What Are Lookup Fields in Dynamics 365 CRM?
Lookup fields create connections between records in Dynamics 365 CRM. A common example is the Account field on a Contact record. Selecting an Account connects that Contact to the corresponding Account record. Lookup fields also function as hyperlinks. You can select the Account from a Contact record and navigate directly to it. The same functionality is available from list views, making it easy to move between connected records.
Understanding Lookup Relationships
The connection created by a lookup is known as a many-to-one relationship. For example, one Account can be related to many Contacts. Each Contact can use its Account lookup to connect to the appropriate Account. Because Dynamics 365 understands this relationship, the Account form can include a subgrid showing all Contacts associated with that Account. This gives you two useful ways to navigate the same relationship:
- From a Contact, use the lookup to open its related Account.
- From an Account, use a subgrid to see the Contacts associated with it.
Search Lookup Fields More Effectively
When using a lookup field, type the information you're searching for and then select the magnifying glass. This helps ensure you're seeing all matching search results. Simply selecting the lookup field can sometimes cause confusion because the initial list shows Recent Records. If the record you need isn't something you've used recently, it may not appear there even though it exists in CRM. Searching for the record and selecting the magnifying glass gives you a more complete set of matching results.
Create a New Record from a Lookup
If the record you need doesn't exist yet, you may be able to create it directly from the lookup. At the bottom of the lookup results, Dynamics 365 can provide an option to create a new record. This lets you create the record you need without abandoning your current process and navigating elsewhere in CRM first.
Use Advanced Lookup When You Can't Find a Record
If you know a record exists but can't find it using the standard lookup results, select the advanced lookup option. The advanced experience lets you change the view being used by the lookup, which may help you locate the appropriate record. However, the advanced lookup doesn't allow you to further filter its list, so selecting an appropriate view becomes important when searching for a particular record.
How Administrators Can Customize Lookups
CRM administrators and partners can customize the lookup experience in several ways. They can change:
- The fields displayed for each result through the lookup view
- The filters applied to the lookup view
- Which columns can be used when searching
- Whether the lookup is restricted to related records
For example, lookup views generally display only active records by default. Administrators can also configure dependent lookups. You might select an Account first and then have a Contact lookup show only Contacts associated with that Account. These customizations can make lookup fields more focused and useful for a particular business process.
Standard Lookups
A standard lookup searches records from a single table. The Account field on a Contact is a good example. It allows you to find and select an Account, creating a relationship between the Contact and that Account. Standard lookups are one of the most common ways records are connected throughout Dynamics 365.
Customer Lookups
Customer lookups are different because they can reference either an Account or a Contact. This provides additional flexibility in situations where a customer could be an organization or an individual. When working with a Customer lookup, pay attention to the record type you're selecting because your search results can contain both Accounts and Contacts.
Regarding Lookups
The Regarding field is a specialized lookup used with Dynamics 365 activities. It allows activities such as emails, appointments, tasks, and phone calls to be tracked against different types of CRM records. For example, you can create an activity and set its Regarding field to a Contact. Once the activity is tracked to that Contact, it can appear in the Contact's Timeline. Regarding fields are useful because activities aren't limited to being connected to only one type of CRM record.
Owner Lookups
The Owner field is another specialized lookup. A Dynamics 365 record can be owned by either:
The Owner lookup therefore supports both types of records. Record ownership is particularly important because it can affect responsibility for the record as well as security and access throughout CRM.
Party List Fields
Party List fields provide another specialized lookup experience. The To field on a CRM email is a familiar example. Unlike a standard lookup, which typically lets you select one related record, a Party List field can contain multiple records. This allows you to add several recipients to an email. Party List fields provide the flexibility needed for CRM activities that involve multiple participants.
Get Better Results from Lookup Fields
Lookup fields are an important part of Dynamics 365 CRM because they establish relationships between records and make that related information easier to navigate. Remember these key points:
- Lookups create relationships between CRM records.
- Standard lookups typically connect to one table.
- Customer lookups can reference Accounts or Contacts.
- Regarding fields connect activities to CRM records.
- Owner fields can reference users or teams.
- Party List fields can contain multiple participants.
- Administrators can customize lookup views, filters, searchable columns, and related-record restrictions.
- When searching for a record, type your search and select the magnifying glass instead of relying only on Recent Records.
Understanding these different lookup types and using search correctly can make it much easier to find the records you're looking for and take advantage of the relationships built throughout Dynamics 365 CRM.
