How to Create a Post with Mentions using Workflow?

 In this blog article, I will walk you through new capabilities introduced in Workflows to support Post creation based off business requirements.

Goals:

-          Create a Post and Mention other records using Workflow

-          Walk through Workflow Designer and Post Url (Dynamic Value) Capability

Pre Requisite

-          Upgrade CRM 2011 Organization to UR5

-          Install Microsoft Dynamics CRM Activity Feeds solution and Configure Lead entity to have Wall

-          Read about How to do Mentions with Activity Feeds

Once Activity Feed Solution is installed, users in CRM can talk about Account, Contact, etc… entities using Posts. You can use Posts to ask questions, announce the updates to an opportunity etc… At the same time others can respond back by commenting. So this is all nice for end users to communicate. Wouldn’t you love having Auto Posts?

CRM does allow ISV’s, Partners, Users extend or tailor the out of the box functionality to your business needs. Once such extensibility is “Creating Post using Workflows!!!”.

Let’s get to the Steps to get the work done.

Scenario: When the Lead rating is changed to Hot, Create a Post on the Lead Record Wall

“<Lead name> is changed to “Hot’ by <UserName>

Steps

-          Navigate to Settings -> Processes and Click New Process

-          Process name =  “Lead Converted to Hot”

-          Entity = Lead,

-          Category = “Workflow”

-          Click ok

-          Now let’s configure the process to trigger on “Lead Update” for “Rating Field” only.

• Un check “Record is Created”

• Check Record Fields Changed. Click Select and Select Rating. Click Ok

-          In the Process, we want to verify if the “Lead.Rating” is Hot and then only create the post.

• Click –Add step -> Check Condition. Click Specify Condition and select Lead, Rating , Equals and Hot as shown below.

-          In the Condition, you would want to Create a Post.

• Click Add Step -> Create Record
• Select Post Entity
• Click “Set Properties”. You will be presented with a form (shown below) to enter Post details

-          Create Post Form .. Let’s talk about what the fields mean

• Text: Data in this field is presented to the end users on the wall
• Source : Manual / Auto
• Manual : Icon of the Post would be User (Intended for users entering manually)
• Auto : Icon of the post would be the Regarding Object of Post (Recommended for Posts created by Workflows)
• They show in corresponding Filters in Personal Wall
• Regarding ObjectId: Entity that Post is About. In our case, it is post on Lead Wall. So it is Lead.

-          Populate Post.Text

• Finally, this is where it gets interesting. Recalling that we want to post something like
• “<Lead name> is changed to “Hot’ by <UserName>
• To get the Lead Name “Mention Tag”, you need to select Post Url(Dynamic) from the Form assistant for Lead entity. (Shown in Picture below)
• Once Slug is inserted , you can type other text and Slug for Rating{Lead} and Modified User Slug (shown in Picture Below)

-          Here is Final screen shot of the Post form

-          Once you save the Process. Click Activate as shown below.

-          Create a New Lead.

-          Update the Lead Rating to “Hot”

-          Wait for Workflow to fire and you would see a Post on the Lead Record Wall…

That’s all. Now users can click on hyperlinks for Modified User & Lead directly from the Post  and they get to be on top of the situation …

Thanks

Ajith Gande