Generating a Word Document from a Row change in Dataverse without SharePoint

Problem:  Dataverse/Dynamics has a great way to generate Word or Excel documents in Model apps using the UI.  I want to generate a generate letter from a CDS entity/Table when the status changes.  And I'm not allowed to use OneDrive/SharePoint (governance restriction).

High-Level Steps:

1. Create Dataverse Table - ensure "Notes" & "Business process flows" are enabled

2. Generate the Word Template & add it to the "Template View"

Generate Word Template with dynamic column vals

Add Template

3. Create a Process to generate the output/docx from the Word template i.e. generate when status of the row changes

Activate the Workflow

4. Use Power Automate to call the Dynamics Process

Generating a pdf from a word binary - Power Platform

Overview: Move a word document into a pdf stream in a Power Automate flow.

Solution: I am triggering a flow when a word document is created in Dataverse.  I get the word document in a stream and use OneDrive for Business (OD4B) to persist the docx to OneDrive.  I use the Power Automate Word for Business connector to convert the docx in OD4B into a pdf binary stream in my flow.  

Tip: The Location (OneDrive site collection) gets converted to a guid, so if you need a separate site collection for OneDrive or SharePoint, you can use the MS Graph and I believe this URL also works: 

https://radimaging.sharepoint.com/personal/paulbeck/_api/v2.0/drives.

Customer Care Accelerator for SharePoint

A few days ago I was in an Architecture Design Session with Microsoft Consulting and they showed me the Customer Care Accelerator (CCA) for Microsoft CRM dynamics 2011.

CCA simply allows you to maintain context between disconnected systems.  If I select a customer using my Windows application that stores my customer orders, I can take the selected CustomerId and use it directly in SharePoint to say retrieve all documents related to a customer. 

In summary, CCA allows me to use data from various desktop applications, such as web forms, crm, SharePoint or websites.  This is pretty useful for sticking together historical disparate systems.

More Info:  http://dynamics-crm.pinpoint.microsoft.com/en-GB/applications/customer-care-accelerator-for-microsoft-dynamics-crm-2011-12884914795
http://community.dynamics.com/product/crm/crmtechnical/b/crmukblog/archive/2011/05/11/getting-started-with-cca-for-crm-2011.aspx
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/ukcrm/archive/2011/05/11/getting-started-with-cca-for-crm-2011.aspx