Dynamics CRM: Sent Email Template With Conditional Image

In Dynamics CRM we use Email activity a lot to send all kind of notification and approval.  CRM also provide Email Template that we can use to send customize email.

But some time we need to extend this capability.

Sample Case: - We need to send email to customer based on case origin type with below conditions.

• We need to use embedded image. We cannot use global image hosted on public domain.
• We need to use web resource images of CRM.
• Need to use Email template.
• Image need to change based on case origin value.

Solution: - After lot of research and try different solution. We conclude that we need to perform below task to achieve our requirement.

• Need base64 string with html image tag to insert in email.
• Need to create an email to set sender and receiver value.
• We need email template information not to send just to get body and subject value.
• Need to create our custom placeholder and replace these placeholder as per our requirement.

To achieve this we need some custom workflow activity for:

• Convert web resource to base64 image string
• Get email template subject and description at run time and set these values in our email
• To replace our placeholders
• Send Email

Steps: -

1.  Create PNG Web resource to store images.

      2. Create an action to get web resource to base64 image string based on condition. Use Getbase64Image custom workflow.

   3. Create placeholder in your Email template. I have use [url] as placeholder.

4. Create Workflow to complete our requirement and send email

·         Call previously create action to get embedded image.

·         In next step create an email set to and from value.

·         In next step call update email from email template custom workflow. This workflow will use Instantiate Template Request because do not need to send this email template. We need it’s Subject and description value.

InstantiateTemplateRequest instTemplateReq = new InstantiateTemplateRequest

                {

                    TemplateId = EmailTemplate.Get(executionContext).Id,

                    ObjectId = Case.Get(executionContext).Id,

                    ObjectType = Case.Get(executionContext).LogicalName

                };

InstantiateTemplateResponse instTemplateResp = (InstantiateTemplateResponse)service.Execute(instTemplateReq);

  Entity emailT = (Entity)instTemplateResp.EntityCollection.Entities[0];

Entity email = service.Retrieve(EmailSource.Get(executionContext).LogicalName, EmailSource.Get(executionContext).Id, new ColumnSet("description", "subject"));

  email.Attributes["description"] = emailT.Attributes.Contains("description") ? (String)emailT.Attributes["description"] : "";

email.Attributes["subject"] = emailT.Attributes.Contains("subject") ? (String)emailT.Attributes["subject"] : "";

service.Update(email);

 5.  Call Replace Placeholder workflow to update placeholder with embedded image.

 6.  Finally send this email. 

I have not considered email Template with attachment. For Email Template with attachment you need to extend “update email from email template” custom workflow.

Result: -

I am sharing custom workflow assembly. Hope this will help other also.

Download Assembly