Dynamics 365 FO - Data types

Dynamics 365 FO - Data types

Nghia Song - Microsoft Dynamics 365 Technical Consultant

Nghia Song
Tel - WhatsApp: +84967324794
Email: songnghia.uit@gmail.com

Data types

Primitive Data Types

The basic set of primitive data types in Microsoft Dynamics 365 map to underlying data types that exist in the physical database. These primitive data types can be expanded to create Extended Data Types, which are reusable data types having a specific definition.

The primitive data types used in Microsoft Dynamics 365 are as follows:

Base enum

An enum is a list of literals. Before you can use an enum, you must declare it in Application Explorer.

The literal values are represented internally as integers. The first literal has the number 0, the next literal has the number 1, the next literal has the number 2, and so on. You can use enum values as integers in expressions. The default value for the first entry is 0, and the internal representation is a short number.

Extended data types

EDTs extend primitive data types or other EDTs. The benefit of creating EDTs is the reuse of their properties. For example, the label for one EDT can be inherited from the EDT that it extends.

A table field that is created based on an EDT will also inherit properties from that EDT.

Another benefit is more efficient maintenance. The properties of many fields can change at one time by changing the properties on the EDT.

Most fields in Microsoft Dynamics 365 tables are based on EDTs.

Practice

Create new enum

Procedure:

In this practice, we will design new base enum is gender and the gender enum have 2 option: Male and Female.

Step	Screen shots	Description
0		Start Visual Studio using Run as administrator.
1		Right click project > Add > New Item
2		Select Data Types > Base Enum then input the name of Base Enum
3		Create a new label for enum
4		On the properties, copy the label id to the label Modify the property style of base enum is Combobox
5		Create 2 elements Male and Female. Right click on the design of enum > New Element
6		Modify the property name and label
7
8		Build and Sync project

Create new extend data types

Procedure:

In this practice, we will create new EDTs

EmplName: Employee name, String, Size: 40

EmplDescription: Employee description, String, Size: Memo

EmplDOB: Date of bitrh, Datetime

Step	Screen shots	Description
0		Start Visual Studio using Run as administrator.
1		Right click project > Add > New Item
2		Click Data Types > EDT String Input the name of EDT: EmplName Same with EmplDescription
3		Click Date Types > EDT Date Input the name of EDT: EmplDOB
4		Modify the property label and string size of the EDT String
5		Modify the property label for EDT Date
		Build and Sync project