Define an extended configuration entity for the channel instance

Applicable channels: SMS, custom

A channel instance is the representation of a custom channel in Dynamics 365 Customer Insights - Journeys. When you create a custom channel, you need to configure a sender—for example, the sender of a WhatsApp message. Each instance of a custom channel—that is, the entity Channel Instance—represents a single sender.

Important

To allow Customer Insights - Journeys to access the extended configuration entity during submission, you need to add Read privileges for the extended configuration entity to the "Cxp Channel Definitions Services User" role.

For each custom channel solution, you need to:

1. Create a custom entity to represent the extended configuration of the Channel Instance entity (msdyn_channelinstance) defined in the base solution.

   The name of the entity is assigned to the attribute msdyn_channeldefinitionexternalentity at the channel definition step.

2. Add a relationship to the base Channel Instance entity in the msdyn_extendedentityid attribute.\

   This attribute is a polymorphic lookup.

   Important

   The XRMToolBox Polymorphic Lookup Creator generates a relationship that doesn't work in Customer Insights - Journeys. Complete the following steps instead of generating a polymorphic lookup in XRMToolBox.

   Here's an example of the relationship in XML:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
   <EntityRelationships xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
   <EntityRelationship Name="msdyn_ChannelInstance_extendedentityid_cr65f_samplechannelinstance">
       <EntityRelationshipType>OneToMany</EntityRelationshipType>
       <IsCustomizable>0</IsCustomizable>
       <IntroducedVersion>1.0.0.0</IntroducedVersion>
       <IsHierarchical>0</IsHierarchical>
       <ReferencingEntityName>msdyn_ChannelInstance</ReferencingEntityName>
       <ReferencedEntityName>cr65f_samplechannelinstance</ReferencedEntityName>
       <CascadeAssign>NoCascade</CascadeAssign>
       <CascadeDelete>RemoveLink</CascadeDelete>
       <CascadeReparent>NoCascade</CascadeReparent>
       <CascadeShare>NoCascade</CascadeShare>
       <CascadeUnshare>NoCascade</CascadeUnshare>
       <CascadeRollupView>NoCascade</CascadeRollupView>
       <IsValidForAdvancedFind>1</IsValidForAdvancedFind>
       <ReferencingAttributeName>msdyn_extendedentityId</ReferencingAttributeName>
       <RelationshipDescription>
         <Descriptions>
           <Description description="" languagecode="1033" />
         </Descriptions>
       </RelationshipDescription>
       <EntityRelationshipRoles>
         <EntityRelationshipRole>
           <NavPaneDisplayOption>UseCollectionName</NavPaneDisplayOption>
           <NavPaneArea>Details</NavPaneArea>
           <NavPaneOrder>10000</NavPaneOrder>
           <NavigationPropertyName>msdyn_extendedentityid_cr65f_samplechannelinstance</NavigationPropertyName>
           <RelationshipRoleType>1</RelationshipRoleType>
         </EntityRelationshipRole>
         <EntityRelationshipRole>
           <NavigationPropertyName>msdyn_ChannelInstance_extendedentityid_cr65f_samplechannelinstance</NavigationPropertyName>
           <RelationshipRoleType>0</RelationshipRoleType>
         </EntityRelationshipRole>
       </EntityRelationshipRoles>
   </EntityRelationship>
   </EntityRelationships>
   

   Important

   • You must create a file with the same name of the table you created for your custom channel under the unpacked solution in the path "Other\Relationships" and put the XML file with the relationship definition there.
   • You need to add a new line in the "Relationships.xml" file under the unpacked solution in the "Other" path. The name value is the same string you wrote in the third line of the XML file ("msdyn_ChannelInstance_extendedentityid_cr65f_samplechannelinstance" in the above-example.)

3. Create a form to expose the configuration fields.

   Tip

   Images that include an icon that looks like this: may be expanded to show more detail. Select the image to expand it. To close it, press the Esc key.

   The form is loaded in the Customer Insights - Journeys SMS wizard. The form ID is assigned to the attribute msdyn_channeldefinitionexternalformid at the channel definition step.

   • SMS example:

     

   • Custom example (the form doesn't have to contain attributes like name or description since they come from Customer Insights - Journeys Custom controls):