Create and update an entity than can be emailed

Article
11/28/2016

Applies To: Dynamics 365 (online), Dynamics 365 (on-premises), Dynamics CRM 2016, Dynamics CRM Online

You can create an entity that contains an email address you can use to send email activities to records for that entity.

The following sample creates a custom entity and sets the IsActivityParty property to true. It also creates a StringAttributeMetadata attribute using StringFormatName.Email to provide an email address to use.

Even if you add other StringAttributeMetadata attributes formatted as an email address, only the first one specified is used.



// Create the custom entity.
CreateEntityRequest createrequest = new CreateEntityRequest
{
    // Define an entity to enable for emailing. In order to do so,
    // IsActivityParty must be set.
    Entity = new EntityMetadata
    {
        SchemaName = _customEntityName,
        DisplayName = new Label("Agent", 1033),
        DisplayCollectionName = new Label("Agents", 1033),
        Description = new Label("Insurance Agents", 1033),
        OwnershipType = OwnershipTypes.UserOwned,
        IsActivity = false,

        // Unless this flag is set, this entity cannot be party to an
        // activity.
        IsActivityParty = true
    },

    // As with built-in emailable entities, the Primary Attribute will
    // be used in the activity party screens. Be sure to choose descriptive
    // attributes.
    PrimaryAttribute = new StringAttributeMetadata
    {
        SchemaName = "new_fullname",
        RequiredLevel = new AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.None),
        MaxLength = 100,
        FormatName = StringFormatName.Text,
        DisplayName = new Label("Agent Name", 1033),
        Description = new Label("Agent Name", 1033)
    }
};

_serviceProxy.Execute(createrequest);
Console.WriteLine("The emailable entity has been created.");

// The entity will not be selectable as an activity party until its customizations
// have been published. Otherwise, the e-mail activity dialog cannot find
// a correct default view.
PublishAllXmlRequest publishRequest = new PublishAllXmlRequest();
_serviceProxy.Execute(publishRequest);

// Before any emails can be created for this entity, an Email attribute
// must be defined.
CreateAttributeRequest createFirstEmailAttributeRequest = new CreateAttributeRequest
{
    EntityName = _customEntityName,
    Attribute = new StringAttributeMetadata
    {
        SchemaName = "new_emailaddress",
        RequiredLevel = new AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.None),
        MaxLength = 100,                            
        FormatName = StringFormatName.Email,
        DisplayName = new Label("Email Address", 1033),
        Description = new Label("Email Address", 1033)
    }
};

_serviceProxy.Execute(createFirstEmailAttributeRequest);
Console.WriteLine("An email attribute has been added to the emailable entity.");

// Create a second, alternate email address. Since there is already one 
// email attribute on the entity, this will never be used for emailing
// even if the first one is not populated.
CreateAttributeRequest createSecondEmailAttributeRequest = new CreateAttributeRequest
{
    EntityName = _customEntityName,
    Attribute = new StringAttributeMetadata
    {
        SchemaName = "new_secondaryaddress",
        RequiredLevel = new AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.None),
        MaxLength = 100,                            
        FormatName = StringFormatName.Email,
        DisplayName = new Label("Secondary Email Address", 1033),
        Description = new Label("Secondary Email Address", 1033)
    }
};

_serviceProxy.Execute(createSecondEmailAttributeRequest);

Console.WriteLine("A second email attribute has been added to the emailable entity.");



' Create the custom entity.
Dim createrequest As CreateEntityRequest = New CreateEntityRequest With {.Entity = New EntityMetadata With {
  .SchemaName = _customEntityName,
  .DisplayName = New Label("Agent", 1033),
  .DisplayCollectionName = New Label("Agents", 1033),
  .Description = New Label("Insurance Agents", 1033),
  .OwnershipType = OwnershipTypes.UserOwned,
  .IsActivity = False, .IsActivityParty = True},
  .PrimaryAttribute = New StringAttributeMetadata With {
   .SchemaName = "new_fullname",
   .RequiredLevel = New AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.None),
   .MaxLength = 100,
   .Format = StringFormat.Text,
   .DisplayName = New Label("Agent Name", 1033),
   .Description = New Label("Agent Name", 1033)
   }
  }
' Define an entity to enable for emailing. In order to do so,
' IsActivityParty must be set.
' Unless this flag is set, this entity cannot be party to an
' activity.
' As with built-in emailable entities, the Primary Attribute will
' be used in the activity party screens. Be sure to choose descriptive
' attributes.

_serviceProxy.Execute(createrequest)
Console.WriteLine("The emailable entity has been created.")

' The entity will not be selectable as an activity party until its customizations
' have been published. Otherwise, the e-mail activity dialog cannot find
' a correct default view.
Dim publishRequest As New PublishAllXmlRequest()
_serviceProxy.Execute(publishRequest)

' Before any emails can be created for this entity, an Email attribute
' must be defined.
Dim createFirstEmailAttributeRequest As CreateAttributeRequest = New CreateAttributeRequest With {
 .EntityName = _customEntityName,
 .Attribute = New StringAttributeMetadata With {
  .SchemaName = "new_emailaddress",
  .RequiredLevel = New AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.None),
  .MaxLength = 100,
  .Format = StringFormat.Email,
  .DisplayName = New Label("Email Address", 1033),
  .Description = New Label("Email Address", 1033)
 }
}

_serviceProxy.Execute(createFirstEmailAttributeRequest)
Console.WriteLine("An email attribute has been added to the emailable entity.")

' Create a second, alternate email address. Since there is already one 
' email attribute on the entity, this will never be used for emailing
' even if the first one is not populated.
Dim createSecondEmailAttributeRequest As CreateAttributeRequest = New CreateAttributeRequest With {
 .EntityName = _customEntityName,
 .Attribute = New StringAttributeMetadata With {
  .SchemaName = "new_secondaryaddress",
  .RequiredLevel = New AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.None),
  .MaxLength = 100,
  .Format = StringFormat.Email,
  .DisplayName = New Label("Secondary Email Address", 1033),
  .Description = New Label("Secondary Email Address", 1033)
 }
}

_serviceProxy.Execute(createSecondEmailAttributeRequest)

Console.WriteLine("A second email attribute has been added to the emailable entity.")

Create and update an entity than can be emailed

See Also

Additional resources