Workflow Activity Input and Output Parameters and Data Types in MS CRM 2013/15/16

Microsoft Dynamics CRM supports two types of parameters for a workflow activity.

• Input Parameters
• Output Parameters

Input Parameters

The input parameter is annotated with the .NET attribute "Input".

DefaultAttribute

DefaultAttribute class can be used to specify a default value (using "Default" attribute) for an input parameter. 

Bool

[Input("Bool input")]

[Output("Bool output")]

[Default("True")]

public InOutArgument<bool> Bool { get; set; }

DateTime

[Input("DateTime input")]

[Output("DateTime output")]

[Default("2013-07-09T02:54:00Z")]

public InOutArgument<DateTime> DateTime { get; set; }

Decimal

[Input("Decimal input")]

[Output("Decimal output")]

[Default("20.75")]

public InOutArgument<decimal> Decimal { get; set; }

Double

[Input("Double input")]

[Output("Double output")]

[Default("200.2")]

public InOutArgument<double> Double { get; set; }

Integer

[Input("Int input")]

[Output("Int output")]

[Default("2322")]

public InOutArgument<int> Int { get; set; }

Money (Currency)

[Input("Money input")]

[Output("Money output")] 

[Default("232.3")]

public InOutArgument<Money> Money { get; set; }

OptionSetValue

[Input("OptionSetValue input")]

[Output("OptionSetValue output")]

[AttributeTarget("account", "industrycode")]

[Default("3")]

public InOutArgument<OptionSetValue> OptionSetValue { get; set; }

Attribute Target must specify the entity and attribute being referenced. 

String

[Input("String input")]

[Output("String output")]

[Default("string default")]

public InOutArgument<string> String { get; set; }

Entity Reference

[Input("EntityReference input")]

[Output("EntityReference output")]

[ReferenceTarget("account")]

[Default("3B036E3E-94F9-DE11-B508-00155DBA2902", "account")]

public InOutArgument<EntityReference> AccountReference { get; set; }

Reference Target attribute must specify the type of entity being referenced. 

Required Argument Attribute 

System.Activities.RequiredArgumentAttribute class can be used to specify that the input parameter is required.

[RequiredArgument]

[Input("Update next Anniversary date for")]

[ReferenceTarget("contact")]

public InArgument<EntityReference> Contact { get; set; }

Output Parameters

The output parameter is annotated with the .NET attribute "Output"

//this is the name of the parameter that will be returned back to the workflow

[Output("Credit Score")]

//this line identifies the specific attribute which will be passed back to the workflow

[AttributeTarget(CustomEntity, "new_creditscore")]

//this line declares the output parameter and declares the proper data type of the parameter being passed back.

public OutArgument<int> CreditScore {get;set;}

Refer to Microsoft documentation for more details

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg328515.aspx

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg327842.aspx

Option Set:

[Input("OptionSetValue input")]

[Output("OptionSetValue output")]

[AttributeTarget("account", "industrycode")]

[Default("3")]

public OutArgument<OptionSetValue> OptionSetValue { get; set; }

Output only:

[Output("OptionSetValue output")]

[AttributeTarget("account", "industrycode")]

public OutArgument<OptionSetValue> OptionSetVal { get; set; }

 To set:

this.OptionSetVal .Set(context, new OptionSetValue(intVar)); //change intVar var to yours


DateTime:

[Input("DateTime input")]

[Output("DateTime output")]

[Default("2004-07-09T02:54:00Z")]

public OutArgument<DateTime> DateTimeVal { get; set; }

Output only:

[Output("DateTime output")]

public OutArgument<DateTime> DateTimeVal{ get; set; }

 To set:

this.DateTimeVal.Set(context, myDateTimeValue); //change myDateTimeValue var to yours

Money:

[Output("Money output")]

public OutArgument<Money> MoneyVal { get; set; }

To set:

decimal decimalVar = 200.15; //change to your value

this.MoneyVal .Set(context, new Money(decimalVar)); //change decimalvar to yours


Lookup or Entity Reference:

[Output("EntityReference output")]
[ReferenceTarget("account")]  //change this to your Entity, for example if you want to lookup to entity Account
public OutArgument<EntityReference> EntityReferenceVal { get; set; }

To set:

Guid accountId = new Guid("6fd72744-3676-41d4-8003-ae4cde9ac282"); //change to your value

this.EntityReferenceVal.Set(context, new EntityReference("account", accountId)); //change the "account" and accountId to your variables (entity name and entity record id of the lookup)

Btw, we also can set default value like this:

[Output("Money output")]

[Default("232.3")]


public InOutArgument<Money> MoneyParameter { get; set; }

Hope it helps!


Thank you.