If you’re working with Dynamics 365 CRM and creating custom plugins, you’ve likely come across the term Child Pipeline. But what exactly is it and when should you use it? This guide will break it down in simple terms with easy-to-understand examples, so you can confidently use the child pipeline in your projects.
What is the Child Pipeline in Dynamics 365 CRM?
The Pipeline in Dynamics365 crm refers to the series of stages that an operation (like Create, Update, or Delete) goes through. Each operation can trigger multiple stages where plugin can be executed.
The Child Pipeline is a specific stage in this sequence where a plugin is executed after the core platform operations (like database commits) have been completed. It is technically part of the Post-Operation stage but is specifically for actions on child entities, especially in cascade operations.
When the Child Pipeline Needed?
Understanding when to use the child pipeline is crucial for ensuring your custom logic executes at the right time. Here are some scenarios where the child pipeline is necessary:
- Cascading Operations: When an operation on a parent entity triggers actions on related child entities (e.g., deleting or updating child records) and you need to execute custom logic on those child entities after the cascade has completed.
- Post-Operation Logic: If your business logic must run only after all standard system processing is finalized, registering a plugin in the child pipeline guarantees it runs at the appropriate time.
- Data Integrity: In scenarios where maintaining data integrity is critical, the child pipeline allows you to ensure all related operations have been committed before executing your plugin.
Example Scenarios for Using the Child Pipeline
To better understand the child pipeline, let’s explore two practical scenarios:
Scenario 1: Deleting Related Records
Imagine you have a custom entity called Project. Whenever a Project is deleted, you want to delete all related Tasks. By registering a plugin in the child pipeline, you can ensure that any additional logic, such as archiving data or notifying other systems is executed after the tasks are marked for deletion.
Scenario 2: Updating Child Records
Consider an Account entity where updating the account’s status should trigger updates on all related Contact records (e.g., updating their status). A plugin registered in the child pipeline ensures that after the account status is updated and cascades to the contacts, your plugin runs to handle any additional business logic for each Contact.
