Updating a Dynamics CRM Customer Record via HTTP

My current project integrates with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM system for managing customer records. We already spiked out authenticating and our next step was attempting to update a record via its “REST Endpoint“.

On retrieving a record, you follow the OData style for finding something of relevant. Updating a record is interesting as we only want to send the fields that need to change remotely. Looking at their sample code, you need to:

• Create an authenticated POST request
• Set the X-HTTP-Method to MERGE
• Set the appropriate content type for the content you intend on sending. In our case, set the header Accept to application/json and the Content-Type to application/json; charset=utf-8

Our end point for a contact looked something like:

https://crm.thekua.com/xrmservices/2011/organizationdata.svc/ContactSet(guid'867dc3f2-909e-e111-9912-0050569c2d72')

.

Updating simple fields off a contact is easy. We post something like:

{
  "EMailAddress1":"spike.jones4@gmail.com",
  "MobilePhone":"33335"
}

We receive a HTTP 204 (No Content) on a success. Posting an invalid attribute (i.e. one that does not exist on the ContactSet such as “EMailAddreXXXs1”) results in a HTTP 400 (Bad request) and a nice description about what’s wrong. You will also get a HTTP 400 if you post the wrong datatype such as sending a string where they expect a number. If you pass invalid values (but of the correct datatype) for a field, your response is a HTTP 500 with a message like The value of 'gendercode' on record of type 'contact' is outside the valid range."

Updating Option Set Values

Updating simple datatypes is easy and obvious from a JSON point of view. You have a couple of complex datatypes, such as the standard GenderCode. When you query for a record, you get back something that looks like

{"GenderCode"=>{"__metadata"=>{"type"=>"Microsoft.Crm.Sdk.Data.Services.OptionSetValue"}, "Value"=>1}}

To update something like this, you need to send a nested JSON object. The example follows

{
  "EMailAddress1":"spike.jones4@gmail.com",
  "MobilePhone":"33335",
  "GenderCode": { 
    "Value" : "1"
  }
}

A HTTP 204 (No Content) response indicates a success. Viola!