CRM 2016: Use PowerShell to run Package Deployer

Package Deployer is a great tool to deploy your Dynamics CRM solutions. However, it normally requires human to operate the tool and seldom automated.

Here is how to automate the deploy process using PowerShell.

Step 1 – Register XRM Tooling
First step is to install XRM Tooling SnapIn. Follow this article Use PowerShell cmdlets for XRM tooling to connect to Dynamics 365.

Step 2 – Deploy using PowerShell

Add-PSSnapin Microsoft.Xrm.Tooling.Connector
Add-PSSnapin Microsoft.Xrm.Tooling.PackageDeployment

$packageDirectory = Get-Location
$packageName = "MyPackageDeployer.dll"
$username = "administrator@mycrm.onmicrosoft.com"
$password = "mypassword"
$orgName = "myOrgName"
$secstr = New-Object -TypeName System.Security.SecureString
$password.ToCharArray() | ForEach-Object {$secstr.AppendChar($_)}

$cred = new-object -typename System.Management.Automation.PSCredential -argumentlist $username, $secstr

$CRMConn = Get-CrmConnection -DeploymentRegion Oceania -OnlineType Office365 -OrganizationName $orgName -Credential $Cred

Import-CrmPackage -CrmConnection $CRMConn -PackageDirectory $packageDirectory -PackageName $packageName -Verbose

The drawback of deploying this way is that it requires Administrator privilege to install those SnapIn, something not available on TFS Online.

Cheers,
Sy