Sage CRM Developers Course

1. Sage CRMDevelopers Course Entities and the Data Model (Part 1)

2. Looking ahead to the classes • DP01: Introduction to the Development Partner Program • DP02: Entities and the Data Model (Part 1 of 2) • DP03: Entities and the Data Model (Part 2 of 2) • DP04: Implementing Screen Based Rules (Part 1 of 2) • DP05: Implementing Screen Based Rules (Part 2 of 2) • DP06: Screen and User Independent Business Rules • DP07: Workflow (Part 1 of 2) • DP08: Workflow (Part 2 of 2) • DP09: Using the API Objects in ASP Pages (Part 1 of 2) • DP10 : Using the API Objects in ASP Pages (Part 2 of 2) • DP11: Using the Component Manager • DP12: Programming for the Advanced Email Manager • DP13: Using the Web Services API • DP14: Using the Web Services API (Part 2 of 2) • DP15: Coding the Web Self Service COM API (Part 1 of 2) • DP16: Coding the Web Self Service COM API (Part 2 of 2) • DP17: Using the .NET API (Part 1 of 2) • DP18: Using the .NET API (Part 2 of 2)

3. Agenda • How data and record identity is handled • Record Object vs. SQLQuery Object • Role of Stored Procedures • Allowed Database Changes • Meta Data and Physical Data Types • New Tables and Fields in CRM • Linking to External Database tables • How and where table data is stored in Meta Data

4. How data and record identity is handled Record Object vs SQLQuery Object Role of Stored Procedures

5. New Sage CRM v7.2 Installs on MS SQL Server use SQL Identity Columns • In Sage CRM v7.1 and earlier Primary Key values were generated and maintained by stored procedures. This was to create common method mechanism between main install and SOLO. • SOLO dropped in favour of new Mobile Apps • New installs on SQL Server will now use SQL Identities • Significant performance improvements • New version of Stored Procedure for existing installs • NO Change for Oracle

6. New Installs on MS SQL Server use SQL Identity Columns SELECT t.TABLE_NAME ,c.COLUMN_NAME FROM INFORMATION_SCHEMA.COLUMNS AS c JOIN INFORMATION_SCHEMA.TABLES AS t ON t.TABLE_NAME = c.TABLE_NAME WHERE COLUMNPROPERTY(OBJECT_ID(c.TABLE_NAME) ,c.COLUMN_NAME,'IsIdentity') = 1 AND t.TABLE_TYPE = 'Base Table'

7. eWare_get_identity_id stored procedure use in QueryObject code • Problems will arise with add-on code that does a direct insert using eware_get_identity_id in Query object. • ‘hidden’ or automatic rules within CRM • Validation Rules • Table Level Scripts • ASP and .NET Application Extensions • Record object not effected

8. Inserts using QueryObject • Sage CRM v7.1 varstrSQL = "DECLARE @ret int"; strSQL += "EXEC @ret=eware_get_identity_id 'cases'"; strSQL += "INSERT cases"; strSQL += "(case_caseid, Case_Description, Case_PrimaryCompanyId)"; strSQL += "VALUES (@ret, 'abc',10)"; varmyQuery = CRM.CreateQueryObj(strSQL,""); myQuery.ExecSQL() • Sage CRM v7.2 varstrSQL = "INSERT INTO Cases"; strSQL += "(Case_Description, Case_PrimaryCompanyId)"; strSQL += "VALUES ('abc',10)")"; varmyQuery = CRM.CreateQueryObj(strSQL,""); myQuery.ExecSQL() • NOTE: Upgraded Systems will still use old ID mechanism.

9. Oracle and Inserts • No equivalent stored procedure in Oracle so there is no safe way of getting ids directly. • SEQUENCES are used to control the identities. • Sequence created in the CRM database for each table with the name TablePrefix_SEQUENCE Eg comp_sequence, pers_sequence etc. Cases and CaseProgress share the same sequence as do Opportunity and OpportunityProgress. • Next value from a sequence obtained by calling the NextVal function of the sequence. Returns the next val and increments the sequence. SELECT Comp_Sequence.NextVal from DUAL; • NOTE: Does not take into account the rep_ranges table, and therefore is not advised • SOLO allocates Ranges to client machines Held in Rep_ranges table. When not using API object you will need to check that data is not going out of range. • The process is as follows Look up Range_RangeStart and Range_RangeEnd in Rep_Ranges where Range_TableID is the identifier of the table. TableID is 5 for the Company table. Call SELECT Comp_Sequence.NEXTVAL FROM DUAL to get the next sequence number. If the sequence range is outside the range found in step 1 (which it will be because you dropped the sequence and recreated with a sequence start of 1), then assume that this range has been filled up, so move to the next available range. Ranges are allocated in blocks of 50000, so the first range is 8001 to 58000, the second range is 58001 to 108000, the third range is 108001 to 158000, and so on. • Problems may arise if more than 1 process is trying to allocate a new range at the same time. • NOTE: Do not run process when CRM is running. • NOTE: Accessing the ranges table at the back end is not supported.

10. CRM Components & Database Type • System Variables available in component allows the Install to be checked. • Write components to accommodate database type. //iDatabase - returns the current installed database. // Constants returned // ISQLServer // IOracle // e.g. // if (iDatabase == IOracle) // { // //Do this; // } • sViewText="CREATE VIEW vMyPhone AS SELECT"; • if (iDatabase == IOracle) • { • sViewText = sViewText + " Phon_CountryCode || N ' ' ||Phon_AreaCode || N ' ' || Phon_Number"; • } • else • { • sViewText = sViewText + "RTRIM(ISNULL(Phon_CountryCode, '')) + ' ' +RTRIM(ISNULL (Phon_AreaCode, '')) + ' ' + RTRIM(ISNULL(Phon_Number, ''))"; • } • sViewText = sViewText + " AS Phon_FullNumber, Phone.* FROM Phone "; • if (iDatabase == IOracle) • { • sViewText = sViewText + ", Custom_Captions WHERE LOWER (TRIM(Phon_Type))= LOWER(TRIM(Capt_Code(+))) AND"; • } • else • { • sViewText = sViewText + "LEFT JOIN Custom_Captions ON Phon_Type = Capt_Code WHERE"; • } • sViewText = sViewText +" Phon_Deleted IS NULL"; • AddView("vMyPhone", "Phone", "This selects all of the phone numbers", sViewText, false, false, false, false, false);

11. Meta Data and Physical Data Types Allowed Database Changes

12. Business Rules in Database • CRM makes use of physical data types but meta data ‘adds value’ • Custom_edits • See Developer Guide reference for discussion of EntryBlock.EntryType property in API • CRM DOES NOT use constraints within database. • When installing CRM the only SQL rule that is written into the tables structure is whether the Primary Key column is NOT NULL. • All constraints implemented in application layer.

13. CRM FieldTypes & SQL Server Datatypes

14. How and where table data is stored in Meta Data

16. Meta Data Definitions of Tables • Custom_Databases Manages all the connections to remote databases All passwords encrypted using encryption algorithms All database connections are opened at the first CRM logon • Custom_Tables Bord_WebServiceTable enables extra objects to be exposed to the WSDL • Custom_Edits EntryType controls how the system displays fields EntrySize controls how many characters can be entered on screen (can be changed, but must be <= column width) Colp_System may cause fields not to appear for selection. You can undo this, but be careful • Custom_Views The whole system uses views to display data Views should be maintained from within the CRM system, never from SQL Server SQLLite relevant for SOLO only • Custom_Table bord_tableid • 1 Address • 2 CaseProgress • 3 Cases • 4 Communication • 5 Company • 6 Email • 7 Library • 8 Marketing • 9 Notes • 10 Opportunity • 11 OpportunityItem • 12 OpportunityProgress • 13 Person • 14 Phone • 15 Products • 17 Team

17. Basic Table Description • CREATE TABLE [dbo].[MyTable]( • [mytb_mytableid] [int] NOT NULL, • [mytb_CreatedBy] [int] NULL, • [mytb_CreatedDate] [datetime] NULL, • [mytb_UpdatedBy] [int] NULL, • [mytb_UpdatedDate] [datetime] NULL, • [mytb_TimeStamp] [datetime] NULL, • [mytb_Deleted] [int] NULL, • [mytb_Secterr] [int] NULL, • [mytb_Workflowid] [int] NULL, • [mytb_Description] [nchar](30)) • Create externally and then link • Not able to become full entity • Create table via interface • Advanced Customization Wizard. • Entity Wizard • All Ids managed by CRM • Tabl_Secterr for primary entities only, enforces security on that entity. • Security is discussed more later in the course • New Table and Field definition will be in custom_tables and custom_edits

18. Problems • Problems occur if developer introduces • Database constraints • Foreign key constraints • Checks • Other changes such as identity columns.

19. Holding Data in CRM • New Columns in Tables Adding columns to Entities, Company, Person, etc Marketing table for Company and Person • Rows as Columns Key Attribute Data • DD tables • Target List technique for SQL • Logs for use in screens Data Sets • User_settings • Custom_sysparams

20. Columns versus Datasets • Most data is held within a table within columns • E.g. User_userid, user_lastname, user_firstname. • Some instances of using Datasets (or rows) to model attributes • User Preferences • Held in the usersettings table as a record set • E.g. To find a users timezone preference you would have to look in the usersettings table. • Custom_sysparams • Hold system settings

21. Datasets and Customizations • Can only use simple meta data definitions for screens where data is within a single row. • Consider Company Summary Screen and • Companyboxlong • Addressboxshort • personboxshort • Require Advanced Customization for Screens and Lists for • Phone/Email screens • Custom_sysparams • User_settings • Key Attribute Profiling • Examples of creating screens not based on single rows are covered in later part of the course

22. Q&A

23. Looking ahead to the classes • DP01: Introduction to the Development Partner Program • DP02: Entities and the Data Model (Part 1 of 2) • DP03: Entities and the Data Model (Part 2 of 2) • DP04: Implementing Screen Based Rules (Part 1 of 2) • DP05: Implementing Screen Based Rules (Part 2 of 2) • DP06: Screen and User Independent Business Rules • DP07: Workflow (Part 1 of 2) • DP08: Workflow (Part 2 of 2) • DP09: Using the API Objects in ASP Pages (Part 1 of 2) • DP10 : Using the API Objects in ASP Pages (Part 2 of 2) • DP11: Using the Component Manager • DP12: Programming for the Advanced Email Manager • DP13: Using the Web Services API • DP14: Using the Web Services API (Part 2 of 2) • DP15: Coding the Web Self Service COM API (Part 1 of 2) • DP16: Coding the Web Self Service COM API (Part 2 of 2) • DP17: Using the .NET API (Part 1 of 2) • DP18: Using the .NET API (Part 2 of 2)