The thing that makes this great is it is workflow. It is not tied down to an entity. You can use it on your custom entities, you can geocode your addresses, and correct them. You can do address verification and geocoding. You can control what you do using workflow.

Ok, while this isn’t anything complicated, I thought it was a good example of a custom workflow that used an external webservice. Please don’t forget to create a signed key for your project.

Workflow Class:

using System;
using System.ServiceModel;
using System.Text;
using System.Workflow.Activities;
using System.Workflow.ComponentModel;
using BingWorkflow.BingMapsGeo;
using Microsoft.Crm.Sdk;
using Microsoft.Crm.Workflow;
using Microsoft.Win32;

namespace BingWorkflow
{
    [CrmWorkflowActivity("Bing Maps", "Geocode")]
    public class VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity :
        SequenceActivity
    {
        // Activity code goes here. 

        public static DependencyProperty AddressCityProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "AddressCity", typeof (string), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty AddressCountryProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "AddressCountry", typeof (string), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty AddressLine1Property = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "AddressLine1", typeof (string), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty AddressPostalCodeProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "AddressPostalCode", typeof (string), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty AddressStateProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "AddressState", typeof (string), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty BingKeyProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "BingKey", typeof (string), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty OutputCityProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "OutputCity", typeof (string), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty OutputCountryProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "OutputCountry", typeof (string), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty OutputLatitudeProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "OutputLatitude", typeof (CrmFloat), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty OutputLine1Property = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "OutputLine1", typeof (string), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty OutputLongitudeProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "OutputLongitude", typeof (CrmFloat), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty OutputMultipleFoundProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "OutputMultipleFound", typeof (CrmBoolean), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty OutputPostalCodeProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "OutputPostalCode", typeof (string), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        public static DependencyProperty OutputStateProperty = DependencyProperty.Register(
            "OutputState", typeof (string), typeof (VerifyAddressUsingBingMapsActivity));

        [CrmInput("Address City")]
        public string AddressCity
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(AddressCityProperty); }
            set { SetValue(AddressCityProperty, value); }
        }

        [CrmInput("Address Country")]
        public string AddressCountry
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(AddressCountryProperty); }
            set { SetValue(AddressCountryProperty, value); }
        }

        [CrmInput("Address Line 1")]
        public string AddressLine1
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(AddressLine1Property); }
            set { SetValue(AddressLine1Property, value); }
        }

        [CrmInput("Address Postal Code")]
        public string AddressPostalCode
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(AddressPostalCodeProperty); }
            set { SetValue(AddressPostalCodeProperty, value); }
        }

        [CrmInput("Address State Or Province")]
        public string AddressState
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(AddressStateProperty); }
            set { SetValue(AddressStateProperty, value); }
        }

        [CrmInput("Bing API Key")]
        public string BingKey
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(BingKeyProperty); }
            set { SetValue(BingKeyProperty, value); }
        }

        [CrmOutput("City")]
        public string OutputCity
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(OutputCityProperty); }
            set { SetValue(OutputCityProperty, value); }
        }

        [CrmOutput("Country Or Region")]
        public string OutputCountry
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(OutputCountryProperty); }
            set { SetValue(OutputCountryProperty, value); }
        }

        [CrmOutput("Latitude")]
        public CrmFloat OutputLatitude
        {
            get { return (CrmFloat)GetValue(OutputLatitudeProperty); }
            set { SetValue(OutputLatitudeProperty, value); }
        }

        [CrmOutput("Line 1")]
        public string OutputLine1
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(OutputLine1Property); }
            set { SetValue(OutputLine1Property, value); }
        }

        [CrmOutput("Longitude")]
        public CrmFloat OutputLongitude
        {
            get { return (CrmFloat)GetValue(OutputLongitudeProperty); }
            set { SetValue(OutputLongitudeProperty, value); }
        }

        [CrmOutput("Multiple Address Found")]
        public CrmBoolean OutputMultipleFound
        {
            get { return (CrmBoolean)GetValue(OutputMultipleFoundProperty); }
            set { SetValue(OutputMultipleFoundProperty, value); }
        }

        [CrmOutput("Postal Code")]
        public string OutputPostalCode
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(OutputPostalCodeProperty); }
            set { SetValue(OutputPostalCodeProperty, value); }
        }

        [CrmOutput("State Or Province")]
        public string OutputState
        {
            get { return (string)GetValue(OutputStateProperty); }
            set { SetValue(OutputStateProperty, value); }
        }

        protected override ActivityExecutionStatus Execute(ActivityExecutionContext executionContext)
        {
            // Reset Outputs
            OutputLatitude = new CrmFloat();
            OutputLongitude = new CrmFloat();
            OutputLine1 = String.Empty;
            OutputCity = String.Empty;
            OutputState = String.Empty;
            OutputPostalCode = String.Empty;
            OutputMultipleFound = new CrmBoolean {Value = false};

            var key = BingKey;
            if (String.IsNullOrEmpty(key) || key.ToLower() == "registry")
            {
                key = GetAPIKeyFromRegistry();
            }

            // Create Bing Maps Request
            var bingRequest = new GeocodeRequest
                              {
                                  Credentials = new Credentials {ApplicationId = key},
                                  Query = AddressLine1 + ", " +
                                          AddressCity + ", " +
                                          AddressState + ", " +
                                          AddressPostalCode + ", " +
                                          AddressCountry
                              };

            // Filter for High Confidence
            var filters = new ConfidenceFilter[1];
            filters[0] = new ConfidenceFilter {MinimumConfidence = Confidence.High};
            bingRequest.Options = new GeocodeOptions {Filters = filters};

            // Create Client
            GeocodeServiceClient bingClient = null;
            try
            {
                var geoBinding = new BasicHttpBinding(BasicHttpSecurityMode.None)
                                 {
                                     Name = "BasicHttpBinding_IGeocodeService",
                                     CloseTimeout = new TimeSpan(0, 1, 0),
                                     OpenTimeout = new TimeSpan(0, 1, 0),
                                     ReceiveTimeout = new TimeSpan(0, 10, 0),
                                     SendTimeout = new TimeSpan(0, 1, 0),
                                     AllowCookies = false,
                                     BypassProxyOnLocal = false,
                                     HostNameComparisonMode = HostNameComparisonMode.StrongWildcard,
                                     MaxBufferSize = 65536,
                                     MaxBufferPoolSize = 524288,
                                     MaxReceivedMessageSize = 65536,
                                     MessageEncoding = WSMessageEncoding.Text,
                                     TextEncoding = Encoding.UTF8,
                                     TransferMode = TransferMode.Buffered,
                                     UseDefaultWebProxy = true
                                 };

                var geoEA =
                    new EndpointAddress("http://dev.virtualearth.net/webservices/v1/geocodeservice/GeocodeService.svc");

                bingClient = new GeocodeServiceClient(geoBinding, geoEA);

                var bingResponse = bingClient.Geocode(bingRequest);

                if (bingResponse.Results != null && bingResponse.Results.Length > 0)
                {
                    if (bingResponse.Results.Length > 1)
                    {
                        OutputMultipleFound.Value = true;
                    }

                    var bingResult = bingResponse.Results[0];

                    if (bingResult.Locations != null && bingResult.Locations.Length > 0)
                    {
                        var bingLocation = bingResult.Locations[0];
                        OutputLatitude.Value = bingLocation.Latitude;
                        OutputLongitude.Value = bingLocation.Longitude;
                    }

                    var bingAddress = bingResult.Address;

                    OutputLine1 = bingAddress.AddressLine;
                    OutputPostalCode = bingAddress.PostalCode;
                    OutputCountry = bingAddress.CountryRegion;

                    OutputCity = String.IsNullOrEmpty(bingAddress.PostalTown)
                                     ? bingAddress.Locality
                                     : bingAddress.PostalTown;
                    OutputState = String.IsNullOrEmpty(bingAddress.AdminDistrict)
                                      ? bingAddress.District
                                      : bingAddress.AdminDistrict;
                }
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                throw new WorkflowTerminatedException(
                    "There was an error openning the connection to Bing Maps.", ex);
            }
            finally
            {
                // Close the client
                if (bingClient != null)
                {
                    bingClient.Close();
                }
            }

            return base.Execute(executionContext);
        }

        private static string GetAPIKeyFromRegistry()
        {
            // Opening the registry key
            var key = Registry.LocalMachine;
            if (key != null)
            {
                key = key.OpenSubKey("Software\\Microsoft Geocoder");
            }

            return key != null ? key.GetValue("APIKey").ToString() : null;
        }
    }
}

Ok. This little onload script will show the states for the United States and Canada (You can always modify it to have more options). This will help restrict what people put in the state field by providing them a drop down box. It will also allow them to view the old text box and enter any custom information just by clicking on ‘* ENTER A CUSTOM PROVINCE *’.

This script will work on the onload for a lead, contact, account, and sales-contact.

Please post a comment and let me know what you think!

If you’re a consultant and you use this, please at least give us credit and provide the customer with the web address to our blog.

Onload Jscript Code:

function ddlState ()
{

	// Get the state or province cell.
	var provinceid = 'stateorprovince';
	var statecell = document.getElementById(provinceid + '_d');

	if (!statecell)
	{
		provinceid = 'address1_stateorprovince';
		statecell = document.getElementById(provinceid + '_d');
	}

	var stateobject = document.getElementById(provinceid);
	stateobject.style.display = 'none';

	var statevalue = stateobject.value;

	var ddl = document.createElement('select');
	ddl.setAttribute('id','new_stateorprovince');
	ddl.setAttribute('class','ms-crm-SelectBox');
	ddl.setAttribute('req','2');
	ddl.setAttribute('height','4');
	ddl.setAttribute('style','IME-MODE: auto');

	// Build some lists.
	var CStateName = new Array();
	var CStateAbbr = new Array();
	var USStateName = new Array();
	var USStateAbbr = new Array();

	// If nothing is entered for state, show SELECT A STATE
	var found=false;
	if (statevalue.length<1)
	{
		stateoption=document.createElement('option');
		stateoption.setAttribute('value','');
		stateoption.innerHTML = ' ** SELECT A STATE ** ';
		ddl.appendChild(stateoption);
		found=true;
	}

	// Build Canada Array
	CStateName[0]  = "Alberta";                   CStateAbbr[0]  = "AB";
	CStateName[1]  = "British Columbia";          CStateAbbr[1]  = "BC";
	CStateName[2]  = "Manitoba";                  CStateAbbr[2]  = "MB";
	CStateName[3]  = "New Brunswick";             CStateAbbr[3]  = "NB";
	CStateName[4]  = "Newfoundland and Labrador"; CStateAbbr[4]  = "NL";
	CStateName[5]  = "Northwest Territories";     CStateAbbr[5]  = "NT";
	CStateName[6]  = "Nova Scotia";               CStateAbbr[6]  = "NS";
	CStateName[7]  = "Nunavut";                   CStateAbbr[7]  = "NU";
	CStateName[8]  = "Ontario";                   CStateAbbr[8]  = "ON";
	CStateName[9]  = "Prince Edward Island";      CStateAbbr[9]  = "PE";
	CStateName[10] = "Quebec";                    CStateAbbr[10] = "QC";
	CStateName[11] = "Saskatchewan";              CStateAbbr[11] = "SK";
	CStateName[12] = "Yukon";                     CStateAbbr[12] = "YT";

	// Build US Array
	USStateName[0]  = "Alabama";        USStateAbbr[0]  = "AL";
	USStateName[1]  = "Alaska";         USStateAbbr[1]  = "AK";
	USStateName[2]  = "Arizona";        USStateAbbr[2]  = "AZ";
	USStateName[3]  = "Arkansas";       USStateAbbr[3]  = "AR";
	USStateName[4]  = "California";     USStateAbbr[4]  = "CA";
	USStateName[5]  = "Colorado";       USStateAbbr[5]  = "CO";
	USStateName[6]  = "Connecticut";    USStateAbbr[6]  = "CT";
	USStateName[7]  = "District of Columbia"; USStateAbbr[7]  = "DC";
	USStateName[8]  = "Delaware";       USStateAbbr[8]  = "DE";
	USStateName[9]  = "Florida";        USStateAbbr[9]  = "FL";
	USStateName[10]  = "Georgia";       USStateAbbr[10]  = "GA";
	USStateName[11] = "Hawaii";         USStateAbbr[11] = "HI";
	USStateName[12] = "Idaho";          USStateAbbr[12] = "ID";
	USStateName[13] = "Illinois";       USStateAbbr[13] = "IL";
	USStateName[14] = "Indiana";        USStateAbbr[14] = "IN";
	USStateName[15] = "Iowa";           USStateAbbr[15] = "IA";
	USStateName[16] = "Kansas";         USStateAbbr[16] = "KS";
	USStateName[17] = "Kentucky";       USStateAbbr[17] = "KY";
	USStateName[18] = "Louisiana";      USStateAbbr[18] = "LA";
	USStateName[19] = "Maine";          USStateAbbr[19] = "ME";
	USStateName[20] = "Maryland";       USStateAbbr[20] = "MD";
	USStateName[21] = "Massachusetts";  USStateAbbr[21] = "MA";
	USStateName[22] = "Michigan";       USStateAbbr[22] = "MI";
	USStateName[23] = "Minnesota";      USStateAbbr[23] = "MN";
	USStateName[24] = "Mississippi";    USStateAbbr[24] = "MS";
	USStateName[25] = "Missouri";       USStateAbbr[25] = "MO";
	USStateName[26] = "Montana";        USStateAbbr[26] = "MT";
	USStateName[27] = "Nebraska";       USStateAbbr[27] = "NE";
	USStateName[28] = "Nevada";         USStateAbbr[28] = "NV";
	USStateName[29] = "New Hampshire";  USStateAbbr[29] = "NH";
	USStateName[30] = "New Jersey";     USStateAbbr[30] = "NJ";
	USStateName[31] = "New Mexico";     USStateAbbr[31] = "NM";
	USStateName[32] = "New York";       USStateAbbr[32] = "NY";
	USStateName[33] = "North Carolina"; USStateAbbr[33] = "NC";
	USStateName[34] = "North Dakota";   USStateAbbr[34] = "ND";
	USStateName[35] = "Ohio";           USStateAbbr[35] = "OH";
	USStateName[36] = "Oklahoma";       USStateAbbr[36] = "OK";
	USStateName[37] = "Oregon";         USStateAbbr[37] = "OR";
	USStateName[38] = "Pennsylvania";   USStateAbbr[38] = "PA";
	USStateName[39] = "Rhode Island";   USStateAbbr[39] = "RI";
	USStateName[40] = "South Carolina"; USStateAbbr[40] = "SC";
	USStateName[41] = "South Dakota";   USStateAbbr[41] = "SD";
	USStateName[42] = "Tennessee";      USStateAbbr[42] = "TN";
	USStateName[43] = "Texas";          USStateAbbr[43] = "TX";
	USStateName[44] = "Utah";           USStateAbbr[44] = "UT";
	USStateName[45] = "Vermont";        USStateAbbr[45] = "VT";
	USStateName[46] = "Virginia";       USStateAbbr[46] = "VA";
	USStateName[47] = "Washington";     USStateAbbr[47] = "WA";
	USStateName[48] = "West Virginia";  USStateAbbr[48] = "WV";
	USStateName[49] = "Wisconsin";      USStateAbbr[49] = "WI";
	USStateName[50] = "Wyoming";        USStateAbbr[50] = "WY";

	// Build the drop down
	var stateoption;
	stateoption=document.createElement('option');
	stateoption.setAttribute('value','');
	stateoption.innerHTML = '---United States--------';
	ddl.appendChild(stateoption);

	var i=0;
	for(i=0;i<usstatename .length;i++)
	{
		stateoption=document.createElement('option');
		stateoption.setAttribute('value',USStateAbbr[i]);
		if (USStateAbbr[i]==statevalue)
		{
			stateoption.setAttribute('selected','selected');
			found = true;
		}
		stateoption.innerHTML = USStateAbbr[i] +
		' (' + USStateName[i] + ')';
		ddl.appendChild(stateoption);
	}

	stateoption=document.createElement('option');
	stateoption.setAttribute('value','');
	stateoption.innerHTML = '---Canada---------------';
	ddl.appendChild(stateoption);

	var i=0;
	for(i=0;i<CStateName.length;i++)
	{
		stateoption=document.createElement('option');
		stateoption.setAttribute('value',CStateAbbr[i]);
		if (CStateAbbr[i]==statevalue)
		{
			stateoption.setAttribute('selected','selected');
			found = true;
		}
		stateoption.innerHTML = CStateAbbr[i] + ' (' + CStateName[i] + ')';
		ddl.appendChild(stateoption);
	}

	stateoption=document.createElement('option');
	stateoption.setAttribute('value','customselection');
	stateoption.innerHTML = ' ** ENTER A CUSTOM PROVINCE ** ';

	if (found==false)
	{
		stateoption=document.createElement('option');
		stateoption.setAttribute('value',statevalue);
		stateoption.setAttribute('selected','selected');
		stateoption.innerHTML = statevalue + ' (Custom)';
		ddl.appendChild(stateoption);
	}

	ddl.appendChild(stateoption);

	// Add the drop down and size accordingly.
	statecell.appendChild(ddl);
	ddl.onchange = textState;
	ddl.style.width = '100%';
}

function textState()
{
	// Find drop down and real textbox
	provinceid = 'stateorprovince';

	var stateobject = document.getElementById(provinceid);
	if (!stateobject)
	{
		provinceid = 'address1_stateorprovince';
		stateobject = document.getElementById(provinceid);
	}
	var ddl = document.getElementById('new_stateorprovince');

	// if dropdown value is customselection, show real textbox
	if (ddl.value=='customselection')
	{
		// Get the state or province cell.
		var statecell = document.getElementById(provinceid + '_d');
		statecell.removeChild(ddl);
		stateobject.style.display = 'inline';
	} else {
		// if dropdown is not customselection,
		// put value from ddl into real textbox.
		stateobject.value = ddl.value;
	}

}
ddlState();