Extensible Data Security (XDS) in D365FO

 Let’s break down Extensible Data Security (XDS) in Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations (D365FO) in a way that’s easy to understand.

What is Extensible Data Security (XDS)?

XDS is a feature in D365FO that adds an extra layer of security to your data. It goes beyond the basic role-based security by allowing you to control access to specific records in your database based on certain conditions or policies.

How Does It Work?

1. Constrained Tables: These are the tables where you want to restrict access. For example, if you want to limit access to customer transactions, the table containing these transactions would be a constrained table.

2. Primary Tables: These tables are used to define the conditions for access. They have a direct relationship with the constrained tables. For instance, if you want to restrict access based on customer groups, the table containing customer group information would be a primary table.

3. Policy Query: This is a query that sets the conditions for access. It filters the data in the constrained tables based on the criteria defined in the primary tables. For example, you might create a policy that only allows access to transactions for customers in a specific group.

4. Context: This determines when the policy is applied. There are two main types:

   • Role Context: Applies the policy based on the user’s role. For example, only users with a specific role can access certain data.
   • Application Context: Applies the policy based on conditions set by the application itself.

Why is XDS Important?

• Enhanced Security: It provides more granular control over who can see what data, ensuring sensitive information is only accessible to authorized users.
• Flexibility: You can create complex security policies tailored to your business needs.
• Compliance: Helps in meeting regulatory requirements by ensuring data is accessed appropriately.

Example Scenario

Imagine you have a sales team, and you want each salesperson to only see their own customers’ orders. You can set up an XDS policy where:

• The constrained table is the table with sales orders.
• The primary table is the table with salesperson information.
• The policy query filters sales orders to only show those related to the logged-in salesperson.

This way, each salesperson only sees the orders relevant to them, enhancing data security and privacy.

I hope this gives you a clear understanding of Extensible Data Security in D365FO! Sure! Below are brief summaries of some related blogs available out there:

1. Extensible Data Security (XDS) Framework in D365FO by Alex Meyer
   This blog explains the basics of the XDS framework in D365FO, highlighting its evolution from record-level security in previous versions of Dynamics AX. It covers key concepts such as constrained tables, primary tables, policy queries, and contexts (role and application). The blog also provides a step-by-step example of setting up an XDS policy to restrict access to sales orders based on customer groups.
   
   
2. Extensible Data Security Examples - Secure by Warehouse on Dynamicspedia 
   This post focuses on using XDS to secure access to warehouses in D365FO. It discusses the challenges of creating policies for multiple warehouses and suggests using a custom table to link users with their allowed warehouses. The blog provides a detailed example of setting up such a policy, including technical details and considerations for implementation.
   
   
3. Record Level Security on Sami's Blog 
   This blog discusses various aspects of record-level security in D365FO. It provides examples and scenarios where record-level security can be applied to restrict access to specific records or tables in the database. The blog walks you through a simple example on how to implement XDS.
   
   
4. Record Level Security on Raziq D365FO's Blog 
   This blog covers the use of record-level security to set restrictions on specific records or tables in AX 2012 (Previous version of D365FO). It includes examples demonstrating how to use record-level security to control data visibility in reports and forms. The blog highlights the practical applications of record-level security in various business scenarios and provides possibility to compare the framework between versions.