[Workaround] CRM Workflow: Send Email Action – “From” field greyed out

Credit for the workaround goes to Chris Doran for sharing the solution on Dynamics Forum https://community.dynamics.com/crm/f/117/t/206486 

In some cases if the “From” field for “Send Email” step is disabled (mostly after 2016 update 1) which restricts sending emails from workflow, follow below steps.

 

It is a known issue with below workaround from MS Support.

1. Create a new solution and add in the ‘from’ field from the email entity – just that nothing else from the email entity.
2. Export the solution as an unmanaged solution.
3. Edit customizations.xml and look for the line that says for “From” field. The tag is available for other lookups too (like created by) which should not be touched.            <LookupTypes />
   Replace that line with:
   <LookupTypes>
   <LookupType id=”00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000″>8</LookupType>
   <LookupType id=”00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000″>2020</LookupType>
   </LookupTypes>

4. The attribute will look like this:
   <attribute PhysicalName=”from”>
   <Type>partylist</Type>
   <Name>from</Name>
   <LogicalName>from</LogicalName>
   <RequiredLevel>none</RequiredLevel>
   <DisplayMask>ValidForForm|ValidForGrid|RequiredForForm</DisplayMask>
   <ImeMode>auto</ImeMode>
   <ValidForUpdateApi>1</ValidForUpdateApi>
   <ValidForReadApi>1</ValidForReadApi>
   <ValidForCreateApi>1</ValidForCreateApi>
   <IsCustomField>0</IsCustomField>
   <IsAuditEnabled>1</IsAuditEnabled>
   <IsLogical>1</IsLogical>
   <IsSecured>0</IsSecured>
   <IntroducedVersion>5.0.0.0</IntroducedVersion>
   <SourceType>0</SourceType>
   <IsGlobalFilterEnabled>0</IsGlobalFilterEnabled>
   <IsSortableEnabled>0</IsSortableEnabled>
   <LookupStyle>single</LookupStyle>
   <LookupTypes>
   <LookupType id=”00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000″>8</LookupType>
   <LookupType id=”00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000″>2020</LookupType>
   </LookupTypes>
   <displaynames>
   <displayname description=”From” languagecode=”1033″ />
   </displaynames>
   <Descriptions>
   <Description description=”Enter the sender of the email.” languagecode=”1033″ />
   </Descriptions>
   </attribute>
5. Put the new customizations.xml back in the solution zip file replacing the existing one.
6. Import the solution back and publish.