Introduction

In this Fast Class, Emily Judkins shares several useful navigation and productivity tips for Dynamics 365 Customer Insights - Journeys. These features can help reduce clicks, improve organization, and make it easier to manage records and complete routine marketing tasks more efficiently.

Using Recent and Pinned Navigation

One of the easiest ways to save time is by using the Recent and Pinned sections in the left navigation pane.The Recent section provides quick access to locations and records you have recently visited. This can be especially helpful if you accidentally close a browser window or frequently move between the same areas of the application.The Pinned section allows you to save direct access to:

• Frequently used list views
• Important records
• Commonly accessed pages

Simply select the pin icon to save an item for future use or remove it when it is no longer needed.

Pin Important Activities in Record Timelines

Record timelines can become lengthy as activity history grows over time. Timeline pinning helps keep important information visible and accessible.Benefits of timeline pinning include:

• Important notes remain at the top of the timeline
• Key emails stay easy to find
• Meeting recaps remain visible
• Less scrolling through large activity histories

Users can pin up to 15 timeline items at one time. Pinned items remain available for up to one year unless manually removed sooner. This feature requires administrator configuration, and users must have appropriate permissions to pin and unpin records.

Working with Filters and Saved Views

Filtering and saved views are powerful tools for managing large datasets.Users can:

• Filter records based on specific criteria
• Sort information according to business needs
• Search within list views
• Save personalized views for future use
• Set a favorite view as the default view

For example, a contact list can be filtered to display only active contacts with populated company names. Additional sorting can then be applied based on phone number, company, or other columns. When available, saved views provide a significant productivity boost by eliminating repetitive filtering steps. Depending on system settings, administrators can enable or disable the ability to create and save custom views.

Understanding the Different Search Options

Dynamics 365 provides several ways to search for records depending on the situation.

Dataverse Search

Dataverse Search looks across multiple tables simultaneously. For example, searching for a company name may return results from:

• Accounts
• Contacts
• Opportunities

This option works best when:

• You are not sure where the record is stored
• Multiple record types may contain relevant information

Results are grouped by table, making it easy to identify where matching records exist.

Natural Language Search

Natural Language Search allows users to search using conversational language instead of manually building filters.For example:"Active contacts that do not have email addresses sorted alphabetically."When enabled, the system automatically converts the request into:

• Filters
• Sort criteria
• List view settings

To get the best results:

• Be specific
• Use column names when possible
• Use full descriptive phrases instead of one or two keywords

At the time of this class, Natural Language Search was available as a preview feature and may require administrator activation.

Column-Level Search and Filtering

Another efficient method is filtering directly within a column.Users can create filters such as:

• Equals a specific value
• Contains a particular word or phrase
• Does not contain data
• Other advanced filter conditions

For example, a user could filter contacts whose company name contains the word "Adventure" while combining additional criteria such as active status or missing email addresses. This approach is especially useful when you know exactly what information you want to locate.

Use Focused View for Faster Record Management

Focused View provides a streamlined workspace for working through records without repeatedly opening and closing individual records.Focused View allows users to:

• Review records quickly
• Edit data directly
• Save updates efficiently
• Move through lists with fewer clicks

This feature is particularly valuable when performing repetitive tasks such as lead qualification, record cleanup, or outreach preparation.

Visualize Data with Charts

The Show Chart option offers a visual representation of information directly alongside list data.Benefits include:

• Viewing records and charts simultaneously
• Identifying trends quickly
• Understanding workloads and ownership distribution
• Reviewing lead ratings and statuses

Examples of chart views include:

• Leads by Owner
• Leads by Rating
• Other administrator-created charts

Because charts respect active filters and views, they provide relevant insights based on the data currently being displayed. Organizations can also create custom charts to meet specific reporting needs.

Key Takeaways

• Use Recent and Pinned navigation to reduce clicks and quickly return to frequently used records and pages.
• Pin important timeline activities to keep critical information visible.
• Save custom filtered views for recurring work tasks.
• Use Dataverse Search when searching across multiple record types.
• Use Natural Language Search to quickly create filters using conversational requests.
• Apply column-level filters when you know the specific information you need.
• Leverage Focused View to work through records more efficiently.
• Use charts to visualize list data and gain insights without leaving the page.

These simple techniques can significantly improve efficiency when working in Dynamics 365 Customer Insights - Journeys and help users spend less time navigating and more time executing marketing activities.