Using Charts in Dynamics 365 CRM

Drawing conclusions from raw, unorganized data can be challenging. Dynamics 365 includes out-of-the-box charts and graphs that help you make sense of CRM data, along with tools for creating your own simple visualizations. These charts aren't intended to provide the same level of reporting and visualization available with Power BI, but they can accomplish quite a bit for straightforward reporting needs. When you combine charts with dashboards and custom list views, you can create useful visual experiences using functionality that's already available within CRM.

Where Can You Find Charts?

There are two primary places where you'll encounter charts in Dynamics 365: dashboards and views. A dashboard brings together different charts, graphs, and lists in one location. Dynamics 365 includes system dashboards that are available to users, while "My Dashboards" contains dashboards you've created yourself or that other users have shared with you. Charts are also available from your Dynamics 365 views. From a list or view, select Show Chart to display a visual representation of the records you're currently viewing. This functionality is available across different CRM tables. For example, you can open an Opportunity view and display a chart alongside the Opportunity records.

Use Views to Control the Data in Your Chart

One important thing to understand about Dynamics 365 charts is their relationship with views. The selected view determines the records included in your chart. For example, you could switch to a Lost Opportunities view to visualize lost Opportunities. Switching to another Opportunity view changes the records represented by the chart. You can also switch between the charts available for that table, such as a Top Customers chart or Sales Pipeline chart. This connection between views and charts gives you considerable flexibility. A well-designed custom view can provide the exact group of records you want to analyze visually.

Open the Records Behind a Chart

Charts aren't limited to displaying information. You can use them to explore the underlying CRM data. Select View Records from a chart to see the individual records represented by that visualization. This makes it easy to move from a high-level visual to the specific Opportunities, Leads, Accounts, or other records contributing to the chart.

Drill Down into Your Data

Dynamics 365 charts also support drill-down functionality. You can select different attributes to analyze the data in greater detail. For example, you could drill into Opportunity data based on Estimated Revenue. The drill-down options correspond to fields available for that type of CRM record. After choosing a field, you can select an appropriate chart to visualize the results. You can continue drilling into the data to identify the individual records behind a particular value. A breadcrumb provides a convenient way to navigate back through the different levels you've explored.

Refresh or Expand a Chart

Charts include several additional tools that can make them easier to work with. If your CRM data changes frequently, you can refresh a chart to display the most recent information. You can also pop a chart out into a separate dialog when you want a larger view of the visualization.

Create Your Own Chart

If the built-in charts don't provide exactly what you need, you can create your own. A convenient way to begin is to:

1. Open the view containing the records you're interested in.
2. Select Show Chart.
3. Choose an existing chart that's relatively close to what you want.
4. Select Save As to create your own version.
5. Give the new chart a descriptive name.
6. Edit the chart to display the information you need.

This gives you an existing visualization as a starting point rather than requiring you to create everything from scratch.

Customize the Data in Your Chart

The chart designer lets you choose how CRM data should be presented. For example, you could create a column or bar chart that looks at Opportunities by Estimated Close Date. Your visualization could then show how many Opportunities are expected to close during each month. The chart designer provides a preview while you're configuring the visualization, allowing you to see whether the selected fields and chart type communicate the information the way you intended. Once you've saved the chart, you can select portions of the visualization and drill down into the corresponding Opportunities.

Share Your Custom Charts

A chart you create is initially a personal chart, or "My Chart." That means other users don't automatically have access to it. If you create a chart that would be useful to a colleague or another member of your team, you can share it with them. You can also control the permissions you're giving that user. For example, you could allow a colleague to read and share the chart without giving them permission to edit or delete it. This lets you distribute useful visualizations while maintaining control over the original chart.

Customize Charts on a Dashboard

When a chart is included on a Dynamics 365 dashboard, you have additional options for controlling how it behaves. Depending on your dashboard configuration, you can change properties such as:

• The chart's display name
• Whether the chart label appears on the dashboard
• The table the chart references
• The default view supplying the chart's data
• Which views users can select
• Which charts users can choose

For example, you could create a dashboard chart that uses Open Leads as its default view. You could prevent users from changing the view, allow them to select from every available view, or provide only a limited selection of relevant views. The same principle applies to charts. You can display only the chart you've selected or give users the option to switch between multiple charts.

Combine Charts, Views, and Dashboards

The real value of Dynamics 365 charts comes from combining them with other CRM features. Views help determine which records you're analyzing. Charts provide a visual representation of those records. Dashboards bring those visualizations and supporting information together in a convenient location. By using these features together, you can create CRM experiences tailored to the questions your team actually needs to answer.

Know When You Need Power BI

Dynamics 365 charts are designed for relatively straightforward data visualization. If the built-in charting capabilities can't analyze your information in the way you need, Power BI provides a much more robust reporting option. It can support more sophisticated data analysis and visualization when CRM charts aren't detailed enough for your requirements. For many everyday sales reporting needs, however, Dynamics 365 charts may provide everything your team needs directly within CRM. By creating charts around your own sales processes and combining them with custom views and dashboards, you can turn everyday CRM data into useful visual information that helps your team understand its pipeline and focus on the records that require attention.