Updating Read-Only Dynamics CRM 2011 Fields (Pipeline Phase and Probability) from a Sales Stage Dropdown

We’re setting up Dynamics CRM 2011 at my workplace and I had to figure out how to set up our pipeline. Here’s my solution:

I created a Sales Stage field that updates the Pipeline Phase and Probability fields on change. I followed Ayaz Ahmad’s solution for hooking up a javascript function to my Opportunity form and then wrote the following function (after some iteration).

function new_SalesStage_OnChange()
{
    var new_salesstageAttr = Xrm.Page.getAttribute("new_salesstage");
    var stepnameAttr = Xrm.Page.getAttribute("stepname");
    var closeprobabilityAttr = Xrm.Page.getAttribute("closeprobability");

    closeprobabilityAttr.setSubmitMode("always");
    stepnameAttr.setSubmitMode("always");

    if (new_salesstageAttr.getSelectedOption() == null)
    {
        stepnameAttr.setValue("");
        closeprobabilityAttr.setValue(null);
    }
    else
    {
        var ssVal = new_salesstageAttr.getSelectedOption().text;
        var pl = ssVal.lastIndexOf('%');
        var probability = parseInt(ssVal.substring(pl-2, pl));

        stepnameAttr.setValue(ssVal);
        closeprobabilityAttr.setValue(probability);
    }
}

The biggest tricks were:

• Using LOWER CASE names for my field names.  This breaks if I use getAttribute(“new_SalesStage”), which is it’s real name.  Booo, Microsoft!!!
  
• Handling the null value.
  
• Using the setSubmitMode(“always”) call to make sure the readonly fields were beiing saved.

This solution should have been quicker but I learned a lot on it.