Skip to main content

Notifications

Microsoft Dynamics 365 | Integration, Dataverse...
Suggested answer

Mass Update of Table

Posted on by

Hi, I need to do a mass update on a table.  What's the best way to do this?

I'm trying to create a flow to do the update but not sure how to trigger it.   I tried using the 'Manually trigger a flow" but I can't find the button on the application.  It seems to be just for mobile apps.

I tried using the 'select a record trigger' but that seem to have a limited number of records.

Any thoughts?

Thx

  • Suggested answer
    Fubar Profile Picture
    Fubar 2,750 on at
    RE: Mass Update of Table

    Depending on what the trigger is in your flow dictates if it shows in your Apps command bar or if it is just available in the make.powerapps interface (and PowerAutomate App) - if you need it to show under the "Flow" menu item in the Command Bar of a Model Driven App then your trigger (first node) needs to be a When a record is selected

    pastedimage1616626084748v1.png

    Inside/outside a Solution File is not relevant except when you need to move it to another environment (and then you can add/remove it to/from the solution file - and the Default Solution lets you move it back to the Flow area)

  • brianmaric Profile Picture
    brianmaric on at
    RE: Mass Update of Table

    Yes, but I create the flow (as illustrated below).  It does not appear as an option in the Outside Solutions tab:

    pastedimage1616622974011v1.png

    Why is that?

  • LuHao Profile Picture
    LuHao 40,872 on at
    RE: Mass Update of Table

    Hi partner,

    In the Power Apps or Power Automate, go to Solutions, open an solution, select Cloud flow.

    pastedimage1615797297952v1.png

    Then select Outside solutions tab, select flows and add.

    pastedimage1615797336749v2.png

    This way, the outside flows are added to the solution.

  • brianmaric Profile Picture
    brianmaric on at
    RE: Mass Update of Table

    Hi I want option #3.  But I have a question.  If I create a manually triggered flow outside of a solution.  I can find the button in the application Admin Center--> Environment--> Flows.   But I can't add it to a solution (it does not appear on the list of flows that I can add).   This won't work because I need the solution to move it to another environment.   On the other hand, if I add the instant flow to the solution, then I cannot find the button on the  menu.

  • brianmaric Profile Picture
    brianmaric on at
    RE: Mass Update of Table

    Yes, I do not need user selection.  So it seems I need the button from Power Automate app.  Where do I get the button and where does the button appear in the application?

    Thx

    edit: to be clear.  I  can create a solution and add a manually triggered button to the flow.  But it seems the only place I can trigger the flow is to do it in the solution.  I want to expose that button to the business user when it gets imported into production.

  • Suggested answer
    LuHao Profile Picture
    LuHao 40,872 on at
    RE: Mass Update of Table

    Hi partner,

    In general, there are three ways to bulk update records.

    1. Excel export and import

    For updates without conditional judgment, such as directly updating the value of a certain field of all records to a new fixed value, I will choose to update through Excel export and import.

    First open advanced find and search for the records to be updated, then edit the columns to to include only the columns you want to update. In the results, export to the static workshoot.

    3808.pastedimage1614839767499v1.png

    Edit the Excel file and go to Data Management > Imports to import it.

    1351.pastedimage1614839819524v2.png

    2. On-demand workflow.

    Create a personal view that includes all records to be updated.

    Then create an on-demand workflow to update fields value.

    In the XrmToolBox, use Bulk Workflow Execution to run an on-demand for a biew.

    4431.pastedimage1614840339191v3.png

    3. flow

    Flow can set the scope of update records internally, so that no matter where the flow is run, it can update specific batch records.

    If you use the workflow, you must first select the record range, and then run the on-demand workflow on these records, but it is not necessary to select the record range to use flow.

    I will choose instant flow, which means the flow will be trigger manually by myself .

    2604.pastedimage1614841477211v4.png

    Before updating records step, we will use 'List rows' step to search for the records, so that the scope of the update records is determined.

    4130.pastedimage1614841723774v5.png

  • Suggested answer
    Fubar Profile Picture
    Fubar 2,750 on at
    RE: Mass Update of Table

    Does what you are doing require user selection of items? - if so use  XrmToolBox on-demand etc

    But if you do not need user selection i.e. the items can be obtained via a query - Flow may be the better option.

    • For the Manual trigger you get a button in the Power Automate app (available in app stores)
    • there is a Common Data Service trigger for record selection (this appears in CRM under the Flow command bar button as do your on-demand workflows) - this is the equivalent of the on-demand workflows, however in flow you can then retrieve a list of records and loop through them (e.g. create an Entity with 1 record and run the Flow off that record and inside the flow loop the entity that you want to update). In this type of scenario the record you use as the base of the trigger only needs to be used for that and doesn't need to be updated itself (or one of its parent record) - so you can avoid the out of the box on-demand workflow limiations.
  • brianmaric Profile Picture
    brianmaric on at
    RE: Mass Update of Table

    It's a good idea.....seems like flow is not as good as workflow in some cases

  • Suggested answer
    Charles Abi Khirs Profile Picture
    Charles Abi Khirs 3,569 on at
    RE: Mass Update of Table

    Hello,

    Did you try the bulk execute workflow plugin in the xrmtoolbox that uses the workflow instead of power automate?

    charlesabikhirs.blogspot.com/.../crmd365-how-to-execute-workflow-on.html

Under review

Thank you for your reply! To ensure a great experience for everyone, your content is awaiting approval by our Community Managers. Please check back later.

Helpful resources

Quick Links

December Spotlight Star - Muhammad Affan

Congratulations to a top community star!

Community AMA December 12th

Join us as we continue to demystify the Dynamics 365 Contact Center

New! Quick response templatesâš¡

Save time with the new custom templates!

Leaderboard

#1
André Arnaud de Calavon Profile Picture

André Arnaud de Cal... 291,151 Super User 2024 Season 2

#2
Martin Dráb Profile Picture

Martin Dráb 229,963 Most Valuable Professional

#3
nmaenpaa Profile Picture

nmaenpaa 101,156

Leaderboard

Product updates

Dynamics 365 release plans