D365 F&O - Create deployable package

In AX 2012, we use xpo, model and model store for deployment. Of course, we should not use xpo for deployment, it will create some issue in future when we follow the model deployment or model store deployment, we might face some other issues also.

For production deployment, we need to use model store deployment.

In D365 F&O, There is no xpo or model store, only models are available. Packages are used to do the deployment, package can have multiple models.

How to create packages?

Deployable package can be created from Visual Studio. Before we create a deployable package, we should compile the models. Compilation is mandatory. For example, if you modify some objects and not compiled then it may create some problem on the production, because the files are not updated. In the time of compilation, the system create some binary files, dll files on the system these files are used in the time of deployable package creation.

Dynamics 365 > Build models

Select the model and click build button

Compilation status will appear

Dynamics 365>Deploy>Create Deployment Packages...

Select the path where the deployable package should be placed

Select the model and click "Create" and we will get "Package created." message once its done.

Package file is created

The package files contains all binary files

If you look into the deployable package, all files are binary files. Only the binary files are moved to production, no codes. I am not sure that we will get the code base if our development machine got corrupted and not using version control, but definitely Microsoft can help us.

But, we should always use version control.

Note: This post is to explain about the deployable package, but it is not the best practice to create the deployable package, because

1. When you work with more than two developers then it won't work properly, you need to take latest version always

2. If you modified some objects like CustTable table but not yet completed and it is in progress, in this state, modified objects/not checked in objects also will move to production

So, the best practice to create the deployable package is build automation process. I will try to create another post for how to create build automation process.

For more information about the deployable package creation, please refer here