Create a custom table using code

This topic shows how to programmatically create a custom user-owned table (entity) called Bank Account and add four different types of columns (attributes) to it.

You can also create organization-owned custom tables. More information: Table ownership

Create the custom table

The following code sample uses the CreateEntityRequest to create the table (entity) and the StringAttributeMetadataPrimaryAttribute.

The _customEntityName value is "new_bankaccount".

CreateEntityRequest createrequest = new CreateEntityRequest
{

 //Define the entity
 Entity = new EntityMetadata
 {
  SchemaName = _customEntityName,
  DisplayName = new Label("Bank Account", 1033),
  DisplayCollectionName = new Label("Bank Accounts", 1033),
  Description = new Label("An entity to store information about customer bank accounts", 1033),
  OwnershipType = OwnershipTypes.UserOwned,
  IsActivity = false,

 },

 // Define the primary attribute for the entity
 PrimaryAttribute = new StringAttributeMetadata
 {
  SchemaName = "new_accountname",
  RequiredLevel = new AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.None),
  MaxLength = 100,
  FormatName = StringFormatName.Text,
  DisplayName = new Label("Account Name", 1033),
  Description = new Label("The primary attribute for the Bank Account entity.", 1033)
 }

};
_serviceProxy.Execute(createrequest);
Console.WriteLine("The bank account entity has been created.");

Add a String column to the custom table

The following code sample adds a StringAttributeMetadata column (attribute) to the Bank Account table.

CreateAttributeRequest createBankNameAttributeRequest = new CreateAttributeRequest
{
 EntityName = _customEntityName,
 Attribute = new StringAttributeMetadata
 {
  SchemaName = "new_bankname",
  RequiredLevel = new AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.None),
  MaxLength = 100,
  FormatName = StringFormatName.Text,
  DisplayName = new Label("Bank Name", 1033),
  Description = new Label("The name of the bank.", 1033)
 }
};

_serviceProxy.Execute(createBankNameAttributeRequest);

Add a Money column to the custom table

The following code sample adds a MoneyAttributeMetadata column (attribute) to the Bank Account table.

CreateAttributeRequest createBalanceAttributeRequest = new CreateAttributeRequest
{
 EntityName = _customEntityName,
 Attribute = new MoneyAttributeMetadata
 {
  SchemaName = "new_balance",
  RequiredLevel = new AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.None),
  PrecisionSource = 2,
  DisplayName = new Label("Balance", 1033),
  Description = new Label("Account Balance at the last known date", 1033),

 }
};

_serviceProxy.Execute(createBalanceAttributeRequest);

Add a DateTime column to the custom table

The following code sample adds a DateTimeAttributeMetadata column (attribute) to the Bank Account table.

CreateAttributeRequest createCheckedDateRequest = new CreateAttributeRequest
{
 EntityName = _customEntityName,
 Attribute = new DateTimeAttributeMetadata
 {
  SchemaName = "new_checkeddate",
  RequiredLevel = new AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.None),
  Format = DateTimeFormat.DateOnly,
  DisplayName = new Label("Date", 1033),
  Description = new Label("The date the account balance was last confirmed", 1033)

 }
};

_serviceProxy.Execute(createCheckedDateRequest);
Console.WriteLine("An date attribute has been added to the bank account entity.");

Add a Lookup column to the custom table

The following code sample uses CreateOneToManyRequest to create a one-to-many relationship with the Contact table so that a LookupAttributeMetadata column (attribute) is added to the Bank Account table.

CreateOneToManyRequest req = new CreateOneToManyRequest()
{
    Lookup = new LookupAttributeMetadata()
    {
        Description = new Label("The referral (lead) from the bank account owner", 1033),
        DisplayName = new Label("Referral", 1033),
        LogicalName = "new_parent_leadid",
        SchemaName = "New_Parent_leadId",
        RequiredLevel = new AttributeRequiredLevelManagedProperty(AttributeRequiredLevel.Recommended)
    },
    OneToManyRelationship = new OneToManyRelationshipMetadata()
    {
        AssociatedMenuConfiguration = new AssociatedMenuConfiguration()
        {
            Behavior = AssociatedMenuBehavior.UseCollectionName,
            Group = AssociatedMenuGroup.Details,
            Label = new Label("Bank Accounts", 1033),
            Order = 10000
        },
        CascadeConfiguration = new CascadeConfiguration()
        {
            Assign = CascadeType.Cascade,
            Delete = CascadeType.Cascade,
            Merge = CascadeType.Cascade,
            Reparent = CascadeType.Cascade,
            Share = CascadeType.Cascade,
            Unshare = CascadeType.Cascade
        },
        ReferencedEntity = "lead",
        ReferencedAttribute = "leadid",
        ReferencingEntity = _customEntityName,
        SchemaName = "new_lead_new_bankaccount"
    }
};
_serviceProxy.Execute(req);

See also

CreateEntityRequest
Customize table definitions
Work with table definitions using code