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Top 10 New CRM Features in the Dynamics 365 July 2017 Update

Post Author: Joe D365 |

The Dynamics 365 July 2017 Update has loads of exciting new features and enhancements for CRM, which makes it difficult to pick a top ten.  We’ve done our best to highlight the best new features and enhancements.  As we see more previews, we’re preparing blogs and webinars with all that we know so that you and your company are prepared for the upcoming release.  Be sure to click here to enroll in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 July 2017 Update webinar series, which focuses on the CRM-related workloads of sales, marketing, and customer service.

1. Unified Client Interface

We are becoming a blended, Dynamics 365 family and this new Office 365 portal-esque client reflects that.  Clean navigation, crisp layout of fields, grids, and former white-space.  We’ll also see a responsive UI for other platforms and devices -- including Mobile and Tablets, Customer Service Hub, and Business Edition apps.

Unified Client Interface

2. Activity Timeline

If you have used the Interactive Service Hub this enhancement will feel familiar: Timeline. This feature will combine Posts, Activities, and notes into a single feed.  We will also be able to filter specific activity types [applause] and quickly see unread items.  For now, this will only be on the Unified Client, but check out the web client refresh.

Activity Timeline

3. LinkedIn Sales Navigator

With the LinkedIn navigator solutions for Sales and Campaign, we can leverage existing LinkedIn functionality by viewing and synchronizing data for our Leads, Accounts, and Contacts.  In addition to quick access to Company and Contact profile data, inMail and messages can be tracked in Dynamics 365 along with tasks, appointments, and other activities.

LinkedIn Sales Navigator

4. Virtual Entities

Virtual Entities are similar to our traditional entities.  However, external data is read at run-time and not stored in the Dynamics 365 database.  This is a great new feature for heavy, custom integrations.  As you create an organization-owned entity, check a metadata box to indicate that it is virtual.

Virtual Entities

5. Web Client Refresh

The new Unified Client Interface looks awesome, but the web-client will get a significant refresh as well.  Some highlights include: borders around containers and uniform spacing, more color theming, field controls styling, font standardization, and...drum roll...text wrapping fix!

Web Client Refresh

6. Customer Service Hub

The Interactive Service Hub is evolving with many improvements: a refreshed look and feel, available as an App, as well as many new features.  A significant feature to note: no wait for metadata download!

Customer Service Hub

7. Multi-Select Option Sets

Wow – this is one we’ve wanted for a long time!  Simply create an option set as multi-select – or change an existing set – and it will render on forms as an intuitive multi-select control.  Advanced find has new operators specifically designed for these, plus filtering in views. Long list of values?  No problem, on the form the list is searchable as well!

Multi-Select Option Sets

8. Activity Logging

Leveraging the Office 365 Security and Compliance Centre, Activity Logging captures actions and interactions with your data, administrative operations, logins from any device, workflows and plugins, and more.  The near real-time big data is searchable and will integrate with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) vendors such as Microsoft OMS and Splunk.

Activities Logging

9. Business Process Flow Enhancements

We’re excited about a couple significant, new capabilities in Business Process Flows.  Earlier this year, along with the new designer and BPF entities, we could now call workflows and Business rules.  The July 2017 update provides the capability to custom actions with user input and initiate Microsoft Flows.  The Flow functionality significantly extends integrations with other services and databases.

Business Process Flow Enhancements

10. Customer Insights

Where to start?  This could be big.  If you’ve tried out the Relationship Insights, that was a baby step.  Dynamics Customer Insights (DCI) mines and ingests big data, analyzes, predicts, and provides a broader view of our customers and potential customers.

Customer Insights

The Microsoft Dynamics 365 July Update is definitely something to get excited about!  Don’t get lost in the past – keep your business on the cutting edge with more in depth knowledge via our webinar series, Microsoft Dynamics 365 July Update Series!  Register today!

Joe CRM
By Joe D365
Joe D365 is a Microsoft Dynamics 365 superhero who runs on pure Dynamics adrenaline. As the face of PowerObjects, Joe D365’s mission is to reveal innovative ways to use Dynamics 365 and bring the application to more businesses and organizations around the world.

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