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Dynamics 365 Community / Forums / Microsoft Dynamics CRM (Archived) / Difference Between syn...
Microsoft Dynamics CRM (Archived)

Difference Between synchronous plugin and synchronous WorkFlow?

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Posted on by dkrishna 485

Hello,

Can you please suggest what is the Difference Between synchronous plugin and synchronous WorkFlow? and Real time scenario where we cant achieve from Plugin can do it from workflow or why do we need Synchronous Workflow ? 

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  • v22arvind Profile Picture
    v22arvind 65 on at

    I don't think it's about technical limitation, you should be able to implement the requirement by either. I haven't explored D365 but plugin should be technically lighter in terms of footprint as workflows get tracked more?  It's about who does the change? a developer, who can quickly code the requirement in an existing plugin, or a BA who need to implement it quickly.

  • Suggested answer
    Community Member Profile Picture
    Community Member on at

    Hi dkrishna ,

    Synchronous workflow or plugin, use it when you need:

    your action done immediately (like check over data to eventually block the execution and advise user)

    a series of action consequential, where to need to control action by action

    Asynchronous workflow or plugin, use it when you need:

    You DONT need your action done immediately like not business-critical action (e.g. data fill) or bulk data actions that will cause a timeout (in cloud environment).

    Workflows and plugins use the same technology, but:

    Workflows are useful for code re-use since they accept external parameters

    Plugins are more flexible since you could access a larger set of behaviours

    Hope it helps.

    If you found the answer helpful, please mark as Verified 

    Join my network on LinkedIn      Follow me on Twitter 

    Thank You & Best Regards

    Francesco Picchi

    Microsoft Dynamics CRM Consultant, Bologna+Milano, ITALY

    Independent Contractor

    http://www.francescopicchi.com

  • Suggested answer
    Ak Negi Profile Picture
    Ak Negi 320 on at

    Hi

    Please check following link

    community.dynamics.com/.../221335

    If you found the answer helpful, please mark as Verified

    Thanks

    Arun Singh Negi

  • dkrishna Profile Picture
    dkrishna 485 on at

    Basically i want to know when do you go for mainly Synchronous plugin and Synchronous WorkFlow any specific scenarios?

  • Verified answer
    ARIFNIIT Profile Picture
    ARIFNIIT 1,391 on at

    Workflow can be executed on-demand while plugin can be registered only on predefined messages no on-demand option available.

    If you found the answer helpful, please mark as Verified  

  • Verified answer
    Community Member Profile Picture
    Community Member on at

    Hi dkrishna ,

    the responses to your answers have been highlighted.

    Synchronous workflow or plugin, use it when you need:

    • your action done immediately (like check over data to eventually block the execution and advise user)
    • a series of consequential ctions , where you need to control action by action

    Asynchronous workflow or plugin, use it when you need:

    • You DONT need your action done immediately like not business-critical action (e.g. data fill) or bulk data actions that will cause a timeout (in cloud environment).

    Workflows and plugins use the same technology, but:

    • Workflows are useful for code re-use since they accept external parameters
    • Plugins are more flexible since you could access a larger set of behaviours

    Hope it helps.

    If you found the answer helpful, please mark as Verified 

    Join my network on LinkedIn      Follow me on Twitter 

    Thank You & Best Regards

    Francesco Picchi

    Microsoft Dynamics CRM Consultant, Bologna+Milano, ITALY

    Independent Contractor

    http://www.francescopicchi.com

  • Suggested answer
    Community Member Profile Picture
    Community Member on at

    Hi,

    another difference is that:

    For plugin you can register them on pre-Validation; pre-Operation and post-Operation step in order to achieve your different requirements.

    For workflow it always will be on post opretation.

  • Suggested answer
    ARIFNIIT Profile Picture
    ARIFNIIT 1,391 on at

    In Real time workflow you can trigger workflow pre-Operation and post-Operation.

  • vvshameer Profile Picture
    vvshameer on at

    A real time scenario where sync Workflow has advantage over sync plugin is that the execution scope implementation.

    For Example, if you have Case records generated in 2 different Business Units. You want to restrict the Plugin execution on case records to just one Business unit.  

    This can be neatly achieved by writing a custom activity and calling it from a sync Workflow by specifying scope as Business Unit.

    This can also be achieved in Plugin by writing lot of conditions inside Plugin code, and it is not a recommended way!

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