Podcast and Overview: Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1

Related collateral you should know about:

• Microsoft Dynamics CRM / Dynamics 365 Updates: Release Dates, Build Numbers, and Collateral
• New features in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 365 Update 2.0
• What's new for administrators and customizers in Microsoft Dynamics 365
• What's new for developers: Microsoft Dynamics 365
• Important changes coming in future releases of Microsoft Dynamics 365 (developer focus, inc. deprecations)

We're proud to announce that all packages for Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1 were released December 16th, 2016 to the Microsoft Download Center and are available for download! Appropriate packages will appear on Microsoft Update shortly .

Note: The Updates documented in this blog update the Dynamics CRM 2016 components described in this Microsoft Knowledge base article:

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Installations, Updates and Documentation

Note the naming convention change! For more details, see the Dynamics CRM Product Group blog "New naming conventions for Microsoft Dynamics CRM updates"

Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1 Build number:

8.2.1.176

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Update 2.1 Microsoft Download Center page

Here's the "Master" Microsoft Dynamics Knowledge Base article for Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1: (KB 4013759). Going forward, the plan is to continue publishing Master Knowledge Base articles for CRM Updates a bit in advance of release to aid planning.

Podcast

On May 18th 2017 Greg Nichols and Ryan Anderson from the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Premier Field Engineering Team provided information about:

• The release of Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1
• New fixes made available in Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1
• New functionality made available in Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1

during their Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1 and CRM 2016 Update 1.1 podcast!

Note regarding Podcasts: We've recently changed the location of where we are hosting and distributing our podcasts. See PFE Dynamics Podcast Update for more information.

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The "Microsoft Dynamics CRM / Dynamics 365 Updates: Release Dates, Build Numbers, and Collateral" Page

For pointers to download locations, release dates, build information, and CRM Premier Field Engineering blogs and podcasts for all supported Microsoft Dynamics CRM Updates, Update Rollups, and Service Packs, visit the "Microsoft Dynamics CRM / Dynamics 365 Updates: Release Dates, Build Numbers, and Collateral" page.

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Important note:

An updated Unified Service Desk for Microsoft Dynamics 365 (Build 2.2.2.806) has been released. See the following Microsoft Download Center webpage for download details:

Unified Service Desk for Microsoft Dynamics 365

General Upgrade Rollup and Service Pack Notes:

• Testing CRM Update Rollups: Best Practices
  • Microsoft Dynamics CRM Premier Field Engineering recommends doing all the standard testing you generally do for all Updates, which could be the functional and performance testing that you would do with a new major release or a subset of that test plan
  • The “general rule of thumb” for test plans for Update Rollup installs are:
    • Test any changes in a pre-production environment BEFORE introducing into your production environment. Manage your risk!
    • Consider using the Performance Toolkit for Microsoft Dynamics CRM to simulate your production user load in your testing environment to shake out any performance-related issues early. The link above points to a recently-released version of the Toolkit reworked to support CRM 2016! Talk to your TAM (Technical Account Manager) if you want Premier Field Engineering to help your team install and configure it!
    • Test using the permissions your most restrictive end-user roles have. Testing with CRM Administrator permissions, for example, does not give you the complete picture
    • Concentrate on your SDK customizations, JavaScript, ISV add-ons – basically anything that’s not OOB functionality or customizations done from within the UI

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Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1 packages are available for download via:

• The Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1 Download Center page.  Released April 27th, 2017
• The Microsoft Update Catalog - released June 15th, 2017
• The Microsoft Update detection / installation process
  • Note: Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 / Microsoft Dynamics 365 Updates will be pushed via Microsoft Update as Important updates
  • Client packages installed manually by downloading the packages and running install will require local administrator privileges. If the client packages are installed via Microsoft Update or SCCM (System Center Configuration Manager), they will not require local administrator privileges
  • Consider using Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) or similar software distribution technologies to distribute Dynamics CRM Update Rollups internally. WSUS is a locally managed system that works with the public Microsoft Update website to give system administrators more control. By using Windows Server Update Services, administrators can manage the distribution of Microsoft hotfixes and updates released through Automatic Updates to computers in a corporate environment
  • For help with installation please see the Installation Information section of the Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1 "master" Microsoft Knowledge Base article

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Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1 Prerequisites:

• Essentially the prerequisites listed in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 Implementation Guide download or Online TechNet for the various CRM components serviced

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Fixes released via Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1:

• "Scheduling Alerts" dialog is displayed without any alerts in non-Internet Explorer browsers
• Activities and Closed Activities Icons not displayed correctly for some entities
• AdminOnlyMode check should be bypassed when an application from outside wants to execute a SDK in system user context
• Appointment recipients do not receive invitations
• Appointments created in Outlook, or the Outlook Web App need to be activated
• Audit details lost after switching Case Status transition
• Cannot add associated record for N:N Relationships with only Append/Append To permissions
• Categorized Search fails with Query Builder Error due to use of lookup entity Attributes in Quick Find view
• When a Business Process Flow in the Case Entity is duplicated access to Incident records is broken
• Changing owner via workflow also changes Owner in Create Audit Event
• Clicking Phone Number link opens Quick Create form
• Command Bar in activities tab in social pane not displaying all buttons
• Navigating from Contact to Opportunity, and back again hangs with the message "Requesting Data from CRM"
• Creating an Appointment from the Social Pane when < symbol is present (Opportunities)
• Customized Workflow activity will be triggered twice which is designed to be called only once
• Deactivate screen with custom Inactive status reasons requires scrolling to choose the option
• Editing columns during Advanced Find throws the error (window.opener.top.location.href)
• Email body is disabled while using Chrome in Citrix, and Chrome Incognito mode in Windows
• Export solution failed in RoutingRuleHandler.ExportWorkflow with Null System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object
• Export to Dynamic Worksheet doesn’t respect regional settings
• Forms no longer underline section headings since Dynamics 365 upgrade
• Getting SQL timeout exception when retrieving application metadata
• Open in browser generates invalid URL in iOS 10
• Last updated field is not shown up under Health box
• Lookup is not defaulting
• Missing "+" Icon on the Quick View control
• Unable to Set Regarding on e-mails when using the Unified Service Desk
• The error "Object doesn't support property or method '$find'" occurs when clicking on Results button twice
• Organizations upgraded from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 can have a Null BusinessProcessType causing these Business Process Flows to be unusable post upgrade
• A Lookup control error occurs when updating appointment created in Outlook
• Page keeps loading after clicking Ok on access denied error
• Previous connection to mailbox is not closed properly using Hybrid Email Server Profile
• The error "unable to connect to Exchange" occurs when attempting to use the CRM App for Outlook in Outlook Web App (OWA)
• Scheduling Alert occurs without an alert when changing an existing Appointment
• Server Side Synchronization required attendees list changes when multiple contacts exist with same email address, or users exist with same email address as contacts
• Solution uninstall is not respecting dependency
• StatusCode value is displayed as Integer instead of Text for Inactive records on the QuickViewForm
• Subgrid for Opportunity doesn't trigger the Opportunity default Business Process Flow
• Subgrid record changes layout of the Form
• Sync workflow with System User as primary entity throws error when triggered
• SystemUserPrincipals could not repopulate when User is reactivated
• Tasks duplicating through Server Side Synchronization after Security Role change
• Unable to add Notes to Task After navigating away from Task Form in Dynamics 365 For Sales
• Unable to Assign Security Role to Business Process Flow in Dynamics 365 for Sales
• Unable to import Excel containing Floating Point Number field data
• Unable to populate value on Service field on Service Activity from the Form assistant
• Unreadable HTML encode displays in alternate key Selected Attributes list
• WebAPI FetchXml query does not return FormattedValues for Link-Entities attributes in Dynamics 365
• When hiding the Business Process Flow during onLoad only the first 2 steps are displayed when showing the Business Process Flow

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Support for new technologies provided by Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1:

The Microsoft Dynamics CRM Engineering team consistently tests Microsoft Dynamics CRM and associated CRM Updates against pre-release and release versions of technology stack components that Microsoft Dynamics interoperates with. When appropriate, Microsoft releases enhancements via future Microsoft Dynamics CRM Updates or new major version releases to assure compatibility with future releases of these products. This compatibility matrix is updated via this Microsoft Knowledge Base article: Microsoft Dynamics 2016 CRM Compatibility List.

Hotfixes and updates that you have to enable or configure manually

Occasionally, updates released via Microsoft Dynamics CRM Updates require manual configuration to enable them. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Updates are always cumulative; for example, Update 0.2 will contain all fixes previously released via Update 0.1 as well as fixes newly released via Update 0.2. So if you install Update 0.2 on a machine upon which you previously installed no Updates, you will need to manually enable any desired fixes for Update Rollups 0.1 - 0.2:

• Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 Update 0.1: no updates requiring manual configuration
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 Update 1.0: Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 Update 1 contains updates that you must configure manually. These include Portal, Field Service, and Project Service, which each require the customer to install the solution from the Office 365 Portal. To receive the product updates, you must "opt in". For more information on how to install product updates in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 or Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, see the following Microsoft TechNet topic: Install product updates
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Update 2.0: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Update 2 contains updates that you must configure manually, as does Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 Update 1.0. These include Portal, Field Service, and Project Service, which each require the customer to install the solution from the Office 365 Portal. To receive the product updates, you must "opt in". For more information on how to install product updates in Microsoft Dynamics 365 or Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, see the following Microsoft TechNet topic: Install product updates
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1: Microsoft Dynamics 365 (on-premises) Update 2.1 contains updates that you must configure manually. These include Portal, Field Service, and Project Service, which each require the customer to install the solution from the Office 365 Portal. To receive the product updates, you must "opt in". For more information on how to install product updates in Microsoft Dynamics 365 or Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, see the following Microsoft TechNet topic: Install product updates

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Greg Nichols
Dynamics 365 Senior Premier Field Engineer
Microsoft Corporation