Custom Icons for List View in Dynamics 365

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Visualization is always helpful when it comes to identifying and highlight the set of data. With the new feature provided by Microsoft in Dynamics 365, it is possible to display list views with Icons or any kind of graphical representation to make the desired data stand out.

Here are the steps to follow.

In my example, I want to display indicators for active accounts list according to their membership statuses in Green (Current), Grey (Dropped) and Blue (Prospective).Therefore, the things which we need are:

Step1:

First, we will need some images to store in Web Resources for icons. I have used 16*16 pixel .png format images. So, I have used three images and stored them in the Web Resources in my Solution.

list view in microsoft dynamics 365

You can see here that the images are in PNG format and you can choose to give any name for the images.

Step2:

We will also need an Option Set to display the indicators based on options selected for the record, the indicator will get displayed. Here I am using OOB Status Reason field in which I have added options as Current, Dropped, and Prospect. You can use any other option set as well.

Step3:

Very important JavaScript Web Resource to store the code containing the business logic.

Here is the code. You can use this code to implement the solution.

list view code solution in microsoft dynamics 365

Note:

1.       The status code used in the script is the schema name of the column where I want to display the icons.

status code

You can see here that I have used default Status Reason field so I have used statuscode to retrieve the value of the column. You can use the schema name of the options set you are using.

status code 1

2.       In the script below.

status code 3

a.       1 is the value for Active status in the option set.

b.       imageName is schema name of the image.

active status in microsoft dynamics

Step4:

Link the JavaScript to the columns in the View, by clicking on Change Property option.

microsoft dynamics membership status

column properties in microsoft dynamics 365

Step5:

Save the view and Publish Customizations.

Step6:

Go back to view and you will see the icons

list view icons in microsoft dynamics 365

We need to make few considerations here:

There are a few things to consider before diving in:

1.       This only works on a standard grid. It does not work on the newly introduced Editable Grid.

2.       Icons can only be displayed on the Web Interface. The Outlook and Mobile Apps will not display the icon.

3. Tooltips can be defined for multiple languages/locale ID (LCID). In this example, I’ve set Canadian English (LCID 4105) as the default and included Canadian French (LCID 3084) as the alternative. More Locale ID values can be found here.

How to Setup Search Topics in Dynamics 365 Social Engagement Tool

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The Social Engagement tool is a fantastic social interaction tool for sales, marketing and customer service professionals who want to proactively engage with their audience and customers on social media. It collects data from various sites such as Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, YouTube and relevant blogs. The visual reports help you spot emerging trends from people’s comments, whether positive, negative, or neutral. It can even read emoticons and emoji’s =)

Why Social Engagement?

Every business needs to build their brand presence and reputation in the market and to create that social media is a very good platform. There are stand-alone tools out there to help analyze your activity against success measures and objectives. They look at metrics such as clicks, shares, likes, most popular posts and so on. Ideally, you’d use a tool that maximizes existing activities to boost ROI by:

  • analyzing trends in customer sentiment
  • improving existing product lines or creating new products and services
  • creating sales lead in your Dynamics 365 system
  • automatically creating support cases for any complaints posted online

social engagement tool gives all the above features to analyze data and take proper action on it.

To collect that information from various sources user, must set up the search topics inside the search setup section.  At least one active search topic is required to acquire social data. There are different categories present in the search setup like competitor, accounts, contact, lead, campaign, & products. the user can also add their own category. Search topic gives the filtered data related to sources and different rules which user provide to it.

Steps involved to set up Search Topic:

1.    Find out the sources

Social Engagement covers multiple sources where you can track public posts, and publish messages and replies. All sources can be filtered in Analytics for an up-close look at your data. Find out what is covered by using the following available sources.

a.    Blogs

b.    Facebook

c.     Twitter

d.    LinkedIn

e.    News

f.      Reddit

g.    Videos

2.    Create Search topics

You can add search topic names that contain up to 35 characters. The search topic names are only for your reference; they aren’t included in the actual search. Search topic names are like titles for your search topics so you can quickly relate to and use or reuse them.

Microsoft Social Engagement

1.    Add a rule to the search topic

Social Engagement supports the following search rules. You need to be a Social Engagement Administrator or Power Analyst to create or modify search topics.

a.     Keyword rule

b.    Facebook page rule

c.     Twitter rule

d.    Instagram rule

e.     Private message rule

f.      Custom sources rule

g.    YouTube rule

h.    LinkedIn page rule

Microsoft Social Engagement 2

2.    Refine your search rules to find relevant content

Analyze your results and optimize your search queries regularly to make sure you get the most relevant data. Your searches may return posts that are irrelevant in the context you are looking for.

Microsoft Social Engagement 3

3.    Manage your post quota

Keep track of the number of posts that result from your search topics and count toward your solution’s post quota. Your solution is priced based on the number of posts you can acquire per month.

These are the steps which help a user to setup search topic and engage with your customer.

Advantages of Social Engagement Tool

  • A major advantage is this tool is the part of Dynamics 365 and it allows us to create lead or cases directly from social posts
  • Collect all relevant data from various social sources like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc.
  • We can track competitor’s social activities
  • What is being shared and communicated by whom, and when?
  • We can find who is the big influencer in our industry
  • We can engage with our customers, fans & Critics through social media

And many more……

How Users Can Take Dynamics 365 On-the-Go with Mobile Devices

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One of the best features of Dynamics 365 is its portability. With administrator support, users can access work from anywhere with smartphone and tablet options, making it an ideal platform for an increasingly mobile world.

The Advantages of the Dynamics 365 Mobile Platform

Today’s employees are connected, working in offices, on job sites, from home, and on the road. By implementing the Dynamics 365 mobile platform, users have the ability to do their work wherever they need to be. This is particularly important for people in the following situations:

  • Sales professionals who need the ability to create quotes or proposals during off-site client meetings
  • Remote workers who need access from their preferred devices
  • Employees who travel frequently for business and need to check in from smartphones or tablets on the road
  • Executives who need to stay connected at all times

Working with Your Administrator to Set Up Dynamics 365 for Mobile

Setting up Dynamics 365 for phones and tablets requires administrator assistance to configure the correct privileges for your account. You should work with an admin before attempting to set up your Dynamics 365 platform on mobile. Then follow the steps below:

  1. Make sure you have a supported device. You can view Microsoft’s list of supported devices here.
  2. Install the app from your preferred app store. There are options for phones and tablets on Android, Apple, and Windows devices.
  3. Once you have sufficient privileges from your administrator to access Dynamics 365, you may need to work with him or her to gain the level of security access you need for your work. Customer Data is limited based on security and entity settings.

What Administrators Need to Know About Customization Options for Mobile Dynamics 365

The ability to design once and deploy everywhere is a big advantage with Dynamics 365. Customizations to the main Dynamics 365 platform are automatically optimized and then applied to mobile apps for convenient functionality. The following are additional customizations for mobile:

  • Form customizations: Forms are already optimized for the mobile user experience, but additional customizations can be made to eliminate fields, sections, or entire tabs to allow users to focus on the most relevant data (for instance, the contact’s primary information).
  • Entity customizations: All custom entities can be enabled on Dynamics 365 for phones and tablets.
  • Visual controls customization: Users can enter data faster using visual controls in Dynamics 365 for mobile devices. Sliders, switches, star ratings, video embedding, and calendar controls are all available options that can create a sleeker experience.

Whether you’re a Dynamics 365 user or administrator, getting comfortable with Dynamics 365 mobile functionality is an important way to help your company take the next step in CRM optimization. To learn more about Dynamics 365 and implementing mobile options as part of your digital transformation, contact us today!

Preparing for the Dynamics 365 Transition

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When Microsoft Dynamics 365 replaced Dynamics CRM, many Dynamics CRM users were uncertain at the thought of transitioning to a whole new platform. Now that Dynamics 365 has launched, its time to answer some of the most common questions about Dynamics 365 licensing, improvements, and making a smooth transition.

What Do You Get When You Transition to Dynamics 365

Dynamics 365 launched with advanced business analytics and a comprehensive platform to unite all your business functions under one software umbrella. We’ve explored some of the many benefits of Dynamics 365 in the recent blogs below:

The bottom line? If your organization is working with a group of cobbled-together tools that are challenging to integrate, Dynamics 365 will provide a strong improvement. And if you’ve wanted to try department-specific software but keep putting it off because of integration issues or budgetary reasons, Dynamics 365 offers a customizable, cost-effective solution.

When to Transition to Dynamics 365 from Dynamics CRM

If you’re using Dynamics CRM Online, you will be required to transition to a new Dynamics 365 licensing plan when your current plan renews (usually one year after your initial purchase). Many users are choosing to make the leap sooner rather than waiting in order to take advantage of enhanced functionality and software upgrades. Instead of delaying the transition to Dynamics 365 and scrambling to choose the right options and apps at the last moment, we recommend talking to us now and preparing for a smooth transition before you’re required to make the switch.

Current Dynamics 365 Enterprise Edition Licensing Overview

Dynamics 365 consists of a suite of apps that users can purchase as needed, which gives users significant licensing flexibility that did not exist in Dynamics CRM. Some popular apps include functions for sales teams, marketing, financial management, and operations, but the selection of apps and integration capabilities is virtually limitless.

Channel Specific Licensing Scenarios for Dynamics CRM Users

1.     Open License / Open Value / Open Value Subscription – At the end of their current CRM Online subscription, these users will be required to renew in an alternate channel (Direct, CSP, MPSA, or EA). In order to renew in CSP, you must use a CSP partner like IOTAP.

2.     Web-Direct (MOSP) Channel – At the time of renewal, these customers must switch to Dynamics 365 SKUs. Promo codes can be used before February 1, 2017. After February 1st, customers will need to renew at the transition price rate.

3.     CSP – These Dynamics Online customers are also required to switch to Dynamics 365 SKUs on or before their renewal date. As with the Web-Direct Channel above, promo pricing is available only until February 1st.

4.     MPSA – Transitioning to Dynamics 365 is required for renewal, and transition/offer SKUs have been available since December 1, 2016.

5.     Enterprise Agreement / EA Subscription – CRM Online customers on the EA program must upgrade to Dynamics 365 at renewal or before.

Basic Licensing Options for the Dynamics 365 Transition

Below, we’ve broken out two typical licenses to help you understand potential options. You can learn more about Dynamics 365 licenses here.

·      Sales, Field Service, Customer Service, & Project Service Automation:

o   1 included production instance

o   1 included the non-production instance

o   1 included portal

o   10GB of database storage plus 5GB additional per 20 full users

o   Dual use rights to Dynamics 365 On Premises

o   Subscription licenses for named users and devices

·      Operations:

o   1 included production instance

o   Sandbox 1 and 2 non-production instance(s)

o   100GB of file storage

o   10GB of database storage plus 5GB additional per 20 full users

o   Dual use rights to AX 2012 R3

o   Subscription licenses for named users and devices

With so many different options available, many Dynamics CRM users are struggling to choose the right licensing and add-on appropriate apps to integrate their departments under Dynamics 365. Talk to us today to find out about making a smooth transition from Dynamics CRM to Dynamics 365, or schedule a demo see how this progressive platform can advance your organization’s digital transformation.

Three Reasons Why You Should Use Dynamics 365 for Financials

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Dynamics 365 is designed to connect every business function together into a single, easy-to-use platform. As you can imagine, there are a number of ways in which the software’s capabilities can be used, and today we’re taking a look at one of the most popular: Dynamics 365 for Financials.

First, let’s review what you can do with Dynamics 365 for Financials. The application includes features that perform the following tasks:

  • Quoting
  • Invoicing
  • Payment
  • Purchasing
  • Inventory Management
  • Reporting
  • Analytics

These are basic financial management functions that every business needs, but the way Dynamics 365 for Financials connects these tasks to a comprehensive, scalable platform is what makes it so valuable. Here are three reasons why we think Dynamics 365 for Financials is an excellent choice for small and mid-size organizations alike.

1. Dynamics 365 for Financials Makes Your Back Office More Efficient

Standalone applications can be slow and inefficient. Dynamics 365 for Financials pulls data from the same system as your sales, marketing, operations, customer service, and other business departments. These connections allow teams to share customer data across departments, quickly send quotes and proposals, follow up on unpaid invoices, and work efficiently with local or distant team members.

Dynamics 365 for Financials also makes use of familiar Microsoft Office programs, making it easy for your employees to perform functions like quoting and invoicing via Outlook. Faster, smoother processes enable employees to quickly perform basic tasks and then focus their attention on more important things.

2. Dynamics 365 for Financials Makes It Easy to Discover Problems & Track ROI

The reporting and analytics capabilities of Dynamics 365 for Financials help organizations paint a complete picture of their sales and spending. Financials unites data from accounting, sales, purchasing, inventory, and customer accounts so that you can see exactly where money is being earned – and where it’s being lost.

Microsoft dynamics for finance

At the same time, predictive analytics help organizations model better financial outcomes and avoid wasteful spending. Dynamics 365 for Financials has also made reports easy to create and share so that every member of your team can use real-time data to make important financial decisions.

3. Dynamics 365 for Financials is Ready to Grow with Your Company

When those improved decision-making capabilities pay off and your business starts growing, Dynamics 365 for Financials is ready to grow with your organization. The application is flexible and scalable, with dozens of add-on apps to increase capabilities and connect to popular programs your company may already be using, like QuickBooks, PayPal, and credit card processing services.

Small and mid-sized businesses especially benefit when they have the opportunity to start with a basic platform and scale up as they require more specialized applications. Dynamics 365 for Financials allows organizations to pay for what they need and eliminate wasteful spending on technology that will go unused or unneeded.

Is your company interested in taking advantage of Dynamics 365 for Financials? Contact us today to learn about our special pricing for new Dynamics 365 customers.

Dynamics 365 Online or On-Prem?

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If you are thinking about a major business application project like implementing Dynamics 365, the deployment option is going to be a very important consideration for some organizations. Dynamics 365 is designed with choice in mind, and one of the first choices a business needs to make is whether to use Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 platform on-premises or in the cloud. Dynamics 365 supports both, and the cloud seems to be the go-to deployment option for most organizations. However, for certain specific requirements, an on-premise install may be worth considering.  As the Dynamics 365 product continues to evolve, it’s becoming clear that the Online versions are diverging from on premises in functionality because of the massive Azure infrastructure that supports Dynamics 365 online applications – especially Cortana intelligence and IoT specific requirements.

As a stand-alone product, Dynamics 365 gives users strong out-of-the-box ERP and CRM capabilities, but the solution’s real beauty is in its ability to connect with a robust collection of apps that enhance functionality and improve business performance across all departments. Organizations that set up Dynamics 365 in the cloud will be better positioned to take full advantage of Microsoft’s wide range of specialized productivity applications.

We will discuss this consideration in two parts – the functional aspects in regards to features and the non-functional and infrastructure considerations. Here are some functional reasons that you’ll want to move to the cloud with Dynamics 365:

1. Cloud-Based Digital Transformation

Dynamics 365 was built to accelerate the digital transformation for organizations that are ready to take the next step in business intelligence and automation. The software’s wide range of available – and customizable – cloud-based apps means that the platform can be tailored to meet the needs of every department, in every industry, without sacrificing agility or bulking up on unnecessary tools. Cloud-based Dynamics 365 installations let businesses enjoy a full range of applications like Field Service, Project Service automation that will transform the way you do business. These applications are not available on the premise.

2. Enhanced Mobility and Flexibility in the Cloud

Dynamics 365’s cloud-based service and applications operate on all devices and channels, expanding opportunities for professionals who need access on-the-go and enabling users to work from their smartphones, tablets, desktops, and other connected devices. Offline capabilities are included for mobile devices.

Further, Dynamics 365’s licensing models let you easily pick and choose the types of applications and functions your team will have access to so that they only see the tools they need. Even office 365 groups, Delve and Customer Portals are available in the cloud version unlike in the on-prem version.

3. Scalability Comes from the Cloud

Built on the Azure cloud platform, Dynamics 365 provides users with a single, simple service to connect people, processes, and data that can scale as your business grows. You won’t have to purchase more servers to handle more load, and you won’t ever have to worry about the security, reliability and support concerns that a growing business would face managing its servers internally. BI and reporting capabilities vary significantly between the cloud and the on-prem versions.

4. Cloud-Based Possibilities You Never Imagined

Rethink what’s possible with Dynamics 365 in the cloud with IoT, Gamification, and insights. The enterprise version of the Dynamics 365 apps let you expand your opportunities to all data in one place with Dynamics 365 in the center of the organization.

With the cloud version,  it’s pay as you go and pay as you grow! It’s easy to start with a smaller number of licenses and then grow with add-ons and apps as they become relevant to your business. You may choose to start with Dynamics 365 productivity apps for your sales and customer service departments, and then expand into operations, financials, or project service automation when you’re ready to grow.

Contact us to learn more about which Dynamics 365 option is best for you. 

5 Ways to Speed Up Customer Service & Increase Efficiency with Adxstudio Portals and Dynamics 365

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A 2015 study by Forrester research found that web-based self-service is a popular channel for customers to find support. The web-based channel along with other channels like email and telephone is part of a well-rounded customer service strategy. Developing channels for customers or partners to reach you only increases the likelihood of a successful interaction. In the past, we have discussed how email to case is a critical component of the service channel strategy. However, Pairing Dynamics 365 with Adxstudio portals is another way to a web-based channel for your organization to improve customer satisfaction.  Below are five ways Dynamics 365 users are incorporating ADX portals to provide a better experience for their customers.

1. Improve Customer Service

Enhanced customer service is the biggest advantage of working with Adxstudio portals and Dynamics 365. We’ve already talked about the value of creating personalized customer experiences for today’s demanding consumers. ADX portals are a web interface between Dynamics 365 and your customers that provide unprecedented self-service capabilities in the following areas:

  • Help Desk Support: Alleviate the burden on your customer support team with a self-service customer portal that integrates directly with your ERP and automation systems. Let Dynamics 365 and ADX portals help you deliver responsive service, manage support tickets and warranties, and capture levels of customer satisfaction.
  • Create a Dynamic Knowledge Base: Gather information from customers and staff, and compile that knowledge into a database of resources for customers who prefer a self-service approach.
  • Feedback and Crowdsourcing: Conduct online surveys and polls to obtain customer feedback and identify issues to improve your products and customer experiences.
  • Gain Valuable Insights: Use Adxstudio portal activity data, reporting, and analytics to gain insights about your customers, products, and leads. Generate reports and adapt your online portal as your organization grows.

2. Serve the Public Sector

Adxstudio portals can be configured with Dynamics 365 to create self-serve opportunities for local and state agency constituents. The public sector can engage with citizens using Dynamics 365’s social media and portal publishing tools to manage citizen service requests efficiently and reduce administrative costs to deliver items like self-service permits and applications.

3. Grow Your Partner Channel

Dynamics 365’s Adxstudio integrations are ideal for supporting and coordinating efforts across complex marketplaces. Quickly onboard channel partners, manage multi-level partner relationships and assign inbound leads to partners using web-based portals linked to Dynamics 365. Use Adxstudio portals to create opportunities for partner growth, and aggregate sales data to separate areas of successful performance from those in need of support.

4. Manage Conferences & Events

Event management is a logistical challenge. Dynamics 365’s ADX portals make it easy to schedule, accept payments, manage sponsors and speakers, and provide attendee information that is directly connected to your larger database. Adxstudio portals and Dynamics 365 also provide secure transaction processing and attendee pulse feedback to increase efficiency and gather real-time information from event attendees.

5. Deliver Premium Online Shopping Experiences

Dynamics 365 and Adxstudio portals allow companies to offer a truly personalized online customer experience. Grow customer communities, provide self-service and interactive features to improve UX, and deliver a top-notch online shopping experience with all modern conveniences today’s online consumers demand.

To learn more about how IOTAP can help you bring Dynamics 365 to the web with Adxstudio portals, contact us today.

Opportunity History Tracking and Reporting in Dynamics 365

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Dynamics 365 is Microsoft’s new cloud-based business application suite, offering a number of different applications under a variety of plans customized to different work functions. Whether you need a system to track your sales process, customer onboarding, or case resolution, all of these activities can be set up and tracked in CRM. Companies of all sizes can take advantage of Dynamics 365’s powerful workflow and business process automation to improve business outcomes.

Let’s take the example of a sales process. There are multiple stages in a sales process that span multiple database entities, transforming from a lead to an opportunity and then potentially to an order and invoice.

sales process in dynamics-365

A sales process out of the box in Dynamics 365 looks something like this:

sales process out of box in dynamics 365

sales process in dynamics 365

As the opportunity moves from on stages to the next, the opportunity’s likelihood of closure increases. A customer is more likely to buy as they invest more time, resources and learn more about the services and products they are evaluating.

When reviewing their sales process, sales managers can look at numerous data points to identify top performers and gauge the potential likelihood of meeting numbers. These data points could include:

  • Calls made,
  • Appointments setup,
  • Quotes sent,
  • Or, any other metrics used to measure sales team performance

Sales numbers are a function of activity. However, the main purpose of these sales activities is to move an opportunity from one stage to the next. Most reports that measure a single type of activity like calls made do not provide the context of the sales process. By measuring the amount of activity like calls made we are not truly reviewing the results of that activity.

One alternative to the measurement challenge above is to use a Sales Funnel to look at your sales process’s cumulative results and where your revenue is in the pipeline. A sales funnel provides a quick snapshot of where the opportunities lie in the pipeline and is a good way to get an overall likelihood of closure. However, the funnel also doesn’t provide the Sales manager with a report of what sales progress has occurred during the reporting period.

sales process funnel dynamics 365

Activity reports illustrate the scale of the effort, but what if you could receive the result of those activities in a concise, easy to consume timely delivery on a weekly basis? What I am referring to is the results of sales activities on the progression of opportunities summarized in an email that shows the specific stage changes for a period of time.

Measuring activities are not the goal. You want to measure the results of those activities, such as:

  1. Opportunities created and by whom (not just how many opportunities)
  2. Stage changes that move an opportunity along the funnel (which opportunities moved to the next stage)
  3. Specific opportunities closed as Lost (which specific one were lost)
  4. Specific opportunities closed as Won (which specific ones were won)

For some sales managers, this may be a lot of information to process weekly depending on the size of the team and number of transactions and opportunities. But this approach actually simplifies reporting, as it focuses only on the result your activities have had on the stage progression of your opportunities. Additionally, other metrics and measures can be put in place to capture how long an opportunity takes to move from stage to stage and what time frame to expect (average transition times) for each stage.

We have developed a simple solution to deliver these reports in Dynamics 365 which requires a combination of configuration/workflow and the IOTAP report scheduler. In our second blog in this two-part series, we will discuss the specific implementation approach in the next article.

At IOTAP, we leverage technology to provide options for your customers and your business. We create opportunities to help you run your business on your terms using technology like Dynamics 365, and we’re excited to share our insights with you!

 

Dynamics 365: Relationship Insights Driven By Business Intelligence

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Developing personalized, productive relationships with customers and prospects is a top priority for every organization. To help, one of Microsoft’s goals with Dynamics 365 is to merge an organization’s data and communications into a single stream of actionable intelligence that makes managing relationships across multiple systems (email, social networks, file shares, support ticketing systems, etc.) obsolete. That feature in Dynamics 365 is called Relationship Insights, and today we’re going to examine exactly how it works.

Overview of Dynamics 365 Relationship Insights

Relationship Insights’ goal is to make it easy for your users to take the right action, with the right customer, at the right time. It does so by using the predictive analytics contained in Microsoft’s Power BI tools and the Cortana artificial intelligence platform to review all the data in systems such as Exchange, Office 365, your Dynamics 365 installation and provide a single view of the overall relationship health and next steps that should happen.

What’s more, Relationship Insights integrates you users’ tasks and workflows into a single system that automatically tracks all related activities. Rather than shuttling information between different systems, with Dynamics 365 your team will have a single interface that shows the most important business activities for them to take next.

The practical implications are clear: salespeople won’t have to waste time shuttling back and forth between their email and their CRM system to find the latest version of a proposal. Support personnel will automatically see all activities taken on a recent ticket. And marketers will know which campaigns to address first without sifting through their dashboards.

Relationship Insights offers four distinct features within Dynamics CRM:

  • Relationship Analytics
  • Relationship Assistant
  • Auto Capture
  • Email Engagement

Here’s how those features work.

Dynamics 365 Relationship Analytics

Rather than guessing at the strength of a customer relationship or the likelihood of a prospect’s conversion, Dynamics 365 has added powerful business intelligence tools that put this information front and center in every interaction.

Dynamics 365’s Relationship Analytics functionality is built on several pillars: 

  • Natural language processing that evaluates the sentiment of email and other communications sent by your customers and prospects
  • A predictive intelligence that examines signals such as prospect email responses or number of lead interactions and compares them to patterns obtained from previous successful sales

With these features, Dynamics 365’s Relationship Analytics is able to automatically provide data in the following areas: 

  • Response time to customer inquiries
  • Prospect’s response rate
  • Time spent with a customer
  • Most recent customer experience
  • The percent of interactions in which a prospect reached out to you
  • Whether or not you have a positive or negative customer relationship

Dynamics 365 Relationship Assistant

Juggling multiple prospects is a challenge for every sales team. Missing important customer requests, dropping the ball on potential sales, and letting leads go untouched for too long can doom your relationship with a customer. Dynamics 365 Relationship Assistant is designed to help your prospect- and customer-facing employees stay on top of every interaction.

The Dynamics 365 interface is built on a series of actionable cards customized for each user’s specific role. For example, logging in sales team members would see things like scheduled calls, travel itineraries, and proposal due dates. Customer support representatives would find support tickets, important emails, and outage notices, all prioritized for action based on relationship health.

Users can customize the Relationship Assistant to show them exactly what they want to know to keep their schedules – and their functions – running smoothly. Even better, much of the administrative work is handled automatically by Dynamics 365, so your team can spend more time managing relationships, and less time managing email.

Dynamics 365 Auto Capture

Dynamics 365’s Auto Capture feature integrates with Microsoft Exchange to automatically track emails alongside other tasks and activities. As well, Auto Capture enables users to channel external data into Dynamics 365 in order to automatically create or update custom records without writing any code. Standard activities like emails and social actions can be created based on rules users set for their contacts and communications, and custom activities can be created as well.

Specifically, rules can be created to update records based on: 

  • Emails
  • Social activities
  • Task updates
  • Phone calls
  • Appointments
  • Service activities
  • Or custom activities

For instance, an incoming email could be automatically used to create a lead, opportunity, or incident within Dynamics 365.

Dynamics 365 Email Engagement

Dynamics 365’s Email Engagement tool has three key components Microsoft designed to enhance communication with customers and prospects.

  1. Compose and Send: In addition to letting users set up, send and track recipient activity such as opens and clicks, the Email Engagement feature allows users to schedule email sends based on business intelligence data that shows when a prospect is most likely to open their email. The feature also automatically sets reminders to follow up on unopened messages in a timely manner.
  1. Tracking and Analytics: This Dynamics 365 feature shows how, when, and where your recipients engage with your email message. Now you’ll know if your target audience is reading your emails on the go from a mobile device, or at their desk first thing in the morning.
  1. Mobile Email Application: The Dynamics 365 mobile application allows you to do things like track followed attachments, view email statistics, and monitor your activity timeline on your smartphone or tablet.

These features are just part of makes Dynamics 365 an innovative solution to both CRM and ERP needs. If you’re ready to bring a new level of business intelligence to your organization, contact IOTAP to learn more about making the switch to Dynamics 365 and putting Relationship Insights to work.

Dynamics 365 Has Launched! What You Need to Know about Licensing and More

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As of November 1, 2016, Microsoft has officially launched Dynamics 365. This new product combines the best of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft’s cloud-based enterprise resource planning software into a single business intelligence platform that delivers purpose-built apps for the typical business unit functions at most organizations. If that sounds like a lot of change to digest, you’re absolutely right. So in today’s blog, we’re going to help by clarifying Dynamics 365’s licensing model.

Want to dive deeper? Review IOTAP’s technical blog series on Dynamics 365 at the link below:

What are Dynamics 365 Editions Available? 

  • Enterprise edition: (Available November 1, 2016) designed for organizations with 250+ employees that are already using Dynamics CRM online and AX
  • Business edition: (available mid-2017) designed for small and medium-sized businesses. This edition will launch with apps that support financials and bookkeeping.

The New Dynamics 365 Licensing Model – Users, Plans, and Teams 

Microsoft has tweaked it is Dynamics 365 licensing plans to better fit the way businesses and teams actually use the software. Here’s how:

User Types

  • Dynamics 365 licenses can now be purchased for individual users OR devices
  • Individual users have two license tiers:
  • Full Users are those who will be interacting with the full version of Dynamics 365 every day. Think of your customer service, sales, or finance teams. (Current Microsoft Dynamics CRM customers may have called these licenses “Professional” subscribers in the past)
  • These individuals will be licensed under either a Dynamics 365 App or a Plan license
  • Light Users are those who only need to accomplish a single task, like enter data or access a report.
  • These individuals will have their licenses covered under a Dynamics 365 for Team Members subscription.
  • Device licenses will be tied to a particular device and be useful for shared-device environments

liberating customers from traditional business

Dynamics 365: The Difference Between Apps and Plans 

Full Users can be licensed in two ways:

  • For specific apps: this Dynamics 365 licensing model is ideal for specialized employees who only work in one area (e.g. bookkeeping, social media, etc.), as it removes any extraneous functionality from the user and keeps things simple.
  • Via Plans (pre-packaged groups of apps): this licensing model is a good fit for individuals who work across functions and need access to a number of different apps on a regular basis.

Here’s a list of all the plans that will eventually be available with Dynamics 365:

Dynamics365LicensingExplained2

And let’s not forget to address a few of the other common Dynamics 365 questions we’ve received: 

Do I Need a Server for Dynamics 365?  

Not if you don’t want to be on the premise. Dynamics 365 licensing is flexible and supports both cloud and on-prem usage. If you are currently using Dynamics CRM Online or Dynamics AX, contact IOTAP to review your options.

Will my Dynamics CRM installation still be supported? 

Yes. IOTAP and Microsoft will continue to support existing Dynamics CRM installations for the foreseeable future, with planned Dynamics CRM functionality improvements still scheduled for at least the next 2 years.

What does all this mean? If your business depends on data-driven intelligence, Dynamics 365 is an incredible tool worth investigating. And if you’re already using Microsoft Dynamics CRM, there’s lots of change coming that can benefit you. At IOTAP, we’re here to help you through the Dynamics 365 transition. Please contact us at [email protected] for more information or to help answer any questions related to Dynamics 365.