Create role-based experiences in Dynamics 365

Dynamics 365 CRM is a robust system with features and functionality that can serve many different businesses, industries, and job roles. But individual users probably don't need every feature available in the system. An entry-level sales representative, for example, might see dashboards, marketing features, customer service functionality, invoices, orders, settings, and account views that have little to do with their daily responsibilities. Instead of making everyone work through the same complex interface, Dynamics 365 can be customized to give different roles a more focused experience.

Give users the tools they actually need

Dynamics 365 lets you create customized workspaces around the tasks different employees perform. This means you can simplify the experience by selecting the navigation, forms, views, dashboards, and other components that are relevant to a particular role. Features that aren't needed can be hidden from that app without being removed from the underlying CRM. The result is a more streamlined workspace that helps users focus on what they need to accomplish every day.

Use model-driven apps to customize the experience

Dynamics 365 supports model-driven custom apps that can be created with little to no code. These apps are customized versions of the same underlying CRM. Rather than creating separate databases, you can determine which parts of the existing system should appear in each app. Depending on the role, you can customize elements such as:

• Navigation
• Forms
• Views
• Dashboards
• Tables
• Role-specific tools

You can also create multiple apps for different roles or tasks, including sales representatives, customer service teams, sales managers, client success teams, administrators, and other groups within your organization.

Create a streamlined workspace for sales representatives

A sales representative might not need access to invoices, orders, goals, cases, or marketing-related views. Instead, a custom Sales Rep app can focus on the records and tools that salesperson uses regularly. For example, the workspace can provide access to:

• Accounts and contacts
• Leads
• Opportunities
• Quotes
• Products
• Sales literature
• Relevant email templates

The app can also display only the dashboards and views the salesperson needs. Instead of choosing between several dashboards or sorting through account views created for marketing teams, the salesperson gets a focused environment designed around sales activities.

Create a different workspace for customer service

A customer service representative working at a help desk has different responsibilities, so their Dynamics 365 app can look very different. Instead of leads and opportunities, a Help Desk app can focus on customer service information and tools such as:

• Accounts and contacts
• Cases
• Queue items
• Knowledge articles
• Case-related email templates

This allows the same CRM system to support substantially different job roles without forcing everyone to navigate the same workspace.

Keep everyone connected to the same CRM data

Although model-driven apps can look different, they continue to use the same underlying CRM data. For example, a customer service representative might update a contact after learning that the customer's name or email address has changed. Because the Sales Rep and Help Desk apps are working from the same database, that update is also available to the salesperson. You don't need separate copies of customer information simply because different teams have different workspaces.

Customize forms for different roles

Role-based experiences can extend beyond navigation and views. Forms can also be customized to emphasize the information that matters to each role. A salesperson viewing an account, for example, may need to see opportunities associated with that account. A help desk representative may be more interested in its customer service cases. The underlying account remains the same, but each app can present the information in a way that better supports the user's responsibilities.

Control access through security roles

Custom apps can be made available based on security roles. For example, an administrator can create a Sales Rep app and make it available to users assigned the appropriate salesperson security role. When those users open Dynamics 365, they can access the workspace prepared specifically for their role. This combines role-based access with a more focused user experience.

Support different screen sizes with the Unified Interface

Dynamics 365's Unified Interface also adjusts the user experience for different screen sizes. Using Reflow, page elements, navigation, and columns can be rearranged to accommodate the available screen space. A list displayed across a desktop screen, for example, can be reorganized into cards when viewed on a smaller mobile screen. This is similar to responsive website design: users continue to access the same content and functionality, but the presentation changes to make it appropriate for the device.

Build a CRM experience around the way your teams work

Creating customized model-driven apps can help your organization get more value from Dynamics 365 by giving employees an environment designed around their actual responsibilities. You can create multiple apps for different roles while keeping everyone connected to the same underlying CRM data. As your organization grows or job responsibilities change, additional functionality can be incorporated into those experiences. Instead of requiring every user to navigate every capability in Dynamics 365, role-based apps provide the tools each team needs in a simpler, better-organized workspace.