What Is Dual-Write and How Does It Link Dynamics 365 CE and F&O
Dual-Write links Dynamics 365 CE and F&O. It keeps data the same in both systems right away. This connection lets teams share customer, product, and transaction details. They do not make mistakes from typing things in by hand. Users can see current inventory, sales orders, and invoices. This helps people make better choices faster. Dual-Write makes work easier for sales, marketing, finance, and customer service. It gives everyone one place to find the right information and have the same experience.
Key Takeaways
Dual-Write links Dynamics 365 CE and F&O. It keeps data the same and updated in both places right away. The tool does not need special coding. This makes setup fast and simple.
Teams can start sharing data quickly. Real-time syncing helps sales, finance, and operations teams work well together. They always have the right information.
Automation means people do not have to type in data by hand. This lowers mistakes and makes business work faster.
Good security roles and monitoring tools keep data safe. They also help fix syncing problems fast.
Dual-Write Basics
Definition
Microsoft says Dual-Write is a built-in tool. It links customer engagement apps and finance and operations apps in Dynamics 365. This link works almost right away and goes both ways. It lets Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations and Microsoft Dataverse share data live. The system keeps data the same in both places. Every department can use the same data model. Dual-Write helps teams share information fast and without mistakes. They see updates in both systems very quickly. This setup helps people make better choices and stops mistakes from typing data by hand.
Note: Dual-Write does not need special coding for simple integration. The platform is ready to use for new customers, so setup is quick and easy.
How It Connects CE and F&O
Dual-Write connects Dynamics 365 CE and F&O with different technical parts. These parts work together to move data between the two systems. The connection uses data flow that goes both ways and happens at the same time. When something changes in one app, it shows up in the other app right away. The system has play, pause, and catchup modes. These modes help with syncing online or offline. Administrators can check what is happening and see errors with built-in logs.
Main technical features are:
First data sync between CE and F&O.
Custom alerts and messages for data changes.
Easy-to-use screen for sorting and changing data.
Mapping between Finance & Operations and model-driven app ideas.
Built-in customer and vendor master data.
One place for product info and company structure.
Support for many addresses and roles using the party idea.
The Global Address Book (GAB) in Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations is very important. It is the main place for party data, which can be a person or a company. Parties can have many roles, places, and addresses. Dual-Write uses different maps to keep this data correct. These maps are CDS Parties, Party Postal Address Locations, and Party Contacts. This way, customer, vendor, and contact info stays current in both CE and F&O.
Setting up Dual-Write takes a few steps. Teams use Lifecycle Services (LCS) to link the finance and operations app with the customer engagement app. They set up or connect the needed instances, make the link for legal entities, and turn on table maps for live data sync. First, they bring old data into both systems. Administrators set up permissions and roles to stop mistakes during syncing.
Tip: Give the right security roles to app users. This step stops sync problems and keeps data moving smoothly.
Architecture
Data Flow
Dual-Write uses a ready-made platform to link Dynamics 365 CE and F&O. The system moves data both ways. When something changes in one system, it shows up in the other fast. This keeps customer, product, and transaction details the same in both places. The table below explains how data moves during syncing:
Sync Tables
Sync tables are the main part of Dual-Write. These tables hold the data that moves between CE and F&O. For a table to work, it must follow some rules:
Each table needs a main key, like a 'Name' field with an index.
Lookup fields link tables, such as connecting a customer to a carrier.
Table setups in both systems must match for syncing.
There are limits on how many lookup fields you can map.
Some fields only sync one way, so mapping must be careful.
Clear and exact field mapping helps syncing work well.
These rules help keep data correct and stop mistakes during syncing.
Security Roles
Security roles decide who can set up and manage Dual-Write. The right permissions help stop sync mistakes and keep data safe. The table below lists the main roles and what they do:
These roles make sure only the right people can change or sync data. This keeps the system safe and working well.
Benefits
Data Consistency
Data consistency is a big benefit of Dual-Write. The system keeps information the same in both Dynamics 365 CE and F&O. This happens fast, so teams always see the newest data. Dual-Write uses a strong setup to make sure changes in one system show up in the other. Here are ways it keeps data consistent:
Dual-Write makes a close, two-way link between CE and F&O with Microsoft Dataverse.
It updates records in both systems at almost the same time. This stops data from being stuck in one place.
The system has different sync modes like play, pause, and catchup. These help keep things steady.
When teams start using Dual-Write, it matches old data in both systems. This gives a clear starting point.
Built-in tools let users watch the sync and fix problems fast.
Dataverse adds new things like company and party to bring data models together.
The Party and Global Address Book add-on helps manage shared data. This lowers duplicates and errors.
Teams can change table mappings to fit what their business needs.
These features help organizations trust their data and make better choices.
Automation
Automation makes work faster and easier. Dual-Write moves data between systems without people doing it by hand. When someone updates a customer record in CE, the change shows up in F&O right away. This saves time and lowers mistakes. Teams do not need to enter the same data twice. The system also sends automatic notifications and updates. For example, Power Automate can send alerts to project teams about new resource assignments or financial changes. This keeps everyone informed and cuts down on delays.
Collaboration
Collaboration gets better when teams share the same data. Dual-Write lets finance, operations, and customer engagement teams work together with up-to-date information. The table below shows what this means for organizations:
With these benefits, organizations can give better service and respond faster to changes.
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
Developers run into problems when syncing data between Dynamics 365 CE and F&O. One big problem is when data does not match in both systems. This can happen if a write works in one system but fails in the other. Then, records do not match. Sometimes, data entities are missing or do not match. For example, if a unit of measurement or product is not in Dataverse, vendor invoices and invoice lines will not sync or post. The table below lists some common problems:
Tip: Syncing entities first and setting things up right can stop these errors.
Sync Failures
Sync failures can stop business work. These failures often happen when mapping templates do not run or lookup fields go over the limit. Developers might see errors like "400 Bad Request" or jobs that take too long. To fix these problems, follow these steps: First, check mapping template status and look for errors in the Initial sync details tab. Next, check long-running jobs by matching FinOps job names with Data Management details. Make sure you have system admin access and check settings for error messages. Lower lookup fields to ten or less for the first sync, then add more fields later. Stop and restart maps to help them run better and lower record counts. Turn on all needed configuration keys for entity fields and check field mappings. Watch data sources in the BusinessEventsDefinition table and track changes for tricky mappings. After resetting environments, clear runtime configuration records and dual-write settings in both places.
Note: Excel add-in tools can help you manage and delete bad map records after changes.
Bottlenecks
Bottlenecks slow down syncing and can cause delays or mixed-up data. Many things can cause these problems: Network partitions make the receiver unreachable. The receiver can be down from errors or maintenance. People can make mistakes, like sending the wrong schema to the wrong API, which stops sync. Retry limits and service crashes can stop retries and lose track of data. Leaderless replication can cause write conflicts and double messages. Not having strong consistency tools makes it hard to keep data right.
To lower bottlenecks, teams should keep systems updated, use migration tools for big data moves, and use set-based entities with parallel processing. Batch processing, performance monitoring, and good schema design also help speed things up and cut delays.
Tip: Watch systems often and use good database design to keep syncing fast and reliable.
Impact
Use Case
Here is an example of how integration helps a business:
An online store linked Dynamics 365 Sales with Finance and Operations.
This link gave real-time updates for orders, inventory, and invoices.
People did not have to type in data by hand anymore.
Inventory numbers were more accurate, so the store did not sell too much.
Customer support teams could see the latest order details.
Leaders got quick updates about money and sales.
These changes made orders faster, cut mistakes, and made customers happier.
This example shows what happens when systems share data right away. Teams use the same info, so they can help customers better.
Business Processes
Connecting Dynamics 365 CE and F&O helps business work in many ways. The table below shows what gets better:
Teams can trust their data and spend more time helping customers, not fixing errors.
Data Management
When systems are connected, they face some data problems. Here are ways these problems get fixed:
Syncing almost right away keeps data the same in Dataverse and Finance and Operations apps.
Matching mapped entities in both systems stops mistakes from wrong mappings.
Managing links between related entities stops batch errors during syncing.
The first sync uses two steps, which can be confusing about which system is in charge. Planning helps keep data right.
The system fixes permission and linking problems, like missing roles or resets.
Error checks during mapping and syncing look for missing columns or things that depend on others.
Using parallel processing makes syncing and importing data faster.
Good data management means fewer mistakes, quicker updates, and better results for the business.
Connecting Dynamics 365 apps helps organizations a lot. Data syncs in real time and happens automatically. Teams get many benefits like data moving both ways. Sync modes are flexible and setup does not need much coding. Sales, finance, and operations teams see fewer mistakes. Updates happen faster for everyone. To make this work well, teams must plan, watch, and test carefully.
Teams should begin with easy mappings. Use the templates that come with the system. Make groups with people from different departments for the best results.
FAQ
What is the main purpose of Dual-Write?
Dual-Write links Dynamics 365 CE and F&O. It keeps data the same in both systems. Teams see updates right away. This helps everyone work with the latest information.
What data does Dual-Write synchronize?
Dual-Write syncs customer, product, order, and financial data. It also handles addresses and contacts. The system keeps these records matched in both apps.
What happens if a sync fails?
A sync failure stops data from matching in both systems. Users can check logs for errors. They can restart the sync or fix mapping issues to solve the problem.
What security roles are needed for Dual-Write?
Users need special security roles. These include Dual-write runtime user and Dual-write app user. Admins must set these roles to keep data safe and syncing smooth.
What tools help monitor Dual-Write?
Admins use built-in dashboards and logs. These tools show sync status and errors. Power Platform tools also help track and manage data flows.