plugin for Dynamics 365. 

What Is a Dynamics 365 Plugin?

Plugins are code libraries built by developers when they need to implement customized logic. For example, developers can create a plugin to implement custom business logic that isn't available out of the box in Dataverse-based Dynamics 365 applications. Plugins can extend applications such as Dynamics 365 Sales, Customer Service, and other apps that use Dataverse. Once the fundamentals are understood, developers can use plugins to extend Dataverse-based Dynamics 365 applications with custom business logic.  

A Dynamics 365 plugin is ideal for tailoring the platform to fit unique organizational needs. The Dynamics plugins help businesses extend the platform’s functionality beyond out-of-the-box features. Dynamics 365 plugin development allows organizations to build tailored solutions that support specific operational workflows and business logic.

By using plugins, organizations can optimize Dynamics 365 to fit their core business needs. Implementing a Dynamics 365 plugin can simplify workflows, reduce manual tasks, and improve overall efficiency. With proper Dynamics 365 plugin development, companies can create seamless integrations that enhance user experience and boost productivity. Those little extras go a long way toward making the application more accessible to workers. The more comfortable they feel within the platform, the more likely they will be to take full advantage of the platform’s available features.

When Should You Use a Dynamics 365 Plugin?

First, you should understand the difference between a plugin and a workflow. Workflows can trigger limited events, while plugins can handle a lot more. In addition, plugins actively extend the current behavior of Microsoft Dynamics 365 components. Some examples of when you might want to use a plugin include:

• Needing business logic that updates specific fields in a record when creating or updating information using a Dynamics 365 application.
• Wanting to call external web services or other events that call for saving or deleting a record.
• Needing to perform dynamic calculations on field values when a user opens a record.
• Wanting to automate certain processes like sending emails to customers whenever someone triggers a specific event within your CRM.

You can create a plugin in Dynamics 365 to meet these specific requirements and improve automation. Dynamics 365 plugin development allows businesses to go beyond default capabilities and tailor solutions for complex scenarios. It ensures that your CRM system can meet highly specific functional needs.

IES Tip: Use a plugin when business logic needs to execute within the Dataverse event pipeline. For processes that can run independently of the transaction, consider whether Power Automate or another integration approach is a better fit.  

How the Dynamics 365 Plugin Pipeline Works

The Dynamics 365 plugin pipeline defines the stages through which an operation passes before, during, and after the main system action. Understanding these stages helps developers decide where a plugin should execute its custom logic.

Event → Pre-validation → Pre-operation → Main Operation → Post-operation

• Event: A triggering event, such as creating, updating, or deleting a record, starts the pipeline.
• Pre-validation: The plugin can validate data and check conditions before the main transaction begins.
• Pre-operation: The plugin can modify values or perform business logic immediately before the main operation.
• Main Operation: Dynamics 365 performs the core operation, such as creating or updating the record.
• Post-operation: The plugin runs after the main operation, making this stage useful for actions that depend on the completed transaction.

Plugins may execute synchronously or asynchronously based on the specific business requirement. Synchronous plugins execute as part of the immediate operation and can affect whether it succeeds, while asynchronous plugins run after the triggering operation and are useful for tasks that do not need to complete before the user continues.

IES Tip: Choose the pipeline stage carefully. Pre-operation is useful for modifying data before it is saved, while Post-operation is better suited to logic that depends on the completed operation.

What Do You Need to Create a Dynamics 365 Plugin?

Before developing a Dynamics 365 plugin, make sure you have the necessary development tools, environment access, and technical requirements in place. The basic prerequisites include:

• Dynamics 365 environment: Access to a Dynamics 365 environment where the plugin will be developed and tested.
• Visual Studio: An IDE for creating and working with the plugin project.
• .NET development tools: The appropriate .NET framework and development components required by the Dynamics 365 environment.
• Dynamics 365 SDK: The required SDK assemblies and NuGet packages, such as Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreAssemblies, for plugin development.
• C# knowledge: Familiarity with C# and .NET class libraries to write the plugin logic.
• Plugin registration tools: A supported tool for registering the compiled plugin assembly and configuring its execution steps.

How to Create a Dynamics 365 Plugin

Before you get started, you will need access to an integrated development environment (IDE) that lets you write your new plugin using a .Net language like C# or Visual Basic. A class library in the .Net environment gets compiled into a dynamic link library (DLL) file that you must register with your company’s Dynamics 365 instance. With the right tools and planning, Dynamics 365 plugin development can significantly enhance how your CRM performs business logic and automation. A Dynamics CRM plugin can help automate workflows and extend the functionality of your system to meet unique business requirements. Additionally, creating a Dynamics 365 custom workflow can further improve process automation and business efficiency.

When you create a plugin in Dynamics 365, you’re building a powerful extension that allows the system to respond to specific events and execute business logic automatically. It’s a critical step in tailoring Dynamics to your organization’s unique processes.

You can download a Visual Studio instance and the .Net framework from the official Microsoft website. Microsoft's current compatibility guidance supports .NET Framework 4.6.2 through 4.8 for Dataverse plug-in development. Check Microsoft's current compatibility guidance before choosing a target framework, as support requirements are evolving. Developers can also find resources for building and extending Dynamics 365 applications here. 

Once everything is ready, you can start creating a Dynamics 365 plugin. Learning how to create a plugin in Dynamics 365 enables developers to deliver targeted functionality that enhances business performance and streamlines operations.  Note, we’ll be referencing the C# language for this example, but feel free to swap in comparable libraries if you decide to go with a different language.

1. Start your instance of Visual Studio, then create a new Class Library project using the .Net framework. Look for the latest version available. Again, make sure it’s at least 4.6.2 or higher.
2. Enter a name for the assembly you’re building in the Name textbox.
3. Go to Solution Explorer. Right-click on the project, wait for the context menu to appear, then choose the Manage NuGet Packages… option.
4. Choose Browse, then enter the search term, “Microsoft.CrmSdk.CoreAssemblies.” Once it pops up, install the most recent version available.
5. Make sure you click on “I Accept” when the License Acceptance dialog appears.
6. Once the installation completes, go back to Solution Explorer. Click on the “Class1.cs” file, then select Rename from the menu.
7. Change the name of “Class1.cs” to something that more closely matches the intent of your plugin.
8. You should receive a pop-up that asks you if you wish to rename the class in your project to match your new file name. Select “Yes” to allow the update.

Now that you’ve created your project, you can edit your .cs file to implement the required business logic for your new library. Once you’re done, you’ll need to compile the assembly by hitting the F6 key. Once it compiles without errors, you must sign the plugin. The compiled Dynamics 365 plugin assembly is then ready for deployment to your CRM environment.

1. Go back to Solution Explorer, then right-click on your plugin project. Select Properties from the context menu.
2. Select the Signing tab from your project properties, then click the Sign the assembly checkbox.
3. Go to the Choose a strong name key file dropdown and select New.
4. Enter text for the key file name, look for the Protect my key file with a password checkbox, and make sure it’s unchecked.
5. Select OK.
6. Go to the project properties Build tab and verify that the project’s Configuration is set to Debug.
7. Hit the F6 key once again to rebuild your plugin.
8. Go to Windows Explorer and look for the following path for your newly built project: \bin\Debug\BasicPlugin.dll.

Make sure you change your build version to release when you’re ready to include the plugin with your solution. Next, you’ll learn how to register a plugin in Dynamics 365.

How to Register a Plugin in Dynamics 365

1. Download the Plugin registration tool using NuGet or PowerShell, then open it by clicking PluginRegistration.exe.
2. Connect to your instance by selecting Create new Connection. Make sure you have office 365 selected.
3. Enter your Microsoft Account credentials, then click Login. If you're using a Microsoft account different from the one currently signed in, click 'Show Advanced' and enter the appropriate credentials. Otherwise, keep 'Sign in as current user selected. 
4. Note that if your account provides access to multiple environments, you’ll need to pick the correct one. This can be done by following the steps below:
   1. Click Display list of available organizations.
   2. Click Login.
   3. Choose the organization you want to connect to and click Login again.
   4. Once connected, you'll be able to view any registered plug-ins, custom workflow activities, and data providers.
5. Once you connect, you should see any existing plugins and workflow activities registered previously.

Now that you’ve accessed the right environment, you can register your new assembly. The plugin registration tool in Dynamics 365 simplifies the process of registering and managing custom plugins within your environment.

1. Go to the Register drop-down and select the New Assembly option.
2. Click the (…) ellipses button that appears in the Register New Assembly dialog, then look for the assembly you built in the section that went over how to create a plugin for Dynamics 365.
3. If you’re using Microsoft 365, make sure that you have isolation mode set to sandbox and Database selected for storing the assembly.
4. Next, click on Register Selected Plug-ins. You should see a confirmation dialog appear.
5. Click the OK button to close that dialog and the Register New Assembly dialog. The new assembly should now appear.

Once you’ve gotten the hang of how to register a plugin in Dynamics 365, you should look into how to debug a plugin in Dynamics 365 to ensure functionality.

How to Test and Debug a Dynamics 365 Plugin

Testing and debugging a Dynamics 365 plugin helps verify that it runs at the correct stage, handles data properly, and does not cause unexpected behavior. After registering the plugin, developers can test it by triggering the event it is designed to handle, such as creating or updating a record.

For troubleshooting, use Plugin Trace Log to capture information about plugin execution, exceptions, and other diagnostic details. Developers can also use the Plugin Registration Tool to enable tracing and inspect registered steps. Complete testing in a development or staging environment before releasing the plugin to production.

When debugging, check the following:

• Execution stage: Confirm that the plugin is registered for the intended pipeline stage.
• Triggering event: Verify that the correct message and table are configured.
• Input and output data: Check that the plugin receives and processes the expected values.
• Exception handling: Review errors and trace logs to identify the cause of failed executions.
• Execution mode: Check that the plugin is configured for the appropriate synchronous or asynchronous execution.

IES Tip: Test plugins in a development or test environment before production deployment. Enable plugin tracing when troubleshooting to capture execution details and identify errors more quickly.

Dynamics 365 Plugin Best Practices

Following best practices can help keep Microsoft Dynamics 365 plugins reliable, efficient, and easier to maintain. Apply these guidelines to help ensure your plugins remain efficient and reliable:

• Keep plugins focused: Design each plugin to handle a specific business requirement rather than combining unrelated logic.
• Limit processing: Avoid unnecessary database queries, loops, and operations that can affect system performance.
• Use appropriate pipeline stages: Register the plugin at the stage that best matches the required business logic.
• Handle errors properly: Use clear exception handling and meaningful error messages to simplify troubleshooting.
• Avoid unnecessary synchronous execution: Use asynchronous execution for tasks that do not need to complete as part of the user's immediate transaction.
• Test before deployment: Validate plugins in a development or test environment before moving them to production.
• Use tracing for troubleshooting: Enable and review plugin trace logs when diagnosing execution issues.
• Follow security principles: Use appropriate permissions and avoid exposing sensitive data through plugin code or trace messages.

Make the Most of Your Dynamics 365 Instance

Integrated eBusiness Solutions (IES) gives companies what they need to optimize business tools to maximize efficiency within their organization. Dynamics 365 plugin development is one of the advanced services we offer to customize your CRM for unique business needs.  Learn more about how we can help you take advantage of all Dynamics 365 features by setting up a consultation. By leveraging Dynamics CRM plugins, we can help you extend your CRM's capabilities and automate complex business processes. Learn more about how we can help you take advantage of all Dynamics 365 features by setting up a consultation.

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