Use a synchronous plugin for the business logic that must run immediately before the record is saved, and use Power Automate for the long-running external operation.
The plugin can validate data, calculate values, or enforce business rules within the save transaction. If the validation fails, the plugin can prevent the record from being saved.
After the record is saved, the Power Automate flow can handle the external call asynchronously. This keeps the user from waiting for a long-running operation.
Example: A plugin validates an order and calculates its total before save. After the order is saved, a flow calls an external ERP system to create the corresponding order.
Interview tip: If asked, Why not use an asynchronous plugin instead of a flow?” say that Power Automate provides easy monitoring, run history, and retry options, so it is a good choice for long-running external integrations. An asynchronous plugin can still be used when the logic needs to stay within Dataverse.
