The benefits of Dynamics 365 Mobile
Mobile access to your records
It is possible to call up all data records and edit them as well. Sales opportunities can be called up without further ado before a meeting with the customer. Ideal for field workers.
Personalized Action Hub
When the application is started, the Action Hub gives the user important information. Routine tasks can be processed more efficiently with the help of the hub. It offers an overview of the most recently accessed records and gives the possibility to pin important records to quickly retrieve them.
Notes
Edit or add notes to records quickly and easily. In writing or in audio form.
Relationship Assistant
The Relationship Assistant is a new built-in AI functionality in Dynamics 365. It is available via the mobile app. The assistant keeps track of all actions and communication with your customers. You can analyze the data and display action cards to take immediate action.
Offline Synchronization
An important feature of the mobile app is offline access. Technicians often work in places without an internet connection or network coverage. Offline functions can store user data locally and synchronize it with an online database when the user reconnects to a network.
Mobile applications for Dynamics 365
There are two versions of Microsoft’s Dynamics 365 mobile app.
- Dynamics 365 for Phone (Android/iOS)
- Dynamics 365 for Tablets (Android/iOS/Windows 10)
We will discuss these applications in detail in the blog article. The applications do not differ very much in the presentation of the CRM. However, the displayed content will be displayed differently on the smaller phone screens than on the larger tablet screens.
In addition, there is a mobile app that was developed specifically for Dynamics 365 for Field Service. Resco is responsible for the development of the app. In the meantime, there is an official partnership between Resco and Microsoft, so Microsoft is actively involved in the further development of the application.
The app is called “Field Service Mobile“ and is only available to users who have the corresponding Dynamics 365 license. Either a Dynamics 365 for Field Service license or a Customer Engagement Plan.
In the long run, the functionalities will probably be integrated into the standard app and ultimately replace the Field Service app.
Finally, the Dynamics 365 App for Outlook. This is not actually a stand-alone application, but is only used in combination with Outlook. Data records from the CRM can be displayed in a small window directly in the Outlook client. Since it is possible to open Outlook and the Dynamics 365 App for Outlook via the mobile browser, we list it for the sake of completeness.
The mobile applications for Microsoft PowerApps and PowerBI are also worth mentioning. The PowerBI app offers the possibility to access the Common Data Service and thus visually process data from the CRM. With PowerApps , on the other hand, it is possible to create smaller apps according to the modular principle, which can also be used within Dynamics 365.
Download the Dynamics 365 mobile apps
Usually, the respective app store of the operating system is the first point of contact. However, it is possible that there are certain restrictions on downloading applications for company devices. In this case, the IT department must first approve the app.
Prerequisites for using the Dynamics 365 mobile apps
The prerequisite for use is a supported device and a corresponding security role that allows Dynamics 365 to be used on the go.
A list of supported devices can be found here: What’s supported
In general, the situation with smartphones and tablets is as follows:
- iOS version 10 or higher
- Android version 4.4 or higher
- Windows Tablet version 10 or higher
To be able to use Dynamics 365 mobile, users must have the appropriate security role. At least one security role that the user has assigned must have the following security attribute.
Configuring the Dynamics 365 mobile app
First, a connection to the organization must be established.
- Open the app on your mobile device
- Wait a moment until you’re prompted to enter the organization’s URL.
- Enter the URL in the following format “https:// organizationname.crm region.dynamics.com“. The organization name is the unique name of your organization and the region is a number, depending on where the server is located. Europe, for example, has the 4 and Japan the 7.
- Click Next.
- You will then be asked for your dial-in details. Enter them accordingly and click next.
- You will then see a welcome page.
Once the login is complete, you will receive an overview of the available applications. Incidentally, the applications must also be activated for the corresponding security roles. More on that in a moment.
Basic settings of the Dynamics 365 mobile app
There are basic settings that have an influence on the user experience regardless of the individual applications. Click on the three dots at the bottom right and then on the settings. The personal settings are similar to those that the user has in the web client. However, they are somewhat “slimmed down”. The number of records displayed can affect performance when many records are loaded in a view. In the mobile settings, you can set how the application interacts with the device.
Configuration of access for the user
Two configurations are important for the user to be able to use Dynamics 365 effectively on the go.
- Security role with the corresponding security attribute: As already described in the Prerequisites section, the user must be assigned a security role that has the security attribute “Dynamics 365 for mobile”.
- Assignment of the security role(s) to the modular applications that may be used on the go. Below is an explanation of what is meant by modular applications.
Modular applications with the Unified Interface
With Dynamics 365 version 8.2, Microsoft has released App Designer, which allows system customizers to create modular apps in CRM. In a modular app, components are grouped together in one area of CRM and non-relevant areas are hidden. The following components can be added:
- Entities
- Shapes
- Views
- Dashboards
- Business Process Flows
Each modular app has its own sitemap, so users can have a personalized user experience. The default sitemap can make the user interface cluttered, as long as the end user only uses a small area of the CRM. Creating a modular app can help.
With Dynamics 365 version 9.0, Microsoft has released the new unified interface, which unifies the user interface between the different end devices. All customizations made in the user interface apply to all devices. In the future, the App Designer will only support the Unified Interface.
Adding a Security Role to the Application
Before mobile working can begin, it is necessary to assign a security role to the modular applications. This can be done in the web client as well as in the mobile application. Below are instructions based on the web client. The prerequisite is a user with the system administrator role.
- Click on Settings and “My Apps”
- Click on the three dots and “Manage Roles”
- Select the security roles and save the selection.
After that, nothing stands in the way of mobile working!
Conclusion
With the App Designer and the Unified Interface, it has become easier to make the system available and adapt it on the go. Some settings that used to be necessary to be able to use the system on the go no longer seem to have any influence on the deployment. It is worth mentioning here the checkmark on entity level “Enable for mobile”.
We hope that this article has made it easier for you to switch to mobile working. If you have any questions, our team will be happy to help!
