Although there has been no firm date set for the deprecation of the classic interface that most Dynamics 365 users are familiar with, its days are numbered. As the new Unified Interface gets further refinements, it makes sense to begin the transition sooner rather than later to avoid potential business disruption.
What is the Unified Interface?
In Version 9 of Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement, Microsoft introduced a new interface that could be used alongside the existing ‘classic’ experience. This new interface has been designed to provide an optimal viewing and interaction experience, regardless of the device and screen size being used; using a PC, tablet or phone, you get a consistent user experience each time. However, when the Unified Interface was initially released, it was lacking in some areas – some functionality required switching back to the old interface, which prevented widespread adoption. Since its initial release, Microsoft has been focused on further developing the Unified Interface so that it can now be used as the default experience as we have announced previously.
I’m happy with the classic interface. Why should I switch?
Although most users are familiar with the classic interface, it is not without its problems – as the underlying structure was built without major considerations for device and screen size, it sometimes led to additional customisation work and a disjointed user experience. With the new interface, future customisation should be far more streamlined and navigation within Dynamics 365 should be more intuitive. Also, Microsoft are constantly adding new features, some of which are being added to the Unified Interface only – for instance, viewing records in a calendar view is only possible via the Unified Interface.
However, the main driver for switching is that eventually Microsoft will deprecate the classic interface altogether. Although no firm date has been set for this deprecation, it could be as soon as later this year. If your users are still using the classic interface, you need to start preparing for the transition as soon as possible.
What do I need to do to prepare for this change?
If your organisation has one of the various Unified Interface apps installed, such as the Sales or Customer Service Hubs, you can begin using the new interface right away. Simply navigate to https://home.dynamics.com/ * and choose from one of the available apps. If you do not see any of the apps available, it may be that they have not been installed/configured yet or they have not been allocated for use by your security role yet. If you do have access to the default apps, you may find that some custom built areas of your system do not automatically show in the navigation of them. In this scenario, configuration of the apps may need to be done to have any custom-built areas of your system added into the navigation. If you currently receive support from Strategy 365, we can assist you with this configuration.
* Since the deprecation of the Dynamics homepage, Dynamics 365 apps now appear at Office.com, under the Business Apps header of the Apps page.
