Last month, we explored how to use Change Tracking in Dynamics 365 to identify modified records and synchronize them with other business apps. That solution works perfectly when Dynamics 365 is the source of truth and needs to push its updates out.
But what about the reverse situation—when changes are happening in other business applications, and you need to bring those updates back into Dynamics 365 Sales?
When it comes to moving data between systems, there’s one thing that can make or break your performance: how much data you’re pulling every single time. If you’re always reloading the entire dataset, you’re asking for slow runs, higher costs, and frustrated teams. That’s where incremental (or delta) data loads come in. Instead of dragging every record through your pipeline, you only grab what’s changed since the last run. It’s faster, cleaner, and much easier on your system resources.
Building an Incremental Load Process for Dynamics 365 Integrations
Most external systems or APIs provide a way to filter by a timestamp field—something like “Last Modified,” “Changed Date,” or “Updated On.” That’s the key to building your logic. The goal is to compare that timestamp against the last time your process ran, so you only pull the updates. To make this work with Dynamics 365 Sales, you need a repeatable cycle that handles both the extraction from your source app and the synchronization into Sales.
Here’s a step-by-step breakdown:
1. Store the last run time. Create a control table in SQL Server with two columns: the process name and the last execution timestamp. This is your anchor for all incremental loads.
2. Fetch the last run time into a variable. Use a Premium SQL Server Command Task to read the timestamp from your control table and assign it to a user variable (e.g., @[User::LastExecutionTime]). This value is what your source component will reference.
3. Filter records in the source application. Configure your source connector (say, NAV/BC Source, or any external API) to only return records where the modified date is greater than the last run time but less than or equal to the current process start time (System::StartTime). This ensures accuracy and prevents overlap.
4. Map the updates into Dynamics 365 Sales. Send the filtered records into Dynamics 365. Use upsert operations where possible, so that new records get created and existing ones are updated without duplication.
5. Account for time zones and formats. If your source timestamps differ from Dynamics (e.g., UTC vs. local time), use KingswaySoft’s Time Zone Conversion component to normalize them.
6. Save the current run time. After the sync completes, write the current process start time back to the control table using an UPDATE statement. This prepares the system for the next incremental cycle.
With this cycle in place, each run starts exactly where the last one left off—no missed records, no wasted effort.
A Quick Word on Alternatives
Timestamp filtering is the go-to method, but KingswaySoft also includes components like Diff Detector or Premium Hash if you want to compare entire records. Those can be handy when timestamps aren’t reliable, or you’re dealing with tricky data sources. Still, for most scenarios, the timestamp method is clean and efficient.
Why This Matters for Your Business
At first glance, this might sound like a technical detail only developers should care about. But here’s the thing: faster, leaner integrations ripple across the business. Sales teams get fresher leads, finance avoids bottlenecks, and executives make decisions based on current information—not last week’s snapshots. It’s the difference between reacting late and steering proactively.
A smart incremental load process makes the integration pipeline predictable and reliable—two words every business leader likes to hear.
Make Dynamics 365 Integrations More Efficient with KingswaySoft
Incremental data loads are one of those behind-the-scenes heroes of system integration. With KingswaySoft’s SSIS Integration Toolkit for Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the SSIS Productivity Pack, setting them up isn’t rocket science. Store your last run time, filter your source, sync the updates into Dynamics 365 Sales, and repeat. Once in place, the process runs quietly, making your integrations faster and your systems more responsive.
If your team’s still wrestling with an integration that’s less performant, we’ll show you how to streamline the process. Contact us today to learn more.
By KingswaySoft | www.kingswaysoft.com
The post Using Incremental Data Loads for Efficient Dynamics 365 Integrations appeared first on CRM Software Blog | Dynamics 365.
