Dynamics 365 Integration: Overview
Common Integration Scenarios
Sync with ERP (e.g., Dynamics 365 BC, SAP)
Integrate with custom portals (customer or partner portals)
Push lead data from websites or marketing platforms
Fetch product availability or pricing from external systems
Trigger fulfillment in third-party logistics systems
✅ Integration Approaches
| Approach | Description | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| OData / Web API | RESTful API exposed by Dynamics CRM | Real-time, secure CRUD operations |
| Dataverse Connector | Power Platform's native connector to access CRM data | Power Automate, Power Apps |
| Custom Plugins/Webhooks | Code triggered on record events | Lightweight async integrations |
| Azure Service Bus | Queue-based event-driven integration | Decoupled systems, large volumes |
| Logic Apps / Power Automate | Low-code orchestration of workflows | Quick API-based or SaaS integrations |
| KingswaySoft (SSIS) | ETL tool for bulk data movements | Scheduled syncs, migrations |
| Virtual Tables | Show external data in CRM without importing | Real-time external data views |
🛠️ Integration Tools/Technologies
| Tool | Purpose |
|---|---|
| OData v4 Endpoint | Used to interact with CRM data over HTTP |
| Azure Logic Apps | Automate integration with over 300 connectors |
| Azure Functions | Custom serverless APIs for complex logic |
| Power Automate Flows | Declarative integration without coding |
| Custom REST APIs | Interface to/from external systems |
| Webhooks | Lightweight push notifications |
| Common Data Service (CDS) | Unified platform for storing/integrating data |
| Dataverse Connectors | Low-code access to Dynamics data |
🔄 Real-Time vs Batch Integration
| Mode | Use Cases | Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Real-Time | Lead sync, inventory lookup, address validation | Web API, Plugins, Azure Functions |
| Near Real-Time | Send orders to ERP, update customer status | Webhooks, Logic Apps |
| Batch / Scheduled | Daily sync of accounts, periodic reports | KingswaySoft, Azure Data Factory |
📦 Sample Use Case: CRM ↔ ERP (D365 BC)
Scenario:
Customer and order data must sync between Dynamics 365 Sales and Business Central.
Solution:
Use Dataverse Virtual Tables to show BC customers/orders in CRM
Use Power Automate to trigger record creation in BC on Opportunity Win
Error handling via Azure Service Bus queue
Monitoring via Application Insights
✅ Best Practices for Integrations
| Best Practice | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Use standard APIs | Use Microsoft APIs before building custom |
| Secure APIs | Use Azure AD, OAuth, and IP whitelisting |
| Rate limiting | Watch for API throttling (especially real-time) |
| Retry logic | Implement retry for transient failures |
| Logging | Log all errors & responses (Azure Monitor, App Insights) |
| Separation of concerns | Decouple business logic from integration logic |
| Use queues | Prefer async with Service Bus for resilience |
🚫 Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Calling external APIs from plugins synchronously (can lead to timeouts)
Hardcoding credentials or URLs
Ignoring schema evolution—field renames can break integrations
Not planning for API rate limits
💬 Interview Talking Points
Be ready to explain:
A real project where you integrated CRM with another system (e.g., BC, SAP, custom app)
Your tool selection rationale
How you managed security, retries, failures, and monitoring
How you ensured data consistency and transformation