Prior to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016, when an entity was added to a solution and that solution was exported, all of its assets (attributes, forms, views, relationships, visualizations, etc.) had to go with it. Potential issues can arise with this process when there are dependencies or modified objects that are a part of that entity which you do not want to include in your target CRM organization. CRM 2016 allows granular selection of solution assets, which resolves this problem.
Adding Entities
Once you are in a solution you can create a new entity by selecting Entities > New or add an existing entity by selecting Entities > Add Existing, which will display a list of all existing entities. After selecting or creating the entity that you would like to add to your solution (in this example we will use the existing Account entity), you will see a window that gives you the option to select assets within the selected entity.
If you wish to include all of the assets within that entity (as it would have been prior to CRM 2016), you can simply check the Add All Assets box at the top-right of this window.
Adding Specific Assets
You will notice several tabs running across the top of the window giving you the option to select specific assets you may want to include in your solution (forms, views, charts, fields, etc.). In my case I want to add the “Account” and “Account Quick Create” forms, as well as the “Accounts I Follow” view from the Account entity into this solution.
- Select the Forms tab at the top of the window
- Select the Account and Account Quick Create forms from the list below
- Select the Views tab at the top of the screen
- Select the Accounts I Follow view from the list below
Including Required Components
Once you have selected all of the assets needed for your solution, you can select Finish at the bottom of the window and you will be prompted to include or not include required components for the assets you selected. Select Yes, include required components if you want to include all of the components shown in the “Missing Required Components”sub-grid on the pop-up window. If you are importing this solution into another CRM instance that has the required components already included, select No, do not include required components, this will keep the solution smaller and more manageable.
Add/Remove Assets in an Entity
You will now see the entity you added to the solution. Notice that it only contains the assets you selected. If you want to add or remove an asset, select the Account entity on the left hand side of the solution manager and select the Add Subcomponents or Remove Component button at the top of the page to re-open the dialog window to manage the solution assets.
Now you all you have left to do is Save, Publish, and Export.
