What is a custom action in Microsoft Dynamics CRM?

We will learn and understand out-of-the-box actions, custom action code and registering custom actions in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. With the help of custom actions, we can extend the functionality of Dynamics 365 by creating custom messages and triggering multiple operations by calling the registered message. Before we start, please go through the below courses .

Out-Of-The-Box actions VS Custom actions

The custom actions is an add-on class library type C# code inserted in the out-of-the-box actions. We can use custom actions within the out-of-the-box actions to drive the complex functionalities which are not possible by using the out-of-the-box actions.

What are the custom actions considerations?

Custom actions supports input and output parameterized arguments, due to this feature we can maintain, send and receive data within the CRM without creating a field.
Doesn’t support a scope where the execution is restricted to a user, business unit, or organization. Actions always execute in organization scope.
Supports auditing of data changes.

How can we invoke Custom Actions?

Below are the multiple ways of calling the custom actions:

Plugin
JavaScript
Workflow
Web API
Console Applications

Advantages of using a custom action?

The primary benefit of a custom action is to provide the ability to modify the logic easily whenever a business process is changed.
Actions open a range of possibilities for composing business logic. Before the custom actions, the primary way to implement business processes was limited to plugins or custom workflow.
Actions can be run by a plugin, a custom workflow, or while doing integration with another system, a custom client application, or JavaScript.
With Actions, you can perform operations, such as Create, Update, Delete, Assign, or Perform Action. Internally, an action creates a custom message.