In the context of Microsoft’s Power Platform and while preparing for the PL-400 exam, it’s crucial that you get familiar with the powerful functionality of the UpsertRequest message. This function stands for ‘Update’ + ‘Insert’, and as the name suggests, it is used to insert or update records in the Microsoft Dataverse. The advantage of using an UpsertRequest is to avoid unnecessary round trips between your application and the server. You don’t need to worry about whether a record exists or not, the operation will automatically handle that for you. If the record exists, it will update the record; if it does not exist, it will create a new one.
Example of Using UpsertRequest
The following is an example code snippet on how you can use the UpsertRequest message in the C# programming language:
Guid accountId = new Guid(“9ec0b0ec-d6c3-4b39-eee5-4a89d711f24a”); // example GUID
Entity accountRecord = new Entity(“account”);
accountRecord.Id = accountId;
accountRecord[“name”] = “Contoso Ltd”;
accountRecord[“revenue”] = new Money(5000000);
accountRecord[“numberofemployees”] = 6000;
UpsertRequest request = new UpsertRequest
{
Target = accountRecord
};
UpsertResponse response = (UpsertResponse)service.Execute(request);
if (response.RecordCreated)
Console.WriteLine(“Record created.”);
else
Console.WriteLine(“Record updated.”);
In the code above, we are creating an instance of our UpsertRequest, where “Target” is set to our Entity ‘accountRecord’. This request is then executed with the ‘Execute’ function from the service instance. The response of our request is then checked to see whether a new record has been created, or an existing one has been updated.
Factors to Consider
When using the UpsertRequest function, it’s essential to keep two things in mind:
- The UpsertRequest operation will only work if the user has both read and write privileges for the specified record type.
- If the entity has any fields set as alternate key, Upsert uses these fields to determine the uniqueness of the record. If a match is found, the operation will result in an update; otherwise, a new record will be inserted.
By understanding the UpsertRequest message, you gain a powerful tool for managing and synchronizing data within Microsoft’s Power Platform. This understanding is beneficial for the PL-400 Microsoft Power Platform Developer exam, where you need to demonstrate proficiency in data management using platform capabilities.
Advantages of Using UpsertRequest
Here are the key benefits of using UpsertRequest:
- Helps to reduce the number of round-trips between the application and the server.
- Simplifies data synchronisation.
- Efficiently manages data by automatically creating or updating records as required.
- Removes the need for a separate insert and update query.
Overall, UpsertRequest is a powerful tool that every Microsoft Power Platform developer should know about and use efficiently. Not only does it help with the PL-400 exam but it also assists in your daily job of efficiently managing application data.
Practice Test
The UpsertRequest message in Power Platform creates a new record in CRM if it does not already exist?
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The UpsertRequest command is designed to either update a record if it exists or create a new one if it does not.
Which of the following parameters are necessary for UpsertRequest operation?
- Target
- AlternateKeys
- AreProcessed
- ReturnContent
Answer: Target
Explanation: ‘Target’ is an important parameter as it specifies the entity to create or update.
Using UpsertRequest, you can not update related records in one operation.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: The UpsertRequest can only handle a single record at a time. To update related records, additional SDK calls would be required.
The UpsertRequest operation is atomic?
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: Yes, the Upsert operation is atomic which means it will be completely successful or unsuccessful.
The UpsertRequest operation can be useful when you want to ensure data consistency.
- True
- False
Answer: True
Explanation: By using UpsertRequest, you can ensure data consistency as it prevents duplicate data entries and keeps your data synchronized.
We can use UpsertRequest for synchronized data in Solution Import.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: UpsertRequest does not support synchronized data in Solution Import. For this purpose, either SDK message or web services need to be used.
UpsertRequest identifies an existing record using the primary key.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: While the primary key can be used, UpsertRequest also identifies existing records using alternate keys which are user-defined.
What should be the entity state before UpsertRequest can be called?
- Deleted
- Deactivated
- Unchanged
- Changed
Answer: Unchanged
Explanation: The entity state must be Unchanged prior to calling the UpsertRequest.
What is the maximum number of records that can be processed in a single UpsertRequest call?
- 200
- 400
- 1000
- No limit
Answer: 1
Explanation: Only one record can be processed per UpsertRequest operation.
Can UpsertRequest be triggered in Offline mode in Mobile Offline?
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: UpsertRequest operation is not available when working in Offline mode in Mobile Offline.
In an UpsertRequest, organizations are not allowed to define their own logic through plugins.
- True
- False
Answer: False
Explanation: Plugins can be used with an UpsertRequest, allowing organizations to define their own logic.
Which of these is not a parameter for UpsertRequest?
- SupressDuplicateDetection
- Target
- SolutionUniqueName
- Concurrent
Answer: Concurrent
Explanation: ‘Concurrent’ is not a parameter for UpsertRequest.
Interview Questions
What is the purpose of using the UpsertRequest in Microsoft Power Platform?
The UpsertRequest message in Microsoft Power Platform is used for synchronizing data. It is a technique to insert or update a record regardless of its existence.
How does UpsertRequest assist in error handling while synchronizing data?
UpsertRequest helps in preventing errors that can occur during data synchronization. For instance, if the record already exists, UpsertRequest will update it. If the record does not exist, UpsertRequest will create it. This avoids duplication or missing record errors.
Can UpsertRequest be used with both Common Data Service and Dynamics 365?
Yes, UpsertRequest can be used with both Common Data Service (CDS) and Dynamics 365 for data synchronization.
How can you set the target of an UpsertRequest operation?
You can set the target of an UpsertRequest operation by creating an Entity object that contains the attributes of the record and then assign it to the Target property of UpsertRequest.
Is it possible to use UpsertRequest for matching specific fields in a record?
Yes, the UpsertRequest allows developers to define a collection of attributes which must match for the record to be updated. If no matching record is found, a new record will be created.
How does UpsertRequest determine to update or insert a record?
The UpsertRequest determines whether to perform an Update or an Insert operation based on whether the record exists. If the primary key or alternate key of the record matches an existing record in the data source, an Update operation is performed, otherwise Insert.
How can you handle UpsertRequest errors?
The service returns a UpsertResponse that contains an instance of the OrganizationServiceFault class if there was an error.
Can UpsertRequest be used with alternate keys?
Yes, UpsertRequest supports alternate keys. If the alternate key is found in the system, it performs an update; if not found, it will insert a new record.
Can UpsertRequest be used to update or insert a record with related records?
Yes, UpsertRequest can be used to insert or update a record along with its related records.
What is the advantage of using UpsertRequest instead of separate Insert and Update requests?
UpsertRequest reduces the need for determining whether a record exists before performing an operation. This saves processing power and simplifies the code as you only need to call one method instead of two.
Can UpsertRequest be applied to more than one record at once?
No, UpsertRequest can only be applied on a single record at once.
How can we interpret the results returned by the UpsertRequest?
The UpsertResponse object directly returns a Boolean value in its RecordCreated property to indicate whether the record was created (True) or updated (False).
Do we need any specific permissions to use UpsertRequest?
Yes, the user or the calling context must have the necessary privileges to create or update the entity instance.
Can you use UpsertRequest with Read-Only fields?
No, UpsertRequest is not applicable to Read-only fields. Any attempts to insert or update Read-only fields return an error.
How do you confirm if the UpsertRequest operation was successful?
Upon successfully executing an UpsertRequest, the response’s Results collection contains an “id” key-value pair that represents the ID of the record that was inserted or updated.
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