Dynamics CRM:Configure Address Validation

← Clean Suite for CRM:Dynamics

Configure Address Validation for CRM Entities

Address Validation for Dynamics 365 can be configured to validate addresses on any entity in Dynamics 365/CRM that contains address fields.

To demonstrate how to setup and perform an address validation we'll use a configuration for the Account entity:

Creating Sample Configuration Records for Account Entity

Optional Step

Address Validation for Dynamics 365 can help you create sample configuration records to get you started.

1. Navigate to a Address Verification API record. (Like the one created here.)
2. Click on the "Create Sample Configuration" button.

File:Dynamics Config CreateSampleRecord.png

Create Sample Record

This will create two sample address verification records. To review them go to the Address Validation → Address Fields Configuration sitemap area.

File:Dynamics Config EditSampleRecord.png

Edit Sample Record

Define Address Fields on Target Entities

1. In the navigation, go to Address Validation → Address Fields Configuration.
2. Create a new record.
3. Enter the following information:

• Entity Name

  Schema name of the source Entity (e.g. account).

• Configuration Name

  Unique name of the configuration record (e.g. account1-sample).

• API Configuration Record

  This is a lookup to select the API configuration record created in the previous section.

File:Dynamics Config APIRecord.png

API Configuration Record

• Address Verification Button

  This is an optional step that allows you to customize the label of the verification button. To do so, enter the language code (Microsoft Locale ID Value) followed by a colon and then the label of the button, e.g. [Language Code]:[Button label]. For a list of supported languages and their codes, visit https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms912047(v=winembedded.10).aspx.

• This option also allows you to have multiple languages configured for the label of the button by adding a semi-colon followed by another code [Language Code]:[Button Label];[Other Code]:[Other Language Label]. For example: 1033:Verify Address;1036: Vérificationd'Adresse.
• The button will display the language based on the system language you set.

• Default Country

  If you are using the Melissa Data Express Entry Autocomplete, you can select the default country that will appear on the forms (e.g.: United States, Canada, etc.)

• Output Language

  By default, verification APIs will return the verified address in English US. This option allows you to specify the language to use with the selected configured web service.

• Use Same Fields for Input and Output

  Select whether you want the validated address to overwrite the original address or not. When a different destination is selected, you will be given the option to identify the different source fields.

Address Validation for Dynamics 365 allows you to input the country of the address to be validated as a lookup or text field.

• The Source (Input) fields are the fields where the original address (to be validated) are located.
• The Destination (Output) fields are the fields where the verified address will be written to.

File:Dynamics Config SameFields.png

Use Same Fields for Output

Address Field - Full Address: Indicate a text field schema name (custom created or out of the box field) where the application can save the full formatted address after it is verified. A value is not required for this field, and it cannot be one of the Out of the Box address composite fields.

Address Validation Details Field: Indicate a text field schema name (custom created or out of the box field) where the application can save the details of the address correction returned by the verification API. A value is not required for this field.

IMPORTANT – When a different destination is enabled for the validated address:

• If the country source is a lookup field, then the destination can be either a lookup or a text field.
• If the country source is a text field, then the destination must be a text field.

Country Lookup Field Configuration

Address Validation for Dynamics 365 gives you the option to select a lookup field as the input for the address to be validated. The system will need an entity to store the country names and codes (for a table of names and codes, see https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee783932(v=cs.10).aspx), if you already have one then skip to step 4. If you need to create a new entity, follow these steps:

1. Navigate to the Entity configuration screen by going to Settings → Customizations → Customize the System or by using an Unmanaged Solution of your choice.
2. Create a new Entity (in this example we’ll name it "Country").

File:Dynamics Config CountryLookup-NewEntity.png

Country Lookup - New Entity

3. Add fields in this entity for the country name and code, in this example we’ll call them new_country_name and new_countrycode. Set these to be of type simple and single line of text and Save and Close.

File:Dynamics Config CountryLookup-AddFields.png

Country Lookup - Add Fields

4. Navigate to the source/input Entity (e.g. Account), select Fields and click on New to add a new field.
5. Change the Data Type to Lookup and the Target Record Type to the Country Entity previously created. Click on Save and Close and Publish All Customizations.

File:Dynamics Config CountryLookup-InputEntity.png

Country Lookup - Source/Input Entity

6. Navigate to your source/input Entity (e.g. Account) and click on Forms and select the Main form.
7. In this form, add the country lookup field created in step #5. Click on Save and Close and then on Publish All Customizations.

File:Dynamics Config CountryLookup-MainForm.png

Country Lookup - Main Form

8. In the navigation, go to Address Validation → Address Fields Configuration and open the configuration record previously created.
9. Change the Address Field – Country to Lookup and enter the name of the field that contains the lookup on the entity associated with this configuration (e.g. Account) created in step #5.
10. Enter the name of the field in the Country entity that contains the country code in Country code field (created in step #3 above).

File:Dynamics Config CountryLookup-Lookup.png

Country Lookup - Lookup

Configure Front End Address Verification

This section provides the configuration steps to allow your Dynamics CRM/365 users to perform address verification from the web application on CRM forms.

1. Navigate to the Entity form configuration screen by going to Settings → Customizations → Customize the System or by using an Unmanaged Solution of your choice. In our example, we will navigate to the Account’s main form configuration screen.

   File:Dynamics Config FrontEndAddress-Customize.png

   Front End Address Verification - Customize the System

2. On the entity configured for Address verification (e.g. Account), add the Web Resource named sharpxrm_/sharpxrm/widgets/AddressValidation.html on the form you want to enable form address verification.

File:Dynamics Config FrontEndAddress-AddWebResource.png

Front End Address Verification - Add Web Resource

3. In the Web Resource Properties Custom Parameter field, indicate the name of the Address Field Configuration record created for this entity type and fields (from our prior example, the name was account-address1-to-address2. Make sure the Restrict cross-frame scripting, where supported checkbox is unchecked.
4. In the Formatting Tab for the Web Resource, select the following options (recommended)
1. Number of Rows: 2.
2. Scrolling: Never.
3. Display Border: Unchecked.

File:Dynamics Config FrontEndAddress-Formatting.png

Front End Address Verification - Web Resource Formatting

5. Save and publish the form.
6. Assign the Security Role named SharpXRM - Address Validation User to users that should be able to perform address verification.

File:Dynamics Config FrontEndAddress-AssignSecurity.png

Front End Address Verification - Assign Security Role

The SharpXRM – Address Validation User security role simply gives users the ability to access Configurations and License information. These privileges can be added to another custom security role to make the deployment of Address Validation easier. Only do this if you know what you are doing.

Melissa Data Express Entry AutoComplete Configuration

If you are using the Express Entry API, you have the option of configuring the AutoComplete address validation.

1. Follow the steps to configure the Front End detailed in the Front End Configuration” section but select the Web Resource named sharpxrm_/sharpxrm/widgets/MDAutocomplete.html on the form you want to enable form address verification.

File:Dynamics Config ExpressEntry-WebResource.png

Express Entry Configuration - Web Resource

2. In the Web Resource Properties Custom Parameter field, indicate the name of the Address Field Configuration record created for this entity type and fields (from our prior example, the name was account1-sample. Make sure the Restrict cross-frame scripting, where supported checkbox is unchecked.
3. In the Formatting Tab for the Web Resource, select the following options (recommended)
1. Number of Rows: 10.

Performing the Verification from a Form

Address Validation

Open a record configured for address validation, enter an address in the input fields, Save then click on the Validate Address button.

File:Dynamics Example FormVerification-ValidateAddress.png

Form Verification - Validate Address

Melissa Data Express Entry Validation

If the Express Entry API is enabled, start typing and press enter when you have enough information to search and select the desired address from the list. To save the address, click on the Validate Address button.

File:Dynamics Example ExpressEntry-ValidateAddress.png

Express Entry - Validate Address

Configure Workflow Address Verification

With Address Verification for Dynamics CRM/365, you can also perform address verification from the Dynamics 365/CRM backend. The add-on comes with a Custom Workflow activity that allows to run the address verification. Here are the steps to use it.

1. Navigate to Settings → Processes and create a new Process of Category Workflow. For the Entity, select the entity where your address fields to validate are located (in our case, we will continue with the Account entity).

File:Dynamics Configure WorkflowAddressVerification-CreateProcess.png

Workflow Address Verification - Create Process

2. Once you have created the Workflow, click on Add Step and in the Sharp XRM menu, you will see a custom action named Verify Address

File:Dynamics Configure WorkflowAddressVerification-AddStep.png

Workflow Address Verification - Add Step

3. Type a description for the Step (e.g. “Address Validation using SharpXRM Custom Activity”). Click on Set Properties and in the Value field enter the name of the address field configuration record (previously created) as a required input parameter for the custom action.

File:Dynamics Configure WorkflowAddressVerification-SetProperties.png

Workflow Address Verification - Set Properties

4. The custom activity does not write the verified address to the destination fields. It returns the verified address component as output parameters giving administrators the ability to configure the application behavior in a way that meet their needs. The example below shows how the verified address fields are written a note.

File:Dynamics Configure WorkflowAddressVerification-Example.png

Workflow Address Verification - Example