Although the Unified Interface was introduced in version 9 of Dynamics 365, key functionality had not yet been implemented, preventing mass adoption by the Dynamics user base. In the upcoming October ’18 release of Dynamics, Microsoft aims to bridge these feature gaps and further refine the interface that will ultimately replace the traditional web client.
Although all new Dynamics 365 Apps use the Unified Interface on Mobile, Tablet and within Outlook, users of the traditional web client have the choice of using the new Unified Interface or staying with the legacy web client. As Microsoft’s ultimate goal will be to retire the web client completely, they are continually making improvements to ensure that the Unified Interface caters for all existing requirements and adding additional improvements.
From the July Release Notes covering the Unified Interface, there was a large number of key features missing from the Unified Interface, including Advanced Find, running on-demand workflows, bulk editing and record merging. Since this release, a number of those gaps were bridged in August –
- Advanced Find
- Record Sharing
- Record Merging
- Personal Settings
- Bulk Record Editing
And in October, the follow functionality gaps will be closed –
- Running SSRS Reports
- Personal Dashboards and Charts
What are the benefits of the Unified Interface?
There are a number of reasons why the Unified Interface will become a superior replacement for the existing web client –
- Consistent, responsive user interface across all devices. From the web, to mobile, to Outlook, the experience will be consistent and data presented in the best way for the screen size automatically
- Semantic Zoom – making it easier to jump to a related record
- New custom controls, providing better ways of representing your data, for example displaying a sub-grid of data across a calendar view, rather than in a traditional list
- Improved performance
- Power BI reports can be embedded
- Interactive Dashboards
- Reference Panel – this new form panel allows for a variety of related information to be displayed in a space-saving tabbed panel format
- Timeline Control – already available in the traditional web client, the Timeline Control replaces the traditional Activities Feed and provides an intuitive way of displaying Posts, Notes and Activities on a form
- Improved accessibility
My organisation is currently using Dynamics 365. What do I need to do?
As the Unified Interface is an inevitability over the coming months, it is important that you and your colleagues are prepared for the upcoming changes. Many users can make the switch to one of the native Unified Interface App modules and begin taking advantage of the improved functionality. Certain tasks may still have some dependencies on the legacy web client, so it is important to identify these and explore possible solutions. If you wish to speak to one of our experts about this process, please get in touch.
