Using OData syntax in DRM templates

What are lookup properties

Most dynamics entities will have single-valued navigation properties available for updates.

Below are the single valued properties for the business unit entity.

What this means in respect to DRM templates is that there values can be referenced in two different ways.

Sticking with the BusinessUnit entity lets look at the parentbusinessunitid.

The value for this can be implemented as follows.

The standard way of the property name and value

"parentbusinessunitid": "b98c3796-9ded-4091-bdea-a85b038a8103" 

or using odata syntax. From the lookup table above we can see that parentbusinessunitid references the businessunit entity that tells us that using odata syntax the property would look like this.

"parentbusinessunitid@odata.bind": "/businessunits(b98c3796-9ded-4091-bdea-a85b038a8103)" 

Example

It's possible in DRM templates to reference lookup properties as you would in a OData call.

Lets take a look at the example resource block below where we are updating a business unit.

parentbusinessunitid is a look up property or Single-valued navigation property on the businessunit entity and its possible to use the odata.bind equivalent.

{ ... 
  "properties": { 
     "businessunits": [ 
        { 
           "businessunitid": "b5ee222r-9f5f-4d7d-9c8e-434e1c627be9", 
           "name": "Test Business Unit", 
           "description": "This is a description of the business unit.", 
           "costcenter": "something", 
           "divisionname": "division test", 
           "emailaddress": "test@demo.com", 
           "parentbusinessunitid@odata.bind": "/businessunits(b98c3796-9ded-4091-bdea-a85b038a8103)" 
       }
     ]
  }
}