How do you use FetchXML for advanced queries?

Required tools

• Access to Advanced Find in Dynamics 365 — There, you build the query visually.

Build the query

1. 1.Start in advanced search, not in a text editor

   Build the query visually using the filters and joins you need. Run it and confirm that the result is correct before doing anything else—then you’ll know the logic is sound.

2. 2.Download the query as FetchXML

   Advanced search can export the completed XML. It can be pasted directly into the integration or into Power Automate.

Customize and use

1. 3.Add aggregation as needed

   FetchXML can aggregate, count, and group—something OData handles less effectively. This is one of the main reasons to choose it.

2. 4.Be aware of the limits

   Aggregate queries have an upper limit on the number of rows they process. If this limit is exceeded, the query fails rather than returning an incomplete result. Filter by time period instead of querying all data.

3. 5.Comment on what the query does

   FetchXML is difficult to read. Two lines in plain language explaining what it retrieves will save the next person half an hour.