Difference Between Workflow and Actions?

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Hi Folks- When we need to use workflow and when Action?As per my understanding, Actions are wrapper for multiple server side operations and they are in fact real time workflows. I am more interested in knowing where specific requirement can be implemented by Action but not by workflow.

One difference is we can define Actions at global level but workflow has to be associated with an entity. Any thoughts?

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Bas van de Sande 4,383 on at

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Hi Kesey,

my opinion:

in an action you are full in control. The advantage of an action is that you can register plugin steps on it. That means that you can write your own handling the way you want.

Using workflows means that you are more limited to the tools CRM is providing. On the other hand, workflows can be configured by consultants while implementing the plugin logic behind an action requires developers.

Bas

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Hi Bas - If we don't need to register plugin step than probably workflow is having more features than Action.

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we can have custom Workflow through which we can call .net code but we don't have any equivalent in Action.

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Bas van de Sande 4,383 on at

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Hi Kesey,

You can see a custom action as some sort of custom entity/message. You can register a plugin on the action that fires .NET code on the Execute message. At that moment you have full access to the entire object model within Dynamics CRM and are you able as well to call external webservices

One disadvantage of working with actions is that you need to have software development knowledge, while working with workflows require functional knowledge.

I hope this clarifies things a bit

Bas

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Hi Bas- I am thinking out aloud . If you need to develop custom workflow you need software development knowledge as well. In case of Action you need to write code only if you register your plugin for that Action. If you don't than Action UI is similar to what we have in workflows probably with less options .

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Aileen Gusni 44,524 on at

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Hi Kesey

Workflow you can track which steps are you in.

While custom action is like an event called thst you cant track unless you put inside your code.

Then you can have async and sync in workflow.

And there is no visual editor for action.

Workflow can trigger action with visual editor in crm 2015 while action you cant call workflow without programming.

Hope this helps.

THanks.

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