Category: Microsoft Dynamics 365

Below are some of the enhancements added to timeline controls as part of the 2020 Release Wave 1.

• Ability to create rich text notes

• Filter the records using Search

• Check the status of the activities within the timeline.

• Additional option to filter the records by  “Posts by“

Below is the screen shot of the Timeline control in the previous version 2019 Release Wave 2, without rich text capability in notes, no search option, no status indicator and no “Posts By” filter version

Check other blog posts on

Release 2020 Wave 1: https://nishantrana.me/2020-release-wave-1/

Release 2019 Wave 2: https://nishantrana.me/2019/12/31/dynamics-365-2019-release-wave-2-blog-posts/

Hope it helps..

To enable the new email capabilities in Dynamics 365 Customer Service,

Navigate to Settings
àAdministration à System Settings à Email Tab and check the Enhanced email for Timeline option

We can also enable it from within the Sales Hub app,

App Settings à Overview

The new features include à

• Composing Email in a pop-up and non-blocking window within the context of the current record.

• Working on multiple active draft email concurrently

• Maximum – 3 active email windows are allowed

• Ability to move across different records while still drafting the email.

Here we have navigated to My Active Cases view with the draft email still available in the bottom to work on.

• Rich edit experience which includes Drag and Drop / Copy and Paste of the images

• Ability to preview the Email Template before applying them.

These features are all geared toward making the agent more productive and efficient.

Check other blog posts on

Release 2020 Wave 1: https://nishantrana.me/2020-release-wave-1/

Release 2019 Wave 2: https://nishantrana.me/2019/12/31/dynamics-365-2019-release-wave-2-blog-posts/

Hope it helps..

With the 2020 release wave 1, we can now customize the case resolution dialog box

In fact, we can select between the standard dialog, customized dialog box or quick create dialog experience for the users.

The default out of the box Resolve Case Dialog Box ->

Let us select the style as Customizable Dialog.

Now to add or remove fields to the dialog box, we need to customize the Main form of Case Resolution entity.

We can change the ordering of the fields, add or remove the existing fields on that entity. (We cannot create and add new fields to the form).

Updated Resolve Case Dialog Box.

Now let us specify Quick Create Dialog as the default style.

It opens the Quick Create form for us

Let us customize the Quick Create form

After saving and publishing the changes

We can see the changes reflected.

We can also specify business rules now

This allows us to capture additional information which could help us in reporting and analysis, and also it was one of the most requested features in the product for long.

Check other blog posts on

Release 2020 Wave 1: https://nishantrana.me/2020-release-wave-1/

Release 2019 Wave 2: https://nishantrana.me/2019/12/31/dynamics-365-2019-release-wave-2-blog-posts/

Hope it helps..

With 2020 Release Wave 1 we have few enhancements added to the knowledge management aspect.

We can see Link, Opening the record in new window, Send Email options being to the title of the results.

• Link the article to the record

• Open the article in the new window – This is the new option added.

• Link and send the article via email

In the previous version, we had Link\Unlink, Email and Send URL option.

These options have been now moved to the top right along with title which allows for more articles to be visible than the previous version in the results.

• Knowledge Search can now be performed outside of the context of the case record, for this Knowledge Search option is added to the navigation in the Customer service hub.

In the previous version à

In current 2020 Release wave 1 à

The above enhancements would help in improving the productivity of the users.

Check other blog posts on

Release 2020 Wave 1: https://nishantrana.me/2020-release-wave-1/

Release 2019 Wave 2: https://nishantrana.me/2019/12/31/dynamics-365-2019-release-wave-2-blog-posts/

Hope it helps..

Similar to the Opportunity entity, we can add a Kanban view to Activities.

https://nishantrana.me/2020/02/14/kanban-view-for-opportunity-in-dynamics-365-sales-2020-release-wave-1-plan/

Open the Activity entity for Customization and add the Kanban control and publish the changes.

*similar to Kanban, we can configure Calendar control for Activity.

After publishing the changes we will have both Kanban view and Calendar Control view available for use to selectà

Kanban view shows the activity records based on the different status.

Clicking on Title opens the record in the new window

Fields are editable

The view can be filtered based on Due date and Activity Type

We can use Search to filter the result in view

Each lane shows the total records in that particular lane

Supports drag and drop

Moving the record to the Completed lane

Opens the Close Task dialog

Within the Close Task Dialog box, we have the option to specify Completed or Cancel for the task.

Here we selected Canceled, which moves the record to Canceled lane.

The Closed / Completed activity cannot be dragged to Open lane and reopened for out of the box entities except Campaign Response.

Below we are moving Campaign Response activity record from Completed to Open lane.

The custom activity can be moved between the lanes without any such restriction. i.e. It can move from Cancelled to Completed or Completed to Cancelled, or From Completed and canceled to Open, etc.

With upcoming releases, we would see the option of adding Kanban view to other entities. (Right now, we can add the Kanban View to other entities but it renders as blank except Activity and Opportunity).

Check other blog posts on

Release 2020 Wave 1:https://nishantrana.me/2020-release-wave-1/

Release 2019 Wave 2: https://nishantrana.me/2019/12/31/dynamics-365-2019-release-wave-2-blog-posts/

Hope it helps..

With the 2020 Release Wave 1 Plan, now Kanban View can be added to Opportunity.

To configure it, open the Opportunity entity for Customization, go to Controls tab and Add Kanban control to it and publish the changes.

This adds the Kanban view to the Opportunity’s view.

There are 2 different Kanban views available

• Based on the BPF Sales stage (stages of the Opportunity sales process BPF)
  

• Based on Status (Open, Won, Lost)
  

Let us look at different actions that we can perform within the Kanban view.

• Clicking on Title opens the record in new window

• Fields are editable

• Use Search to filter the result in the view

• Each lane shows the total of estimated revenue and total records in the lane

• Supports drag and drop

Here we are dragging the 4G Enabled Tablets record to Won Status lane.

It opens the close opportunity dialog box.

We can update the values and add a description if needed. Clicking on OK moves the record to the Won status lane.

Similarly dragging the record from Lost and Won to Open Lane, reopens the record.

In the case of the Business Process Flow view, moving the card to another stage lane will open the record itself.

Here moving record titled Audio from qualify to develop lane

Opens the BPF in the record itself.

Currently, the Kanban view is only available for Opportunity Sales Process flow.

Updating the Display Name of the stage, adding/removing a stage all is reflected back in the Kanban View.

The Kanban View for the updated process reflects the changes made

With coming releases, expecting this feature added to other business process flow.

Check other blog posts on

Release 2020 Wave 1: https://nishantrana.me/2020-release-wave-1/

Release 2019 Wave 2: https://nishantrana.me/2019/12/31/dynamics-365-2019-release-wave-2-blog-posts/

Hope it helps..

The PDF generation capability has been added to Dynamics 365 Sales for the following entities: Lead, Contact, Account, Opportunity, Quote, Order and Invoice.

As an Admin, we can configure it here.

Enabling it adds the Create PDF and Email as PDF commands.

Create PDF and Email as PDF options will let the user select the templates available for that entity.

The generated pdf document through Create PDF option, can either be saved in SharePoint or in the local drive.

Clicking on Download starts the Export to PDF process and saves a copy of the pdf.

Clicking on Save saves it in the SharePoint Document Location configured

Email as PDF option can be used to email the PDF directly to the customer.

It basically opens the Email record with PDF added as an attachment.

The mapping for the email opened –

Check other blog posts on

Release 2020 Wave 1: https://nishantrana.me/2020-release-wave-1/

Release 2019 Wave 2: https://nishantrana.me/2019/12/31/dynamics-365-2019-release-wave-2-blog-posts/

Hope it helps..

A new Sales Team Member App has been made available in the 2020 Release Wave 1 plan that is specifically designed for users having Team Member License.

Below are the roles assigned to the app.

Below are the entities available for the users within the Sales Team Member app

Team member licensing is targeted towards the lightweight users that need limited access across the Dynamics 365 Apps.

Below are some of the rights/actions that Team member License User can perform –

• Read all Dynamics 365 application data and Custom Entity Data.
• Can Access Customer Engagement applications from Web App, Mobile, Tablet and Outlook.
• Mobile Offline capabilities are not available for Team Member Licenses.
• Create, Update and Delete
  à Activities, Announcements, Contacts, Custom Entities (15 max), Notes associated with them, Personal Views, Saved Views, Email Templates, Word Templates.
• Create and modify up to 15 Custom Entities (per application) in addition to the OOB entities.
• Export data to excel.
• Access user reports, charts and dashboards.
• Through Portal and API – create, read, update and delete Cases.
• Post and follow activity feeds.
• Perform mail merge.
• Start a dialog.
• Associate a marketing list with contact or account.
• Use a queue item.
• Use relationships and connections between records.
• Use the search and advanced find.

The below diagram from the Licensing guide explains how team members’ license fits with the need to access custom entities.

Licensing is one the most complex part about the product, so it always recommended to go through the licensing guide and clear any doubts from Microsoft before deciding.

Download the Dynamics 365 Licensing Guide

https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=866544

Also, check

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/get-started/team-members-license

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-in/dynamics365/sales-enterprise/sales-team-member

Check other blog posts on

Release 2020 Wave 1: https://nishantrana.me/2020-release-wave-1/

Release 2019 Wave 2: https://nishantrana.me/2019/12/31/dynamics-365-2019-release-wave-2-blog-posts/

Hope it helps..