Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 Customization and Configuration

This course provides tools and techniques to configure and customise Dynamics CRM Online 2016 and Dynamics CRM 2016 On Premise to meet business requirements. The course begins with an overview of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 architecture and the different ways in which Dynamics CRM can be customised. 

The course explains how to create custom entities and to edit existing entities. This covers all the entity properties and how these affect the functionality available and the user interface. The course then explores how to create new fields and edit existing fields. This includes all the options available for fields and how this affects the data. Calculated and Rollup fields are explained with their capabilities and deficiencies. How Option Sets work is then explained along with showing how Status Reason options can be amended and also how status reason transitions are enforced. 

1:N and N:N relationships concepts are explained and how to create those new relationships are covered. Cascade behaviours and mappings are explained. Connections are then demonstrated as an alternative to relationships. Security is a major topic. The course looks at how Business Units and the security model can be used to segment data and control access to data and functionality by users. Ways to extend the security model by use of teams and hierarchies are covered. 

The course then goes on to show how to amend the major user interface components; forms and views. We look at the different form types and how these can be customised. Business Rules are a way of amending the fields on forms at runtime and applying a level of validation. How Business Rules are created and how they apply is explained. 

Processes are an important method of customising Dynamics CRM. The different types of process (Workflows, Dialogs, Actions and Business Process Flows) and how they are created, edited and initiated are explained along with their users and limitations. Business Process Flows are examined in more detail as to how they can be used in managing the lifecycle of a business process and its data. The course looks how Business Process Flows can be used with Business Rules and other customisiation techniques to deliver business solutions. As well as managing the creation and editing of data, a major requirement if a CRM system is to enable users to focus on their data. The course looks at the creation of charts and dashboards to enable users to manage their data. The course will look at alternative reporting options such as SQL Reporting Services, Excel including the new Excel and Word Templates, and Power BI. 

A review of System Settings is included as these affect the functionality and options available to users. Mobile Apps will be the main user interface in Dynamics CRM going forwards and the course covers how to design forms for the mobile clients. We explain the rules a customiser must follow and also explain the new controls available for the mobile apps. 

The course concludes with how to manage your application lifecycle through solutions. The course discussed the use and impact of both unmanaged and managed solutions and how ISVs can use managed solutions to protect their intellectual property. We will discuss the new patch functionality in Dynamics CRM 2016 and explain how this can be used by ISVs and by end user organisations. A non-trivial case study will be used throughout to demonstrate how to design and build a solution to meet business needs.