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Using CDS to create Guides Templates from existing information

Posted on by 316

Is there a currently supported method for creating Guides via scripting or a program? I understand that the authoring will still require work in the desktop application and the hololens application to refine as well as place and anchor the holograms for the guides, but I am looking for a method to rapidly translate existing data into a basic Guides structure without needing to do all the data entry by hand.

I have a client I am assisting with implementing Guides. They have a wealth of data that they have parsed from a variety of sources, thousands of pages of documentation already split up and organized in a fashion they would like to bring into guides. Doing this by hand is not efficient or worthwhile. I am trying to confirm that creating some code or a helper application will allow them to dynamically instantiate templates or outlines of Guides without needing to do so by hand.

So far from my research and the documentation it seems that this is feasible through the Common Data Service and the Entities available for Guides.

However, while I see some minor details about the various entities available in Guides on this page- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/mixed-reality/guides/developer-entity-reference

I do not see any further details about these entities here- https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customerengagement/on-premises/developer/about-entity-reference

Granted that last link is specifically for Dynamics CRM, but that link is on the Guides Page and I have not found any documentation providing in depth information on the entities available in Guides. I am looking for confirmation that creating and modifying entities through CDS is supported, and the detailed documentation about the entities available for Dynamics 365 Guides. Or, alternatively I am looking for methods that can be used to create custom, basic guide frameworks or outlines via scripting or a helper application rather than doing all the initial setup (for what is potentially thousands of guides) by hand.

Thank you

  • Verified answer
    shiho Profile Picture
    shiho on at
    RE: Using CDS to create Guides Templates from existing information

    Hi Andrew, creating and modifying entities through CDS is in fact supported for Dynamics 365 Guides. We are in the middle of simplifying the guides entities to make this easier (there are currently certain fields e.g. JSON ID that are required that we will be removing in upcoming releases), but in the meantime, you can still programmatically create a Guide using the CDS API.

    I will reach out to you for more information.

  • Andrew.G Profile Picture
    Andrew.G 316 on at
    RE: Using CDS to create Guides Templates from existing information

    If this is not the appropriate forum, please provide me some direction as to where I might be able to get some insight into this. Given that it appears that only Guides lacks the in depth documentation for it's entities, I have posted this question here. Would it be more appropriate to ask this question on the Common Data Service Forum?

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