Changing FullName programmatically in CRM Online (2011)

Question

I am attempting to change the "FullName" field of existing CRM system users in our Dynamics CRM 2011 Online account. I have already made the change in settings to update all future users to the format "Last, First" ... so this is for changing the existing users.

I read the best way is to do this programmatically using the CRM SDK. When I perform the actual Update command, I receive an unspecified error from the SDK: Additional information: The property IsLicensed cannot be modified.

Although I'm querying all columns for entity object SystemUsers, I'm only changing the FullName field. Has anyone else had experience with this? My code is below, I'm running this as a console app to step through each SystemUser.

    static void Main(string[] args)
    {
        string connStr = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["CRMOnline"].ToString();
        CrmConnection conn = CrmConnection.Parse(connStr);
        conn.DeviceCredentials = DeviceIdManager.LoadOrRegisterDevice();
        using (OrganizationService svc = new OrganizationService(conn))
        {
            QueryExpression qry = new QueryExpression();
            qry.ColumnSet = new ColumnSet(true);   // get all columns
            qry.EntityName = CRMO.SystemUser.EntityLogicalName;   // get entity object SystemUser
            qry.Criteria.AddCondition(new ConditionExpression("calendarid", ConditionOperator.NotNull));   // but non-builtin users
            EntityCollection col = svc.RetrieveMultiple(qry);  // executes query

            foreach (Entity ent in col.Entities)
            { 
                Console.WriteLine();
                Console.WriteLine("Current Fullname: " + ent.Attributes["fullname"].ToString()); 
                Console.Write("Change? y/N: ");
                string ans = Console.ReadLine();
                if (ans.ToLower() == "y")
                {
                    Console.Write("New Name: ");
                    string newname = Console.ReadLine();
                    if (newname != "")
                    { 
                        ent.Attributes["fullname"] = newname;
                        svc.Update(ent);  // fails here with SDK error:  "Additional information: The property IsLicensed cannot be modified." 
                    } 
                }  
            }
            Console.WriteLine();
            Console.WriteLine("--- Done ---");
            Console.ReadLine(); 
        }  
    }

Daryl Daryl · Accepted Answer · 2013-12-31T01:28:45

Rule 28 of the Crm SDK, don't ever perform updates by performing a select, which returns back more fields than what you are planning to update. Any fields in the attribute collection of the Entity will be updated even if they haven't changed. Instead, instantiate a new entity locally, set the id and whatever attributes you want to update and update it.

On a side note, you can't update the full name of a System User. You have to update the individual pieces. So your code should really look like this:

static void Main(string[] args)
{
    string connStr = ConfigurationManager.ConnectionStrings["CRMOnline"];
    CrmConnection conn = CrmConnection.Parse(connStr);
    conn.DeviceCredentials = DeviceIdManager.LoadOrRegisterDevice();
    using (OrganizationService svc = new OrganizationService(conn))
    {
        QueryExpression qry = new QueryExpression();
        qry.ColumnSet = new ColumnSet("firstname", "lastname", "fullname");   // get only what is needed for performance reasons
        qry.EntityName = CRMO.SystemUser.EntityLogicalName;   // get entity object SystemUser
        qry.Criteria.AddCondition(new ConditionExpression("calendarid", ConditionOperator.NotNull));   // but non-builtin users
        EntityCollection col = svc.RetrieveMultiple(qry);  // executes query

        foreach (Entity ent in col.Entities)
        { 
            Console.WriteLine();
            Console.WriteLine("Current Fullname: " + ent["fullname"].ToString()); 
            Console.Write("Update? Y/N: ");
            string ans = Console.ReadLine();
            if (ans.ToLower() == "y")
            {
                // Create a new entity, setting the id and whatever attributes that need to be updated
                var updateEntity = new Entity { Id = ent.Id };
                updateEntity["firstname"] = ent["firstname"];
                updateEntity["lastname"] = ent["lastname"];
                svc.Update(updateEntity);
            }  
        }
        Console.WriteLine();
        Console.WriteLine("--- Done ---");
        Console.ReadLine(); 
    }  
}

Notes:

Only retrieve the columns you actually need
Create an update entity that only contains the fields you want to update
Remember that FullName is readonly

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Changing FullName programmatically in CRM Online (2011)

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