Upcoming in Dynamics 365: Unified Interface
With the imminent , Dynamics 365 users find themselves facing one of the most transformational updates in years. Much like the transition between CRM 2011 and CRM 2013, when the interface transformed from tabs on the left to tabs on the top, we are now back to tabs on the left again! This is all due to the deprecation of the beloved Web interface that has been the default interface for years, and its replacement - the Unified Interface. The new interface is fairly quick to learn and easy to grasp. For end users, the Unified Interface offers a much friendlier and cleaner overall experience. All new organization starting to use Dynamics 365 after September 2018 will have the Unified Interface turned on by default, while existing organizations are highly recommended to begin the transition.
Image courtesy Microsoft Dynamics Team Blog
So why are we seeing this transition now? Well, the Unified interface offers CRM users and developer something that has never been available, a single easy to understand that works the same whether accessing CRM data through a web browser, mobile app or through Outlook App. This single interface allows developers to design once and have that interface reflow itself and appear consistent no matter how users access their data.
Right away, you'll notice a new interface, along with new navigation and a very clean interface. Site map navigation is along the left side of the screen and can be opened or closed. When you open a record, instead of needing to scroll to the bottom of a page, you can click on tabs to move around. Subtle uses of color and lines separate sections and fields. Field labels are not cut off if they run on too long. And a new Post control shows Posts, activities, notes all in a single timeline. This timeline can be filtered and sorted based on different dates.
Most of the core functionalities remain similar, but some enhanced capabilities are introduced
- Timeline Control - allows for better collaboration with your team. The way this is accomplished is by providing a quick way to see the entire communication thread. Along with the new Unified Interface comes the capability to see all of your teams interactions in a single view. This includes emails, notes, posts, voice attachments, and combined/ custom activities . Enhanced filtering views are also available. With the Unified Interface, you will be able to filter by the type of activities you want to see.
- Reference Panel- The reference panel is a great way to get work done without having to click out of the screen. You can search for things within the context of the record you are viewing. Reference Panels can be used with all entities in the interface.
To learn more about the great new features of the Unified Interface, visit
