Blog, Dynamics 365

Step-by-step guide to implementing real-time customer creation in Dynamics 365 Store Commerce

December 9, 2024

Content

What is real-time customer creation?
Steps to implement real-time customer creation
Step 1: Prerequisites
Step 2: Set up Azure Active Directory authentication
Step 3: Understand the API endpoint
Step 4: Token request structure
Step 5: Make the API call
Step 6: Handle responses
Step 7: Integrate customer creation with the Store Commerce app
Step 8: Add the customer to POS cart
Best practices real-time customer creation in Dynamics 365 Commerce
Conclusion

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Today’s customers expect more than just personalization – they demand speed and accuracy at every touchpoint. For retailers, this means navigating the immense pressure of managing sales orders while ensuring seamless data synchronization across systems and channels. Keeping customer information updated in real-time is crucial for providing a smooth shopping experience and equipping sales teams with accurate data.

Dynamics 365 Commerce addresses this challenge with real-time customer creation capabilities in the Dynamics 365 Modern POS or Dynamics 365 Store Commerce app. This integration, enabled through an API, allows for instant customer creation during transactions, making it particularly valuable in point-of-sale (POS) scenarios.

Curious to see how it works? Our blog provides a detailed implementation guide for real-time customer creation, along with best practices to ensure success.

What is real-time customer creation?

Real-time customer creation ensures that newly created customer records are instantly available across the system. This eliminates delays and enhances operational efficiency in customer-centric processes.

Steps to implement real-time customer creation

Ready to get started with the implementation? Here are the steps to get started:

Step 1: Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure the following:

A Dynamics 365 instance with Dynamics 365 Commerce is enabled.
Access the D365 environment’s Azure Active Directory (AAD) app registration.
Necessary permissions to use D365 APIs.
An API testing tool like Postman for initial testing.

Step 2: Set up Azure Active Directory authentication

Dynamics 365 APIs use OAuth 2.0 for authentication via Azure Active Directory. The steps below explain how it’s done:
1. Register an app in the Azure Active Directory:

Navigate to the Azure portal.

2. Generate client secret:

Create a client secret under the app registration and store it securely.

3. Assign API permissions:

Assign permissions for Dynamics 365 ERP APIs.

Step 3: Understand the API endpoint

The endpoint for creating customers in Dynamics 365 is part of the OData services:
POST API URL https:///api/services/CreateCustomerServiceGroup/CreateCustomerService/CreateCustomer’

POST Token URL
https:// /oauth2/token

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Step 4: Token request structure

Here’s a sample code in C#

API Request Structure Here’s a sample JSON payload for creating a customer: { "Customer":{ "LegalEntity":"USRT", "FirstName":"Alex", "LastName":"Trump", "ContactNumber":"+923004000101", "CurrencyCode":"USD", "EmailAddress":"abc1234@gmail.com", "DateOfBirth":"11/10/1997", "Gender":"Male", "BillingAddress":[ { "Addresstitle":"Johar town Branch", "Street":"185 aba road safari villas 8888 phase 7 johar town ", "Addresstype":"Billing", "CountryCode":"USA" } ], "ShippingAddress":[ { "Addresstitle":"Johar town Branch 2", "Street":"185 aba road safari villas 10 phase 7 johar town2", "Addresstype":"Shipping", "PrimaryAddress":"Yes", "CountryCode":"USA" } ] } } Method to Create Customer in CRT-CommerceRunTime using the above Payload.

Key fields for your understanding LegalEntity: Best practice FullName: Full name of the customer. CustomerGroup: Group classification for the customer. Address: Address details are nested. CountryCode is a requirement.

Step 5: Make the API call

Send the request using an HTTP client like Postman or your custom integration code. Sample cURL Request: Token generation: curl --location '{}/oauth2/token' \ --header 'Host: login.microsoftonline.com' \ --header 'Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded' \ --data-urlencode 'client_id=352a446a-9168-491b-b52f-a640164aa215' \ --data-urlencode 'client_secret=omw8Q~b-j9bHxM7KIlR6Wt4NUV52vbZVdMPtpb7a' \ --data-urlencode 'resource=https://tlcdev20b17a731b7cea57bdevaos.cloudax.uae.dynamics.com/' \ --data-urlencode 'grant_type=client_credentials' CreateCustomer API: curl --location --globoff '{}/api/services/CreateCustomerServiceGroup/CreateCustomerService/CreateCustomer' \ --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \ --header 'Authorization: Bearer {{access_token}}' \ --data-raw '{ "Customer":{ "LegalEntity":"USRT", "FirstName":"Cust", "MiddleName":"", "LastName":"", "ContactNumber":"+923004000101", "CurrencyCode":"USD", "EmailAddress":"abc1234@gmail.com", "DateOfBirth":"11/10/1997", "Gender":"Male", "BillingAddress":[ { "Addresstitle":"Johar town Branch", "Street":"185 aba road safari villas 8888 phase 7 johar town ", "Addresstype":"Billing", "PrimaryAddress":"Yes", "PostalCode":"00210", "City":"Acworth", "Country":"USA", "CountryCode":"USA", "State":"NH" } ], "ShippingAddress":[ { "Addresstitle":"Johar town Branch 2", "Street":"185 aba road safari villas 10 phase 7 johar town2", "Addresstype":"Shipping", "PrimaryAddress":"No", "PostalCode":"00210", "City":"Alton Bay", "Country":"USA", "CountryCode":"USA", "State":"NH" } ] } } ' Replace with your environment URL and with a valid token generated via Azure AD.

Step 6: Handle responses

The API will return one of the following responses:

200 created: If the customer is successfully created.
400 bad request: For invalid payload or missing fields.
401 unauthorized: If authentication fails.

Example response:

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Step 7: Integrate customer creation with the Store Commerce app

To integrate customer creation into the Dynamics 365 Store Commerce app, follow these:

Use data actions to call the API from POS operations.
Pass customer data from the POS UI to the API.
Update the POS transaction with the new customer record upon successful creation.

Typescript method to create the customer Send customer information data in JsonRequest to DataService method for the creation using the method “Customers.getPatientCheckDataActionRequest”

DataService method RetailServer method name “getCustomerCheckDataAction”

Step 8: Add the customer to POS cart

Here’s the sample code. After getting the right response, add the customer to cart screen using the “customerAccNum(Customer Account Number)” using default Microsoft operation “SetCustomerOnCartOperationRequest”.

Best practices real-time customer creation in Dynamics 365 Commerce

When implementing real-time customer creation in Dynamics 365 Commerce, following best practices ensures a seamless, secure, and efficient process. Here are key considerations to keep in mind:

Data validation: Ensure all customer data is validated before being sent to the API to minimize errors and maintain data integrity.
Error handling: Implement reliable error-handling protocols to address failed API calls effectively and ensure smooth operations.
Logging: Maintain detailed logs of API requests and responses to facilitate debugging and improve issue resolution.
Security measures: Safeguard API credentials and tokens by using secure storage methods to protect sensitive data.

Conclusion

Implementing real-time customer creation in Dynamics 365 Commerce through Dynamics 365 APIs streamlines operations and enhances efficiency, particularly in retail environments. This integration with the Store Commerce app enables businesses to deliver seamless customer experiences while maintaining data consistency across systems. Have questions about implementing this feature or need assistance with your project? Contact us at marketing@confiz.com, and let’s explore how we can help!

About the author

Waqar Mehmood

Waqar Mehmood is a Senior Software Engineer at Confiz, specializing in ASP.NET Core, Angular, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 integrations. With...

Waqar Mehmood is a Senior Software Engineer at Confiz, specializing in ASP.NET Core, Angular, and Microsoft Dynamics 365 integrations. With a strong background in developing POS systems, vendor portals, and custom APIs, Waqar delivers tailored solutions for clients in retail and logistics. His expertise extends to RFID tracking Systems, ANPR systems, and biometric applications, showcasing his versatility in both web and desktop development environments.

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Step-by-step guide to implementing real-time customer creation in Dynamics 365 Store Commerce

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What is real-time customer creation?