I am just getting started using FetchXML to develop SSRS reports for CRM Online 2011. I am trying to determine if it is possible to link link entities to other link entities as opposed to the main entity. For example, I have quotes in the system tied
to contacts. Contacts are tied to Accounts. Would it be possible to use quotes as the main entity, have a link entity for contacts, and then link the contacts to the account entity? Or, do all of the link entities have to be linked to the main entity?
This would be the equivalent in SQL (using entity names as opposed to table names for the sake of this example):
SELECT * FROM Quotes
INNER JOIN Contacts ON Quotes.ContactID = Contacts.ContactID
INNER JOIN Accounts ON Contacts.ParentCustomerID = Accounts.AccountID
OR
select * from a
INNER JOIN b on a.key = b.key
INNER JOIN c on b.key2 = c.key2
I have been able to come up with a couple of workarounds, such as putting the account ID on the quote in addition to the contact. Also, I have tried using a parameter and a second dataset in the report (which worked), but I would really like
to know if it is possible to develop queries like the ones above using FetchXML or if I will have to rely on workarounds. In other words, I am less interested in coming up with a specific solution to this problem and more interested in knowing if FetchXML
limits you to only establishing links to the main entity in a query.
