User Review
( votes)Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement can already present data to users in a few different ways, including:
- Forms which contain data relevant to the record
- Views can provide users with a list of records
- Quick Views to place a form (of a parent record) in another form
- Sub-grids which allow us to place views in entity forms
Now, what makes Card Forms such an interesting addition to Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement is that we are now able to place forms in a view.
Card Forms in Dynamics 365 CRM
Originally introduced in the Interactive Service Hub, Card Forms provide a key function in Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement: Optimizing space while providing key information about individual records. When there is no space available for showing columns side by side, this feature is immensely helpful. This is most helpful in the area of mobile apps, where horizontal space tends to be more limited than vertical pixel availability.
It is also worth noting that the Unified Interface has made Card Forms an Out of the Box feature. If you were to take a full window of a view and start reducing its size, eventually, the view format will change from a traditional view to a Card Form view.
Editing Card Forms
If we want to have more control over what data is presented on these Card Forms, then we will need to edit the Card Form from the solution. In the entity that you wish to configure the Card Form, select the form view. From there, you will be able to identify the correct Card Form to edit with the naming convention “entity” Card Form.
Selecting this form will open up a familiar form editor (as always, it is worth noting that when creating a form for a client or one’s own business, creating a new form is best practice). The Card Form Editor is quite limited in regard to properties, so that means manipulating labels and layout is mostly out of the question.
Since the goal of Card Forms is to be concise, the number of fields available is also limited. Eleven fields in total may be placed on a Card From: three in the Header, four in the Body, and three in the Footer. Even with this number of fields available, it may be wise to consider limiting the number of fields placed on the Card Form, as it may muddy the aesthetics.
Enabling Views to Allow Card Forms
Once we have configured our Card Form with the fields users will find most beneficial, we need to enable our views to allow Card Forms. Entering a View Editor and selecting Custom Controls, then selecting the “Read Only Grid” Option will allow us to use the Card Form in the view. Please note that this “Read Only Grid” is different than the “Read Only Grid (Default).”
Card forms are the latest example of Microsoft providing new ways to display information to users, and for users to interact with that information. Card Forms can provide more information with limited space, and are ideal for phones, tablets, and screens with limited available space. Lastly, configuring Card Forms is much like any main form in Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement, with the added step of configuring the entity view. It’s a great feature that users will appreciate immensely.
To learn more about Dynamics 365, contact our specialist today.
By Matt Chalko, a CRM specialist at Velosio.
