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To call the Extranal API from Microsoft Dynamic CRM 365

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Posted on by BI-30071946-0

Hello Experts,

I need assistance with a requirement to trigger my external API for each new Lead or Account that is created or updated in Dynamics CRM 365. We plan to implement this through a managed solution so that my customer can easily utilize it.

Could you recommend any methods or best practices for integrating an external API with the CRM?

Additionally, are there any API limitations within the CRM that I should be aware of? I am also concerned about potential issues with bulk operations, such as inserting 1,000 records at once.

Lastly, is there any additional product licensing required for this automation?

Thank you in advance for your guidance.

Best regards,

Ram

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Dynamics 365 general

Power Platform integration

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Nour Abuzaid 153 on at

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To call the Extranal API from Microsoft Dynamic CRM 365

Best Options for Integrating External APIs with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 365

Plugin (C#) → Real-time, but risky if the API is slow since plugin execution is limited to two minutes.

Power Automate (Flow) → Asynchronous, low-code, includes retry support (⚠️ requires a premium license).

Azure Service Bus + Azure Function → Ideal for bulk or large-scale operations (requires an Azure subscription).

Best Practices
Avoid synchronous plugin calls to external APIs.
Use asynchronous approaches (Power Automate or Service Bus) for reliability and retry handling.
For large operations (e.g., 1,000+ records), use batching or queueing instead of calling the API for each record individually.

Licensing
Plugins → No additional license required.
Power Automate (HTTP actions) → Requires a premium license.
Azure Service Bus / Functions → Pay-per-use under Azure subscription.

Recommendation
Use Power Automate when you need a simple, low-code solution that can be packaged into a managed solution for easy deployment and customer reuse.
Choose Azure Service Bus + Azure Function if your scenario involves high-volume or bulk operations, as it provides better scalability, reliability, and decoupling between Dynamics 365 and the external API.

📌 This approach aligns with Microsoft’s recommended integration patterns for Dynamics 365 CE and the Power Platform: use asynchronous, decoupled processing (Power Automate or Service Bus) rather than direct synchronous plugin calls to external services.

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DAnny3211 11,269 on at

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To call the Extranal API from Microsoft Dynamic CRM 365

Hi Ram,

Great question! Integrating external APIs with Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM is a common requirement, and there are several approaches depending on your use case and environment.

1. Power Automate (Recommended for No-Code/Low-Code)

Use Power Automate flows to trigger on events like new Leads or Accounts.

You can use the HTTP connector to call external APIs.

This method is ideal for moderate volumes and doesn’t require custom code.

2. Custom Plugins or Azure Functions

For more complex logic or high-volume scenarios, consider writing a custom plugin or using Azure Functions.

Plugins can be registered on create/update events and can call external APIs using C# and HttpClient.

3. API Limitations

Be mindful of service protection limits (e.g., 60,000 API calls per 5 minutes per user).

For bulk operations (like 1,000 records), consider batching or using Data Export Service or Azure Data Factory.

4. Licensing Considerations

Power Automate may require premium connectors depending on the API.

Ensure your Dynamics 365 license includes Power Platform integration features if using flows or custom connectors.

Let me know if this helps, and please mark the response as helpful if it answered your question 😊

Best regards!

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