Out of Box N:N Entity

[Sharon091]

Hi,

I have N:N oob relationship between Entity A and Entity B.

Adding records for an N:N entity requires too many clicks.

User has to first click on Add Existing -> New Record -> then they get a pop up "Leave this page."

and even after successful record creation - > User has to search for the record and add it to the subgrid.

Is there any way we can simplify this process of adding records.

Please Note: We have to use the main form and not the quick create as we have to do some validations.

Kindly help

[Fubar]

Not sure what validations you are doing - normally JavaScript, Workflow, Plugins and business rules will work on the Quick Create form (for JS and the business rule you just have to set them up to run on the form - like you do on the main form).

Unfortunately, with the Unified Interface the main form is now a navigate away from the page and only the quick create does what you want.  Not sure if there was an intention to do more entities etc but for field service Microsoft implemented a Subgrid as Modal but haven't seen any further use.

(usually called a Native N:N )

[Sharon091]

Basically we have three entities Entity A and Entity B connected by N:N and entity C which is a child entity of Entity B. On create of entity B we are checking if child entity subgrid contains record(entity C). Since we cannot have subgrid in quick create we are using main form. Or can we do this validation in quick create form.

[Fubar]

What is the subgrid sitting on?  (reads like it is on B but you can't populate subgrid until after create has completed and you are attempting to create B)

If you have the situation where you have a Record in table X with child record C and you are associating X to another record (N:N) Z then you can check that X has C on the Associate of the X to Z via plugin triggering on the Associate.

[EricRegnier]

Hi @Sharon091,

The trick is to enable quick create on the Entity B (assuming sub-grid is on Entity A). When enabled, you will not be navigated away and therefore will not get the "leave the page" popup and the record will automatically get associated after creation so users will not have to search it again.

1. To enable quick create on an entity/table (look for "allow quick create" optoin): https://docs.microsoft.com/powerapps/maker/data-platform/edit-entities#enable-or-disable-table-optio... 
2. To edit/create a quick create form: https://docs.microsoft.com/powerapps/maker/model-driven-apps/create-edit-quick-create-forms 

Examples:
New record of N-N:

New record gets auto associated:

Hope this helps!

[Sharon091]

Thanks Eric for your solution.

Just wanted to check is adding + New button on native oob N:N subgrid possible through ribbon customization.

Please see link below :

https://community.dynamics.com/365/sales/f/dynamics-365-for-sales-forum/417899/out-of-box-n-n-entity...

[EricRegnier]

It doesn't come out-of-the-box (which I wonder why) but it might work as per the post, haven't tried it yet. Not sure though if the new record will get automatically associated to the entity (i.e Entity A) after created or you will have to associate it manually back. This would differ the purpose and easier to do it then with the "Add Existing"...