Define ribbon enable rules

Note

This topic is about classic commands.

There is a new way to define commands. See Modern commanding overview (preview).

When configuring ribbon elements, you can define specific rules to control when the ribbon elements are enabled. The <EnableRule> element is used as follows:

  • Use the /RuleDefinitions/EnableRules/EnableRule element to define rules controlling when the ribbon element should be enabled.

  • Use the /CommandDefinitions/CommandDefinition/EnableRules/EnableRule element to associate specific enable rules to a command definition.

What does enabled mean?

With the command bar, commands that are disabled are hidden. With the ribbon, commands that are disabled are visible but do not respond to events.

Control when ribbon elements are enabled

Enable rules are intended to be reused. By defining them with rule definitions, you can use the same enable rule for many command definitions. When more than one enable rule is defined for a command definition, all of the enable rules must evaluate as true for the ribbon element to be enabled.

All Enable rules provide an optional parameter to specify whether the default value of the rule is true or false and an optional InvertResult parameter to allow for returning a negative result when the item being tested returns true.

The /RuleDefinitions/EnableRules/EnableRule element supports the following types of rules:

Command Client Type Rule

Uses the <CommandClientTypeRule> element. Specifies a rule that detects the type of presentation being used.

The Type values correspond to the following:

Value Presentation
Modern The command bar is presented using Dynamics 365 for tablets.
Refresh The command bar is presented using the updated user interface.
Legacy The ribbon is presented in forms for tables that were not updated or in a list view in Dynamics 365 for Outlook.

Crm Client Type Rule

Uses the <CrmClientTypeRule> element to allow definition of rules depending on the type of client used. Type options are as follows:

  • Web

  • Outlook

Crm Offline Access State Rule

Uses the <CrmOfflineAccessStateRule> element. Use this criteria to enable a ribbon element based on whether Dynamics 365 for Microsoft Office Outlook with Offline Access is currently offline.

Crm Outlook Client Type Rule

Uses the <CrmOutlookClientTypeRule> element. Use this rule if you want to only display a button for a specific type of Dynamics 365 for Outlook. Type options are as follows:

  • CrmForOutlook

  • CrmForOutlookOfflineAccess

Custom Rule

Uses the <CustomRule> element. Use this kind of rule to call a function in a JavaScript web resource that returns a Promise (Unified Interface) or boolean (Unified Interface and web client).

function EnableRule()
{
    const value = Xrm.Page.getAttribute("column1").getValue();
    return value === "Active";
}

Note

Custom rules that do not return a value quickly can affect the performance of the ribbon. If you have to perform logic that might take some time to complete (for example, a network request), use the following strategy to make your custom rule asynchronous.

Unified Interface rules support returning a Promise rather than boolean for asynchronous rule evaluation. If the promise does not resolve within 10 seconds, the rule will resolve with a false value.

Note

Promises-based rules will only work on Unified Interface, so they cannot be used if classic Web Client is still being used.

// Old synchronous style
/*
function EnableRule() {
   const request = new XMLHttpRequest();
   request.open('GET', '/bar/foo', false);
   request.send(null);
   return request.status === 200 && request.responseText === "true";
}
*/

// New asynchronous style
function EnableRule() {
   const request = new XMLHttpRequest();
   request.open('GET', '/bar/foo');

   return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
       request.onload = function (e) {
           if (request.readyState === 4) {
               if (request.status === 200) {
                   resolve(request.responseText === "true");
               } else {
                   reject(request.statusText);
               }
           }
       };
       request.onerror = function (e) {
           reject(request.statusText);
       };

       request.send(null);
   });
}

Entity Rule

Uses the <EntityRule> element. EntityRule allow for evaluation of the current table. This is useful when you define custom actions that apply to the table template instead of for specific tables. For example, you may want to add a ribbon element to all tables except for several specific tables. It is easier to define the custom action for the table template that applies to all tables and then use an EntityRule to filter out those that should be excluded.

The EntityRule also includes an optional context parameter to specify whether the table is being displayed in the form or a list (HomePageGrid). The optional AppliesTo parameter can be set to PrimaryEntity or SelectedEntity to distinguish whether the table is being displayed in a subgrid.

Form State Rule

Uses the <FormStateRule> element. Use the FormState rule to determine the current type of form that is displaying a record. State options are as follows:

  • Create

  • Existing

  • ReadOnly

  • Disabled

  • BulkEdit

Or Rule

Uses the <OrRule> element. The OrRule lets you override the default AND comparison for multiple enable rule types. Use the OrRule element to define several possible valid combinations to check.

Outlook Item Tracking Rule

Uses the <OutlookItemTrackingRule> element. Use the TrackedInCrm parameter for this element to determine whether the record is being tracked in Power Apps.

Outlook Version Rule

Uses the <OutlookVersionRule> element. Use this to enable a ribbon element for a specific version of Office Outlook as follows:

  • 2003

  • 2007

  • 2010

Page Rule

Uses the <PageRule> element. This type of rule checks the URL of the page being displayed. It returns true if the Address matches.

Record Privilege Rule

Uses the <RecordPrivilegeRule> element. Use this rule to determine whether the current user has privileges on a specific record. These privileges differ from a table privilege because they can include privileges gained by another user sharing the record with the current user.

Selection Count Rule

Uses the <SelectionCountRule> element. Use this kind of rule with a ribbon displayed for a list to enable a button when specific maximum and minimum numbers of records in the grid are selected. For example, if your button merges records, you should make sure at least two records are selected before enabling the ribbon control.

Value Rule

Uses the <ValueRule> element. Use this rule to check the value of a specific column in the record being displayed in the form. You must specify the Field and the Value to check.

Note

On a form, a ValueRule requires the specified column to be part of the form for it to work. On a grid or subgrid, the column must be one of the grid columns.

Show On Quick Action Rule

Uses the <EnableRule> element. Use this rule to make the command appear only as quick action.

<CommandDefinition Id="new.contact.Command.Call">
  <EnableRules>
    <EnableRule Id="Mscrm.SelectionCountExactlyOne" />
    <EnableRule Id="Mscrm.ShowOnQuickAction" />
  </EnableRules>
  <DisplayRules />
  <Actions>
    <JavaScriptFunction FunctionName=" simplealert" />
  </Actions>
</CommandDefinition>

Show On Grid and Quick Action rule

Uses the <EnableRule> element. Use this rule to make the command appear on the homepage grid and quick action.

<CommandDefinition Id="new.contact.Command.Call">
  <EnableRules>
    <EnableRule Id="Mscrm.SelectionCountExactlyOne" />
    <EnableRule Id="Mscrm.ShowOnGridAndQuickAction" />
  </EnableRules>
  <DisplayRules />
  <Actions>
    <JavaScriptFunction FunctionName=" simplealert" />
  </Actions>
</CommandDefinition>

Show On Grid Rule

Uses the <EnableRule> element. Use this rule to make the quick action command appear on the homepage grid only. In other words, you can use this command to hide an existing quick action.

<CommandDefinition Id="new.contact.Command.Call">
  <EnableRules>
    <EnableRule Id="Mscrm.SelectionCountExactlyOne" />
    <EnableRule Id="Mscrm.ShowOnGrid" />
  </EnableRules>
  <DisplayRules />
  <Actions>
    <JavaScriptFunction FunctionName=" simplealert" />
  </Actions>
</CommandDefinition>

See also

Customize commands and the ribbon
Define ribbon commands
Define ribbon display rules