Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement

Comprehensive guide to building, customizing, and extending Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement applications

Overview

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CE) is a comprehensive suite of enterprise applications designed to manage customer relationships, sales, marketing, and service operations. Built on the Microsoft Power Platform and Dataverse, Dynamics 365 CE provides a robust foundation for digital transformation.

Our expertise spans the entire Dynamics 365 CE ecosystem, from architecture design and customization to complex integrations and performance optimization. We help organizations leverage the full potential of Dynamics 365 to drive business growth and operational excellence.

Core Applications

Dynamics 365 Sales

End-to-end sales management from lead generation to opportunity closure. Features include AI-driven insights, sales forecasting, relationship analytics, and seamless integration with Microsoft 365 tools. We implement custom sales processes, configure opportunity scoring, and build predictive analytics dashboards.

Dynamics 365 Customer Service

Omnichannel customer service platform supporting case management, knowledge base, service level agreements (SLAs), and AI-powered virtual agents. We design service workflows, implement routing rules, configure entitlements, and build self-service portals.

Dynamics 365 Marketing

Marketing automation platform for multi-channel campaigns, customer journey orchestration, event management, and marketing analytics. We build customer segmentation strategies, design automated nurture campaigns, implement lead scoring models, and create real-time marketing journeys.

Dynamics 365 Field Service

Complete field service management solution with work order management, scheduling optimization, mobile capabilities, and IoT integration. We configure resource scheduling, implement preventive maintenance workflows, build mobile apps for technicians, and integrate with IoT devices for predictive service.

Customization & Development

Low-Code Customization

Dynamics 365 CE provides powerful low-code customization capabilities through the Power Apps maker portal:

  • Entity Customization: Create custom tables, fields, relationships, and business rules without code
  • Form Design: Build responsive forms with tabs, sections, and conditional logic
  • View Configuration: Design custom views with filtering, sorting, and grouping
  • Business Process Flows: Guide users through standardized processes with stage-based workflows
  • Dashboards & Charts: Create interactive visualizations and KPI dashboards

Pro-Code Development

For complex requirements, we leverage the full Dataverse developer platform:

Plugins & Custom Workflow Activities

Server-side .NET code that executes in response to Dataverse events. We implement complex business logic, data validation, integration with external systems, and custom calculations.

Web API & SDK Integration

RESTful API for CRUD operations, querying with FetchXML/OData, and batch operations. We build custom integrations, external portals, and mobile applications using the Web API and .NET SDK.

Custom PCF Controls

Build reusable, responsive UI components using the Power Apps Component Framework. We create custom visualizations, enhanced data entry controls, and third-party library integrations.

Data Architecture & Modeling

Proper data modeling is critical for scalable Dynamics 365 implementations. Our approach includes:

Entity Relationship Design

  • 1:N Relationships: Parent-child relationships with cascading behavior configuration
  • N:N Relationships: Many-to-many associations using relationship tables
  • Self-Referencing: Hierarchical data structures (e.g., account hierarchies)
  • Polymorphic Lookups: Customer and regarding fields that reference multiple entity types

Data Security & Compliance

Multi-layered security model using security roles and privileges:

  • Business Units: Organizational hierarchy for data segmentation
  • Security Roles: Privilege-based access control at entity and record level
  • Field-Level Security: Protect sensitive fields from unauthorized access
  • Hierarchical Security: Manager access to subordinate records
  • Audit & Change Tracking: Compliance with data retention and audit requirements

Performance Optimization

We implement best practices for optimal system performance:

  • Indexing Strategy: Custom indexes on frequently queried fields
  • Query Optimization: Efficient FetchXML and QueryExpression design
  • Asynchronous Processing: Background jobs for long-running operations
  • Caching: Strategic use of caching for reference data
  • Bulk Operations: ExecuteMultiple and batch API calls for high-volume scenarios

Integration Patterns

Dynamics 365 CE rarely operates in isolation. We design and implement robust integration patterns:

Real-Time Integration

  • Synchronous Web API Calls: Direct API calls for immediate data synchronization
  • Plugins with External Callouts: Server-side integration during transaction processing
  • Virtual Tables: Real-time access to external data without replication
  • Dual-Write: Bi-directional synchronization with Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations

Asynchronous Integration

  • Dataverse Webhooks: Event-driven integration with external systems
  • Azure Service Bus: Reliable message queuing for enterprise integration
  • Power Automate Flows: Low-code integration with 500+ connectors
  • Azure Logic Apps: Enterprise-grade workflow orchestration

Data Migration & ETL

We execute seamless data migrations using proven methodologies:

  • Data Import Tools: Excel, CSV import with mapping validation
  • Configuration Migration Tool: Environment-to-environment configuration transfer
  • SSIS Packages: Complex ETL with SQL Server Integration Services
  • Azure Data Factory: Cloud-based ETL for large-scale migrations
  • KingswaySoft: Specialized SSIS components for Dynamics 365

Application Lifecycle Management

Professional ALM practices ensure reliable delivery and maintenance.

Solution Management

  • Managed vs Unmanaged Solutions: Proper solution layering strategy
  • Solution Segmentation: Modular solutions for independent deployment
  • Solution Patching: Hot fixes and incremental updates
  • Dependency Management: Clean dependency chains and upgrade paths

Environment Strategy

Multi-environment approach for quality assurance:

  • Development: Unmanaged solutions for active development
  • Build/Integration: Automated build and test environment
  • User Acceptance Testing (UAT): Stakeholder validation
  • Production: Managed solutions with change control
  • Sandbox: Training and experimentation environments

CI/CD Automation

We implement automated deployment pipelines using:

  • Azure DevOps: Build and release pipelines with Power Platform Build Tools
  • GitHub Actions: Git-based workflows for solution deployment
  • Power Platform CLI: Command-line automation for solution operations
  • Solution Checker: Automated code quality and best practice validation

Advanced Topics

AI & Machine Learning

Leverage AI capabilities built into Dynamics 365 and AI Builder:

  • Sales Insights: Predictive lead scoring and opportunity insights
  • Customer Insights: Customer segmentation and lifetime value prediction
  • AI Builder Models: Form processing, object detection, sentiment analysis
  • Custom Azure ML Integration: Bring your own ML models via Azure ML

Power Pages Integration

Build external-facing websites and portals with Power Pages:

  • Customer Self-Service: Case submission, knowledge base access, account management
  • Partner Portals: B2B collaboration and opportunity management
  • Employee Portals: Internal applications with Dataverse integration
  • Custom Web Applications: Liquid templates and JavaScript for rich experiences

Multi-Channel Support

Omnichannel engagement through various channels:

  • Omnichannel for Customer Service: Unified interface for chat, voice, SMS, social
  • Microsoft Teams Integration: Embedded Dynamics 365 apps in Teams
  • Mobile Apps: Native iOS/Android apps with offline capabilities
  • Email Integration: Server-side synchronization with Exchange

Best Practices & Guidelines

📋 Design Principles

  • Start with out-of-the-box functionality before customizing
  • Prefer configuration over customization, customization over code
  • Design for scalability from day one
  • Implement proper error handling and logging
  • Document all customizations and integrations

âš¡ Performance Guidelines

  • Retrieve only required columns in queries
  • Use early-bound classes for plugin development
  • Implement pagination for large datasets
  • Minimize plugin depth and avoid infinite loops
  • Use asynchronous plugins for non-critical operations

🔒 Security Best Practices

  • Apply principle of least privilege for security roles
  • Use Azure Key Vault for sensitive credentials
  • Enable audit logging for compliance requirements
  • Implement field-level security for sensitive data
  • Regular security role reviews and cleanup

Our Approach

At CRX Partners, we combine deep technical expertise with business acumen to deliver Dynamics 365 CE solutions that drive real business value. Our methodology includes:

Discovery & Planning

Comprehensive requirements gathering, solution architecture design, and roadmap development aligned with business objectives.

Agile Implementation

Iterative development with regular stakeholder feedback, ensuring the solution evolves with business needs.

Quality Assurance

Rigorous testing including unit tests, integration tests, UAT, and performance testing to ensure production readiness.

Knowledge Transfer

Comprehensive training and documentation to empower your team for ongoing maintenance and enhancement.

Ready to Transform Your Customer Engagement?

Let's discuss how Dynamics 365 CE can drive your digital transformation. Our team is ready to help you design, build, and optimize your Dynamics 365 solution.