This article explains how to configure a workflow with AutoMerge for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Online. The steps described below solely refer to AutoMerge for MS Dynamics CRM 2011 Online. For details about how to create a workflow with AutoMerge for MS Dynamics CRM On-Premise, please watch our demonstration videos on our Youtube channel here.

How to create a workflow with AutoMerge for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Online

First of all, start in the settings of your CRM system (1) and click on Processes in the sitemap (2).

Figure 1: Processes-area in CRM settings

Then click on the [New]-button to create a new workflow. A webpage dialog pops up. Type in a name, determine an entity and select Workflow as process category. Afterwards, click on the [OK]-button.

Figure 2: Webpage dialog to create a new workflow/dialog

After clicking on the [OK]-button, you will see the following window. Start to define and add the steps you would like to have in your workflow. If you would like to e.g. create the document as a first step of your workflow, click on the Add Step-drop-down menu and select Create Record.

Figure 3: Window for workflow-configuration

Now, the first step has been added to your workflow. Type in a description of the step, e.g. create document. Once done, open the drop-down menu within this first step, select MSCRM-ADDONS.com AutoMergeWorkingItems and click on Set Properties.

Figure 4: Window for workflow configuration, creation of first workflow-step (CreateDocument)

The window shown in Figure 5 will open. Here, you configure the first step of your workflow. Type in a name and define the AutoMerge-action. In our example, we select the action CreateDocument.

Figure 5: Window for workflow-step configuration, definition of a name and the AutoMergeAction (CreateDocument)

Now select a template that should be used in the workflow (1) and the file format the document should be saved as (2).

Furthermore, it is very important to insert the PrimaryRecordUrl. To do so, set the cursor in the PrimaryRecordUrl-field and go to the Look for-area in the form assistant at the right side. Select Record URL(Dynamics) (4) from the second drop-down-menu (3), click on the [Add]-button and then on the [OK]-button. 

Figure 6: Workflow-step configuration, definition of the template to be used in the workflow and the file format

As you can see, the PrimaryRecordUrl-field has been filled out automatically. Click on the [Save and Close]-button in order to proceed. 

Figure 7: Workflow-step configuration, first step finished

The first step of your workflow is now added and fully configured.
If you want to stop your workflow at this point, you can click on the [Save and Close]-button and finish here.
If you want to add further steps to your workflow, define a condition to be fulfilled before adding further steps.
For example, if you want to create a letter-activity with the previously generated document as an attachment, you need to make sure that the document creation is completed before attaching the document to the letter activity. Open the Add-Step-drop-down menu again and select Wait Condition. 

Figure 8: Adding a Wait condition

The step is added to the workflow. Type in a step description and click on (click to configure).

Figure 9: Add a description to the Wait condition 

Hereafter, a window pops up. In this window, you may define the condition to be fulfilled within the workflow.
As for our example, we select

Create document (MSCRM-ADDONS.com AutoMergeWorkingItems) from the first drop-down menu,
Status from the second drop-down menu,
Equals from the third drop-down menu and
Inactive from the fourth drop-down menu.

Once you have set your options, click on the [Save and Close]-button.
By finishing this step, you have determined that step 2 of your workflow (in our example to attach the created document to a letter-activity) will only be executed if the first step, namely the document generation, has been finished successfully.

Figure 10: Configuration of the Wait Condition I

Figure 11: Configuration of the Wait Condition II

Your workflow configuration should look like Figure 12 now.

Figure 12: Wait condition-step added and configured

To add another step, e.g. to create a letter-activity, click on Select this row and click Add Step (1) and afterwards on Add Step. (2)

Figure 13: Add workflow-step 2 (Letter)

Now select Create Record from the drop-down menu. The new step has now been added to your workflow and is ready for configuration. Type in a step description (e.g. Attach document to letter), open the drop-down menu within this second step and select Letter.

Figure 14: Workflow-step (Letter) added

Now click on Set Properties and a letter-activity-window will open. Within this window, define a sender, a subject and type in your letter-text.
Then, set the cursor into the Recipient-field to define the recipient. Go to the Look for-area within the form assistant on the right side.
Select Account in both drop-down-menus, click on the [Add]-button and then on click on the [OK]-button. In this manner, the Recipient-field has been filled out correctly.

Figure 15: Configure Letter-activity

Now click on the [Save and Close]-button. Back to the general workflow-window, you can see the added and completely configured letter-activity.
Within the next step, you must define if the previously created document should be added to this letter-activity.
To do so, click on Add Step and select Create Record from the drop-down menu.

Figure 16: Add AttachToLetter-step I

Type in a step description and open the drop-down menu of this step. Select MSCRM-ADDONS.com AutoMergeWorkingItems. Then click on Set Properties.

Figure 17: Add AttachToLetter-step II

A window will pop up to configure the AttachToLetter-workflow-step. Name and define the AutoMerge action (1). Within the Attach to Letter-section, determine the letter-activity to which the created document should be attached to (2) and the document which should be attached (DocumentGUID_Letter-field, 2).

Figure 18: Configure AttachToLetter-step I

To determine the letter-activity the document should be attached to, set the cursor into the LetterToAttach-filed in the Attach To Letter-area (1) and select the correct letter-activity from the drop-down menu in the Look For-area  (2) within the form assistant on the right side. Click on the [Add]-button and on the [OK]-button in order to proceed.

Figure 19: Configure AttachToLetter-step II

To determine the document to be attached, set the cursor into the DocumentGUID_Letter-field (1) and select the correct document from the drop-down box in the Look For-area within the form assistant on the right side. (2) Click on the [Add]-button and the [OK]-button in order to proceed.

Figure 20: Configure AttachToLetter-step III

The configuration of the step has been completed now. Click on the [Save and Close]-button. If you want to stop your workflow at this point, you can click on the [Save and Close]-button in the general workflow-configuration-window and finish here. If you want to add further steps to your workflow, you have to define a condition to be fulfilled before you add further workflow-steps. In that case, you must - again - insert a Wait Condition (please see the steps corresponding to Figure 8 - 12). In our example, we want the workflow to proceed when the created document has been attached to the letter-activity. 

Once you have configured the Wait Condition, you can add another workflow-step. In our example, we want the document to be deleted after it has been attached to the letter-activity. To do so, click on Select this row and click and open the Add Step-drop-down menu. Select Create Record.
Hereafter, type in a step-description, select MSCRM-ADDONS.com AutoMergeWorkingItems from the drop-down box within the step and click on Set Properties. A window will pop up in which you can determine that the created document should be deleted after it has been attached to the letter-activity.
To do so, insert a name and an AutoMerge activity (in our example DeleteTempDocument).
Now click in the DocumentGUID_Delete-field within the Delete Temp Document-area (1) and select the document to be deleted from the drop-down box in the Look For-area within the form assistant. (2)

Figure 21: Configure Delete Temp Document-step

Click on the [Save and Close]-button. Congratulation! You have successfully finished your workflow configuration. Do not forget to click on the [Save and Close]-button before your close the configuration window. 

Figure 22: Workflow-configuration finished

That’s it! We appreciate your feedback! Please share your thoughts by sending an email to support@mscrm-addons.com.