The GAP in Dynamics 365 FO One Version: Struggling with manual updates

Introduction: Understanding One Version in Dynamics 365

In recent years, Microsoft has introduced the One Version approach for Dynamics 365 FO. This initiative ensures that all users across the platform have access to the same version, including the latest features, performance improvements, and security updates. By unifying the version experience, Microsoft aims to simplify maintenance, enhance consistency, and streamline the process of rolling out new capabilities. However, despite these advantages, there are exceptions that require special attention, particularly when it comes to third-party applications and certain Microsoft solutions that are built upon the Power Platform.

Challenges with External and Non-Core Solutions

While One Version aims to unify the update process, not all applications and solutions are covered by this automatic update model. Specifically, solutions that do not belong to the core Dynamics 365 offering might not receive automatic updates. This scenario creates a maintenance gap where administrators need to manually manage updates, especially for:

1. Microsoft Non-Core Solutions: These are add-ons or specific modules provided by Microsoft but not considered part of the primary suite. Examples might include: Invoice Capture, Inventory Visibility, Expense Management, etc...
2. Third-Party Solutions: Solutions developed by external vendors, such as ISV extensions for specific business processes or custom apps tailored to unique organizational needs.

Updating Solutions via Power Platform Admin Center

The Power Platform Admin Center provides a centralized interface for managing environments, apps, and updates within the Dynamics ecosystem. However, when it comes to solutions, the update process is not entirely seamless. Microsoft offers an Automatic Updates feature for third-party solutions during maintenance mode hours, but Microsoft's own non-core solutions are excluded from this (thank you Javier Busto Ezcurra for discovering it to me).

For resources that don't meet these requirements, we have to deal with manual updates, through the Dynamics 365 resources section on Power Platform Admin Center, for each environment.

Since manual updates can introduce risks or disrupt existing processes, it’s crucial to follow a coordinated approach. Whenever you are testing a new Dynamics 365 FO release in a sandbox environment, make sure to also update these solutions that are not auto-updated with the release package. This allows you to validate the entire workflow and ensure that all components—both core and external—work seamlessly together before moving to the production environment. In this line, don't miss this awesome post by Ted Ohlsson talking about Synchronizing Power Platform and F&O Updates.

Some ideas for improving the update process

As Microsoft continues to expand the capabilities of the Power Platform and Dynamics 365, it would be great to improve the update process. Potential enhancements could include:

• Include Microsoft publishers: Extending the automatic update capabilities to include more Microsoft solutions, reducing the need for manual intervention.
• Improved notifications and insights: Providing more detailed notifications and update insights directly within the admin center, making it easier for administrators to stay informed.
• Enable API requests: Enable API requests in order to check for new updates and apply it. With this, we can create our own solution to auto update solutions, for example with Power Automate or pipelines.

What challenges have you faced while updating non-core solutions manually in Dynamics 365? What features or enhancements would make this process easier for your organization? Share your thoughts and suggestions in the comments below—your feedback could help shape future updates and make Dynamics 365 even better for everyone!