Are you curious about whether a record in Dynamics 365 was created through a regular process or imported from an external source like an Excel or CSV file? Understanding the origin of your data can be crucial, especially when it comes to managing large datasets.
Dynamics 365 offers a handy feature for importing data from external sources using Excel or CSV formats. This feature is particularly useful for data migration or one-time data imports. But how do you distinguish between data that’s been manually entered and data imported through this method?
Unveiling the “ImportSequenceNumber” Field
Dynamics 365 addresses this challenge with the “ImportSequenceNumber” field, present in all tables. This field plays a pivotal role in identifying the source of a record. It captures the unique sequence number associated with each import job. When a record is created through an import job, it inherits the ImportSequenceNumber of that job. This allows you to easily trace which import job created which record.
Understanding Its Functionality
Each import job in Dynamics 365 is assigned a unique sequence number, which is stored in the record’s “ImportSequenceNumber” attribute. Additionally, the “Organization.CurrentImportSequenceNumber” attribute holds the sequence number of the last import job executed in the system. These unique identifiers are instrumental in tracking and organizing records based on their import job origins.
Practical Applications
The “importsequencenumber” field isn’t just for show; it has practical applications. For instance, in Power Automate flows, this field can be used as a trigger filter. If you need to prevent a flow from executing for records created via data import, this field can help. Conversely, it can also be configured to trigger flows exclusively for records originating from a data import job.
Why It Matters
In environments where data integrity and origin are crucial, the ability to differentiate between manually created records and those imported from an import job is invaluable. It enhances data management, ensures accuracy in automation processes, and provides clear insights into the data’s lineage.
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