Introducing Microsoft Dynamics 365 Unified Interface

Is your organisation using Dynamics 365 (online)? Change is coming!  

Microsoft has created a new User Interface for Microsoft Dynamics 365 that impacts every user.  It’s called the Unified Interface, find out more below and what actions you should take. 

What is the Unified Interface for Microsoft Dynamics 365?  

The Unified Interface is designed to make it easier for users to navigate around the apps, streamlines forms, and enables focused role-based content to maximise productivity. Some of the benefits include: 

• User Experience: There has been an overhaul of the user experience so that there is less white space, so more information is visible at a time. Its improved navigation means it is easier to find the records you need. 
• Responsive design: Now you are just as likely to work with a tablet as a desktop computer. The Unified Interface design responds to suit the device you are using. It is a stepping stone to new ways of working. 
• Artificial Intelligence: AI is coming, and it wants to help you. The most visible use of AI in Dynamics 365 is Relationship Assistant which is only available when you use Unified Interface. Relationship Assistant keeps track of your interactions and advises you of your best course of action, such as who to contact so that you keep a healthy business relationship with your customers and suppliers. 

What should organisations do?

Microsoft has been sending notifications out for over a year, so it is important to act now and manage this change on your terms before Microsoft enforces a change on you. Microsoft send an email 30 days before an automated changed with a subject of “Change is coming! Automatic transition to Unified Interface”.  Organisations can opt to postpone the date via “transition portal“ – but not indefinitely.   

To prepare for the change you should be asking some key questions including:

1. Are the customiations compatible? 
2. Are the ISV Apps compatible? 
3. How can we test? 
4. What is the retraining effort? 

If you’re not sure where to start, contact us and we can help though this process. 

How can XRM help?  

We have made this change before and offer a service to help you make this change. 

We can help as much or as little as you want.  We follow Microsoft’s recommend process which includes: 

• Validating your system with the Solution Checker 
• Checking third-party solutions compatibility with Unified Interface 
• Identifying replacements for deprecated client API code and features 
• Testing your instance in Unified Interface 
• Helping you define your app strategy and settings 
• Reviewing the settings and user experience fundamentals 
• Enriching your app with Unified Interface exclusive features 
• Conducting user acceptance testing 
• Updating user training materials 

We are ready to help so email us at hello@xrm.je, call +44 1534 505010, or send us a message online and we will get back to you shortly. 

How long will it take

We will create a new Unified Interface application to ensure business continuity, review your existing code implementation to advise if further changes are needed and, when ready, switch everyone over to the new Unified Interface. If no additional work is needed, it would take approximately 2 days. 

Next steps

We are ready to help so email us at hello@xrm.je, call +44 1534 505010, or send us a message and we will get back to you shortly.