Creating your first CRM Business Rule

Summary

Business rules in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform provide a no-code way to guide user behavior, validate data, and automate form logic. This tutorial walks through a simple but practical example of creating a CRM business rule to validate an estimated close date, showing how conditions and actions work together to improve data quality and user experience without writing code.

In Microsoft Power Platform and Dynamics CRM, Business rules are a No-Code way of automating form behavior.

You can combine conditions and actions to show or hide fields, set requirement levels, validate data, and show error messages. The YouTube video shows an Opportunity business rule in Dynamics 365 CRM that validates the Est. Close Date to be in the future.

This blog outlines the steps to build this business rule using the Power Platform.

Steps to Building a CRM Business Rule

Business rules are created and managed within the Power Platform and applied directly to tables in Dynamics 365. In this example, we’ll walk through a simple but practical scenario using the Opportunity table to validate that an estimated close date is set in the future.

The steps below show how to create the required components, define the business rule logic, and activate it so the rule runs automatically when users interact with the record.

While this example focuses on a single validation rule, the same approach can be extended to support more advanced form behavior and data quality requirements.

Step 1: Use a Solution

Login to Power Apps (https://make.powerapps.com) and make sure to (#1) select the environment that you want to modify.

Then, (#2) either use a solution that you have already started or create a new solution. We are going to focus on the Opportunity, so I’ve created a Solution called “Opportunity”.

Step 2: Add Opportunity Table to your Solution

Inside your solution, use the “Add Existing” option to add the existing Opportunity Table. Once you have added the opportunity table, your solution will look like the image below:

Step 3: Create a new formula field for the current date time

Formula fields are a new data type available in Power Platform – I’m so excited. I suspect that this new field type will get lots of use and attention in the future.

For the Opportunity Table, create a new formula field. Click on Columns on the left navigation and select “+New Column”.

Enter the column name (“UTC Now”), the description, select “Formula” as the Data Type and then enter the formula “UTCNow” in the formula field as shown in the image below.

Note that at the time of this blog, the Formula functionality is currently in preview.

Step 4: Create Business Rule

Next, Create a new business rule on the Opportunity table. From your solution, click the Opportunity Table and then click (#!) “Business Rules” on the side navigation.

Then, click (#2) “+ New Business Rule” on the menu as shown in the image below.

Step 5: Add a Condition to your Business Rule

Each business rule needs to start with a condition. The condition for our business rule will use the new UTC Date field that we created in Step 3.

Our business rule’s Condition will have the following values:

• Display Name: Est. Close Date < Now

• Entity: Opportunity

• Source: Entity

• Field: Est. Close Date

• Operator: Is less than

• Type: Formula

• Field: UTCNow

• Operator: +

• Type: Value

• Days: 0

If everything was set correctly on your condition, the Condition Expression should now read “(Est. Close Date is less than [UTCNow +0])”

Step 6: Add Error Message to your Business Rule

The business rule Action is where the rubber hits the road.

For our example, we are going to use an error message Action which will be displayed to the user.This way, the user has to fix the Est. Close Date prior to leaving the record.

Our Show Error Message Action will have the following values:

• Display Name: Est. Close Error Message

• Entity: Opportunity

• Error Message (Field): Est. Close Date

• Error Message (Text): “Estimated Close Date is in the Past”

If everything was set correctly on your Action, the Action should look similar to the image below:

Step 7: Save and Activate your Business Rule

We are just finishing things up now. If you have completed the steps above, then you should “Save” the business rule and make sure you “Activate” it from the menu.

Once you get back to your solution, make sure that you “Publish all Customizations” for your solution.

The last step will be to test out your business rule. To do this just open the Opportunity in Dynamics CRM and look for the Est. Close Date.

If your date value is in the past, note the error message that you created with a business rule is displayed.

Dynamics CRM Business Rule validates Est. Close Date Business Rules are a no-code way of automating your form behavior. This step-by-step tutorial showed a very simple but useful example of how a business rule can help guide users to keep the system data up to date.

More complex business rules can be built to display recommendations, lock/unlock fields, set field values, show/hide fields and more.

Wrapping It Up: Using Business Rules to Improve Data Quality

CRM business rules are one of the most effective ways to introduce automation and data validation without adding technical complexity. By starting with simple, targeted rules like validating key dates, you can improve data quality, guide users in real time, and reduce downstream cleanup or rework.

As your confidence grows, business rules can be expanded to support more advanced scenarios, helping your CRM evolve in a controlled, scalable way while keeping users productive and aligned with best practices.

Frequently Asked Questions About CRM Business Rules

What is a CRM business rule?

A CRM business rule is a no-code way to apply logic and validation directly to tables and forms in Dynamics 365. Business rules allow you to guide user behavior, enforce data standards, and automate simple actions without writing code.

What can CRM business rules be used for?

CRM business rules can be used to show or hide fields, set requirement levels, validate data, display error messages, and automatically set field values. They are commonly used to improve data quality and ensure users enter information consistently.

Do CRM business rules require coding?

No. CRM business rules are built using a visual designer in the Power Platform and do not require any coding. Conditions and actions are configured using dropdowns and expressions, making them accessible to administrators and power users.

Where do CRM business rules run in Dynamics 365?

CRM business rules run at the table or form level, depending on how they are configured. They can execute on forms in the web and mobile apps, and in some cases at the table level to enforce logic regardless of how the data is updated.

When should I use a business rule instead of a workflow or Power Automate?

Business rules are best used for immediate, form-level logic such as validation, field visibility, and simple automation. Workflows or Power Automate flows are better suited for background processing, integrations, or more complex logic that spans multiple tables or systems.

Need Help Building CRM Business Rules?

We offer an easy way to continue automating and optimizing your CRM beyond one-off changes. Our Optrua Care Plan provides ongoing support, enhancements, and guidance so your Power Platform and Dynamics CRM investment continues to deliver value.

About the Author

Ryan Redmond is the founder of Optrua and has spent over two decades helping organizations make sense of CRM platforms like Microsoft Dynamics 365. His work often focuses on practical topics such as licensing, system design, and aligning technology decisions with real business needs.

Ryan works closely with sales, operations, and IT leaders to cut through complexity, avoid over-licensing, and ensure teams are paying for what they actually use. His approach emphasizes clarity, long-term scalability, and making informed decisions rather than chasing features.

Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn.