Entity-based SharePoint document management from model-driven app

[Helpful]

Hello,

This topic has come up a few times in the community, however, the responses often cite the use of a document attachemnt control for canvas apps so I want to create a thread specifically for the model-driven approach.

NOTE:  This does not use the attachments approach (e.g. "Enable attachments (including notes and files)" checkbox on an entity).  That approach utlilizes the Timeline feature and while that may be useful for capturing notes of interaction with a customer (for example) it's not suitable for storing and collaborating on documents.

Here's a step-by-step scenario describing the desired behavior:

1. Create a PowerApps environment using CDS
2. Create a custom entity:  "Budget"
3. In Budget entity Settings -> More Settings -> Collaboration, check "Enable attachments (including notes and files)"
4. Modify Budget Form (information/main) to show documents
   1. Add a Section "Documents"
   2. In new section add a sub-grid with the following properties:
      1. Data Source Records: Only Related Records
      2. Entity: "Document Locations (Regarding)" (?)
      3. Default view: "My Active Document Locations" (?)
      4. Controls tab: Add Editable grid
5. Open the Site Map and add Budget to nav and Publish
6. Play the app and navigate to Budget area, create and save a Budget record
7. Upload a file associated with the new budget record that is stored in SharePoint using sub-grid

Apparent prerequisites to make this possible:

1. Have SharePoint online, Admin rights to both SharePoint and Dynamics, assume server-based integraiton
2. Begin setup of Dynamics instance to use SharePoint:  Manage SharePoint documents
3. Leads you to here:  Set up Dynamics 365 for Customer Engagement to use SharePoint Online
4. Then to here:  Enable SharePoint document management for specific entities
   1. CURRENTLY BLOCKED HERE

At Step 4 of the prereqs I am blocked because Settings in Dynamics does not include a "Document Management" section.  It is in this step which you specify the behavior to create document libraries "Based on entity".

So where does this leave me at the moment?  Having done everything above, when I play the app it seems like I should be able to work with Document through two methods, however, each appears to behave differently:

Related -> "Documents"

Takes me to a form with an empty grid stating: "No Active Sites found. Please ask your system administrator to add a new site or activate the existing site".

Presumably becuase there was no library established automatically for this entity.

When I choose "Add Location" I enter:

• Display Name:  "Budgets"
• Parent Site:  (populated using the value established through prereq config above)
• Folder Name:  "Budget 123" (defaulted to name of the saved entity)

When I hit SAVE I get and Error: "File not found."

Documents sub-grid added to Entity form

Having added a sub-grid to the form per scenario step 4 above, I get a view that is different than the Related -> Documents grid.  It doesn't appear to have the effect I'm looking for (see attached) which would be a document list, however, it's hard to tell because I can't add any libraries or docs to the entity.

Any guidance from the community or PowerApps team would be much appreciated.  I feel like the solution is close to what users would expect, but I'm missing something along the way.

[Helpful]

Is anyone out there successfully using a model-drivne app to view/manage documents in SharePoint?

[Helpful]

If anyone could weigh-in on successes or failures it would be helpful.  If someone from the team can let me know if it's even possible that would be very, very helpful.  I'll send Girl Scout Cookies to anyone that can point me to a video showing the setup.

There are a handful of posts that suggest others are having some interaction with SharePoint doc libraries from within a model-driven app, but I haven't had any success:

• Dynamics 365 SharePoint Document Management integration - MARKED AS COMPLETE
• Serverside Sharepoint Integration Bug
• Ability to search documents attached on SharePoint
• Allow Sub Grid access to related Sharepoint Docs

[Anonymous]

Thanks for posting in the community @Helpful  - I'm going to bump this post so hopefully other users can reply in the thread and assist. 

@Anonymous 

[Helpful · Accepted solution]

Thanks!

As it happens, I just got off the phone with support and they have a resolution!  Kudos to Sathish on the support team.  Quick summary:

1. They assured me that this scenario is supported
2. The resolution ultimately involves modifying the default Sitemap of the environment to include Document Management.  Once we did that all of the capabilities were there.
3. They're not sure what root cause is, but it did affect all three of the environments on my instance.

We tried this first through XrmToolBox SiteMap Editor - no luck.  We then went into the environment Settings -> Customizations -> Customize the System -> Client Extensions -> "Site Map" edit and added the Sub Area to the Settings group.  From there he provided some of the properties for adding the Sub Area.

Not sure if I will have to do this for clients or if others are experiencing it, but I'm happy there's a workaround that gets me back on track.

[serglotti]

Hi @Helpful , what properties were provided to add the Document Management Sub Area? 

[Helpful]

Hey @serglotti ,

I added a Subarea to the "Settings" group with the following General settings:

• URL:  /tools/documentmanagement/documentmanagement.aspx
• Title:  Document Management
• Icon:  /_imgs/DocumentManagement_16.png
• ID:  _documentmanagement

Hope that helps

[serglotti]

That's great. Thank you!

[zucontrol]

add to Budget entity 1 to many connection with Sharepoint Document. (pic 3)

do all necessary configs here (pic 1). don't forget checkup Budget entity in list.

all sharepoint connections  should be in valid state (pict 2).