Solution Component Extractor: XrmToolBox Plugin

I'm excited to introduce my latest creation: Solution Component Extractor, a free plugin for XrmToolBox. This tool simplifies the process of inspecting and exporting solution components, making it easier for consultants, developers, and admins to gain insights into their Dynamics 365 environments. Whether you're auditing a solution, preparing for a migration, or just curious about recent modifications, this plugin has you covered.

Why I Built This Tool

Deploying solutions to higher environments like QA or production is a critical step that demands accuracy. In my experience, one of the biggest challenges is ensuring the development team includes only the necessary components in a solution to avoid clutter or unintended changes. Stakeholders often require detailed reports of what’s being deployed, and questions about specific components—why they’re included or how they’ve changed—can arise. Additionally, when doubts surface about a component’s purpose or configuration, I need to quickly identify and reach out to the person who last modified it for clarification.

Solution Component Extractor was designed to address these pain points. It allows me to:

  • Verify Deployment Readiness: Before deploying a solution, I can review all components to confirm only the required ones are included, preventing unnecessary or risky changes from reaching higher environments.
  • Facilitate Collaboration: By identifying who last modified a component and when, I can directly contact the responsible team member to resolve doubts or confirm intent, streamlining communication.
  • Meet Stakeholder Needs: The tool generates comprehensive, exportable reports of solution components, making it easy to share with stakeholders for transparency, compliance, or audit purposes.

Real-World Benefits

  • Cleaner Deployments: Ensure only necessary components are deployed, reducing risks.
  • Faster Troubleshooting: Pinpoint recent changes or contact modifiers to clarify configurations.
  • Stakeholder Confidence: Deliver detailed Excel reports for audits, compliance, or reviews.

What Makes It Stand Out?

This plugin isn’t just about listing components—it’s about empowering Dynamics 365 professionals with actionable insights. The tool supports an extensive range of Dynamics 365 and Power Platform components, including:

    • Core Data Model: Table, Column, Relationship, Key, Choice
    • User Interface: Form, View, Chart, Dashboard, Sitemap, Page, Web Resource
    • Business Logic: Business Rule, Process, Cloud Flow, Custom API, Custom Control, Plugin Assembly, Plugin Step
    • Security and Governance: Security Role, Column Security Profile, Duplicate Detection Rule, SLA
    • Templates and Automation: Article Template, Contract Template, Email Template, Mail Merge Template, Routing Rule, Record Creation and Update Rule
    • Advanced Features: AI Model, Agent Component Collection, Component Library, Connection References, Connection Role, Dataflow, Environment Variable, Masking Rule, Service Endpoint, Virtual Table Data Provider, Virtual Table Data Source
    • Reporting and Analytics: Report, Chart
    • App and Configuration: App, Setting
  • One-Click Excel Export: Export all component data to a structured Excel file for offline analysis, sharing with stakeholders, or integration into documentation. The export preserves the tabular format, enabling easy sorting, filtering, and pivoting.

How It Works: A Quick Walkthrough

Using Solution Component Extractor is as simple as it gets. Here's a step-by-step guide:

  • Enter Solution Unique Name: In the plugin's interface, type the unique name of the solution.


  • Search and Review: Click the "Search" button. The results populate in a grid view.

  • Grid Column Details:
    • Related Table: The associated table (entity) for context within the data model.
    • Table Component Behavior: Indicates how a table was added to the solution:
      • Do Not Include Subcomponents: Only specific components are included, allowing individual tracking in the solution.
      • Include As Shell Only: The table is added without subcomponents or metadata.
      • Include Subcomponents: The entire table object, including all objects and metadata (e.g., columns, views), was added. Note: In this case, individual subcomponents are not stored separately in the solution and won’t appear as distinct entries in the tool’s output. For example, you won’t see columns or views listed individually for that table.
    • Component Type: Clearly identifies the type (e.g., Column, Business Rule, Web Resource).
    • Display Name: The user-friendly name as seen in the UI.
    • Name: The schema name for technical precision.
    • Last Modified By: The user who last edited the component (where available).
    • Last Modified On: The timestamp of the latest change (where available).

Note: Not all components provide Last Modified By or Last Modified On data due to Dynamics 365 metadata limitations. For managed solutions, these fields reflect the name of the person who deployed the solution and the timestamp of deployment.

  • Export to Excel: If you need the data elsewhere, hit the export button. The file generates instantly, ready for your spreadsheet software.

Get Started Today

Solution Component Extractor is available now in the XrmToolBox Tool Library—free to download and use. Try it and share your feedback! Have ideas for enhancements? Comment below or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Thank you for exploring Solution Component Extractor. Here’s to smarter, safer Dynamics 365 deployments!

Location: Datiwali, Datiwali Gaon, Thane, Maharashtra 400612, India

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