Dynamics 365 CRM CE Developer Training July 2023

Your proficiency in knowing the key Dynamics 365 CRM CE Developer benefits not only equips you with a formidable skill set but also catapults you into an elite club of technology experts.

For the uninitiated, Dynamics 365 CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management and Dynamics 365 CE stands for Customer Engagement. These powerful tools provide businesses with unparalleled capabilities to manage their customer relationships, streamline operations and make data-driven decisions.

These powerful tools, Dynamics 365 CRM and CE, offer you incredible capabilities, allowing businesses and organizations like yours to manage their customer relationships, streamline operations, and make data-driven decisions. Through a three-pronged approach of administration, customization, and development, businesses can harness the full potential of Dynamics 365 CE CRM to transform their operations. Let’s delve into these areas in some more detail, unpacking their importance and relevance in different business scenarios.

Administration in software refers to the management and maintenance of a system, ensuring its optimal performance. In terms of Dynamics 365 CE CRM, administration involves managing the system settings, user roles, system security, data and system maintenance. It’s like ensuring a well-oiled machine runs smoothly with minimal hiccups.

Now, imagine a college seeking to leverage Dynamics 365 CE CRM for efficient management of their various departments and operations. The Dynamics 365 CRM CE administrator would be the one to set the stage, determining the system’s configuration, managing user roles and access rights, and safeguarding the system’s data integrity. They would be instrumental in setting up a robust system that ensures the college’s data privacy compliance, enables smooth interaction between different departments, and ultimately streamlines operations. You may also find complementary skills in Microsoft Azure beneficial, as Azure Active Directory integration can enhance system security and facilitate more seamless user management.

On the other hand, customization of Dynamics 365 CE CRM pertains to tailoring the system to fit a business’s unique needs. To learn more check out Dynamics Edge Dynamics 365 CRM CE Customization training July 2023 course options. Here, the focus is on tweaking the existing system to suit the specific requirements of a business, whether that be modifying existing entities, creating new ones, or modifying the user interface to improve user experience.

Consider an entertainment business managing records, record labels, and contracts. They have unique needs, such as tracking contracts’ expiration dates, managing royalties, and overseeing artist profiles. Through customization, Dynamics 365 CE CRM can be configured to meet these specific requirements, effectively transforming the tool into a specialized entertainment industry solution. This might involve creating custom entities for contracts, integrating with Microsoft Teams for better collaboration, or utilizing Power BI for in-depth analytics on sales trends. Acquiring skills in Power Apps and Power Automate would be beneficial here, enabling the creation of custom apps and workflows to further tailor the system to the business’s needs.

In Dynamics 365 CE CRM, the system’s structure is primarily made up of what were once called ‘entities’ but are now referred to as ‘tables.’ Tables are analogous to database tables and are used to model and manage business data. Each table contains a set of ‘fields,’ previously known as ‘attributes,’ which define the individual data items that can be stored within a table, similar to columns in a database table.

For example, in a college scenario, you might have a table for ‘Students’ where each field represents a piece of data about a student, such as ‘Name,’ ‘Course,’ ‘Enrollment Date,’ and so forth.

Furthermore, ‘forms’ are the user interfaces that enable users to interact with the data stored within these tables. They provide a structured way to input, view, and edit data. Each form is associated with a specific table and presents the fields in a user-friendly layout, enhancing the user experience and productivity.

In the college scenario, a form might be used by an admissions officer to enter new student data or by a counselor to update a student’s course enrollment information. The form would provide fields for all relevant student data, and the officer or counselor would fill in the appropriate data.

‘Views’ in Dynamics 365 CE CRM, on the other hand, are predefined filters or queries that present specific subsets of data from one or more tables. They provide a way to segregate and view data based on certain conditions, making it easier for users to find and work with specific sets of data. For instance, a college might have a view to display all students enrolled in a particular course or a view to show students who are nearing their graduation date.

Now, imagine our entertainment business example. The business has unique needs, such as tracking contracts’ expiration dates, managing royalties, and overseeing artist profiles. Here, customization of Dynamics 365 CE CRM comes into play.

For instance, a custom ‘Contracts’ table could be created with fields for ‘Artist,’ ‘Start Date,’ ‘End Date,’ ‘Royalty Percentage,’ and so forth. Custom forms would allow easy input and management of contract data, while custom views could filter contracts based on various conditions, such as contracts due for renewal or contracts for a specific artist.

Managing royalties could also benefit from customization. A ‘Royalties’ table could be created with fields for ‘Artist,’ ‘Song,’ ‘Royalty Amount,’ etc. Custom views could help to track royalties due for each artist or song.

To manage artist profiles, an ‘Artists’ table might be created, housing fields like ‘Name,’ ‘Genre,’ ‘Contract Status,’ and so forth. Custom forms would provide a structured interface for managing this information, and custom views could enable easy tracking of artists based on genre or contract status.

The power of Dynamics 365 CE CRM lies in its flexibility. Through the use of tables, fields, forms, and views, the system can be tailored to fit the unique needs of any business or organization, making it a truly transformative tool.

Development also can extend beyond mere customization, involving coding, extending, and developing to create new functionalities or integrate the system with other software. Dynamics 365 CE CRM development could be seamless and powerful, and may include creating plugins or workflows to automate business processes, designing bespoke reports, or coding to integrate with other systems, enhancing functionality and driving operational efficiency.

Imagine an advanced warehouse that manufactures electronic parts for modern appliances and robots, potentially employing advanced AI. The complex processes, from inventory management to assembly line automation, might require more than just customization. A Dynamics 365 CRM CE Developer can build custom solutions using languages like JavaScript or C#, or employ Azure services to integrate the system with IoT devices in the warehouse. The resulting solution can manage and optimize the entire supply chain, from procurement to delivery. Mastery in languages such as JavaScript, C#, and understanding Azure services can give an edge to the Dynamics 365 CRM CE Developer.

While administration, customization, and development might seem like different aspects, they often overlap, working in tandem to unlock the full potential of Dynamics 365 CE CRM. By understanding these functions and employing the right skills, businesses can turn the Dynamics 365 CE CRM from a powerful tool to a transformative platform.

The flexibility and scalability of Dynamics 365 CE CRM do not solely rely on its inherent features like tables, fields, forms, and views. It is underpinned by the backbone of Microsoft’s cloud platform – the Microsoft Dataverse. This service plays a pretty important role in not only Dynamics 365 CE CRM but also in the broader Microsoft ecosystem, helping it to deliver the transformative capabilities we’ve been discussing.

Microsoft Dataverse, formerly known as Common Data Service, is a cloud-based storage platform for business data. What sets Dataverse apart is that it’s not just about storage – it’s about understanding the data. Dataverse houses a business application’s data, but it also manages and secures this data. It comes with a set of standardized, yet customizable, tables that store data in a secure and compliant manner. It allows for data logic to be applied and is designed to be easily integrated with other Microsoft and third-party applications.

Essentially, Dataverse acts as the data management layer for Dynamics 365 CE CRM, providing the foundation upon which tables, fields, forms, and views are built and customized. The data stored in Dataverse can be accessed and manipulated directly within Dynamics 365 CE CRM, offering a seamless, integrated data management experience.

A great illustration of the relationship between Dataverse and Dynamics 365 CE CRM lies in our advanced warehouse scenario, which manufactures electronic parts for modern appliances, robots, and other advanced AI systems. Here, data is a crucial component. From tracking inventory and orders to managing shipments and returns, vast amounts of data need to be efficiently managed.

In this scenario, tables in Dataverse could store data about ‘Products,’ ‘Orders,’ ‘Inventory,’ ‘Shipments,’ and ‘Returns.’ Dynamics 365 CE CRM, through customized forms and views, can offer the warehouse team a user-friendly interface to interact with this data. And with the power of Dataverse, this data isn’t siloed within the CRM system. It can be easily integrated with other systems such as an ERP system, an eCommerce website, or IoT devices in the warehouse for real-time inventory tracking.

When it comes to extending the functionality beyond customization, Dynamics 365 CE CRM development steps in. For example, developers could create plugins to automate business processes, like automatically updating the inventory in Dataverse when a shipment is received or an order is fulfilled. Workflows could be developed to automate order processing or returns management. Custom reports could be designed to provide insights into inventory levels, sales trends, return rates, and more.

Integrations could also be coded to connect Dynamics 365 CE CRM and Dataverse with other systems. For instance, an integration with an eCommerce platform could automate the transfer of order data into the CRM, triggering the necessary workflows for order fulfillment. Similarly, an integration with IoT devices could enable real-time inventory updates in the CRM.

In this way, Microsoft Dataverse forms the data management backbone of Dynamics 365 CE CRM, enabling the customization and development capabilities that make Dynamics 365 CE CRM a powerful tool for any business or organization.

Being a Dynamics 365 CRM Developer is like being the architect of a business’s digital success. You get to shape the way businesses engage with their customers, facilitate their sales and service processes, and influence how data is managed and utilized. It’s an exciting journey that allows you to merge creativity with technical proficiency, resulting in solutions that are uniquely tailored to business needs.

An interesting aspect to note is the distinction between CRM and ERP. CRM, as mentioned earlier, stands for Customer Relationship Management. It’s all about managing customer interactions, enhancing sales operations, and bolstering customer service. ERP, on the other hand, stands for Enterprise Resource Planning, and it’s concerned with managing internal business processes such as finance, operations, and supply chain management. Both serve very important roles in the business ecosystem, but their functions are distinct.

Consider the Microsoft Dynamics suite. Here, Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CE) encompasses modules such as Sales, Customer Service, Field Service, and Project Service Automation (PSA). Each of these modules focuses on a different aspect of customer interaction and management. For instance, the Sales module empowers businesses to manage their sales pipeline effectively, while the Customer Service module helps them handle customer queries and issues efficiently.

On the ERP front, Dynamics 365 Business Central, Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain Management are the primary components there. The Business Central module of Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a comprehensive solution that is especially beneficial for small to medium-sized businesses. It helps manage finances, operations, sales, and customer service, all from one platform. On the other hand, Finance, Operations, and Supply Chain Management modules are tailored towards large enterprises that need to handle complex operations and processes on a grand scale.

Dynamics 365 as a whole is an evolution from Microsoft’s earlier products. Microsoft Dynamics AX, for instance, was a predecessor to the Finance and Operations module in Dynamics 365. Similarly, Dynamics NAV (or Navision, as it was previously known) served as a precursor to Dynamics 365 Business Central. With the advent of Dynamics 365, Microsoft consolidated these offerings into a unified platform that delivers a seamless, integrated experience.

Today, when we say Dynamics 365 CRM, it’s generally understood to mean the suite of Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement applications, primarily Sales and Customer Service. These modules are at the heart of Dynamics 365’s customer-centric solutions. They are designed to provide businesses with the tools they need to manage customer interactions, generate leads, close deals, and deliver exceptional customer service.

As a Dynamics 365 CRM CE Developer, you will be dealing with these modules, among others, tailoring them to meet the specific requirements of businesses. Your role is to customize and extend these applications, using your expertise in programming and Microsoft technologies, to create bespoke solutions that drive business success.

Your journey as a Dynamics 365 developer would be incomplete without diving into the Power Platform. As a Power Platform Developer, you get to leverage the capabilities of Power Apps, Power Automate, Power BI, and Power Virtual Agents to create low-code solutions that extend and enhance Dynamics 365 applications. The Exam PL-400: Microsoft Power Platform Developer is a key stepping stone in becoming a certified Power Platform developer, and Dynamics Edge PL-400 training July 2023 offerings for Power Platform developers may help get you there.

Gaining the Microsoft Certified: Power Platform Developer Associate certification will further establish your credibility as a skilled professional in this domain. The PL-400 exam tests your knowledge and skills in designing, developing, testing, securing, and troubleshooting Power Platform solutions. Importantly, it prepares you to create solutions that extend Dynamics 365 apps, making you an even more valuable asset to any Dynamics 365 project.

Let’s take a look at some practical examples to understand how this expertise plays out in the real world. Consider a large accounting firm. Here, Dynamics 365 Finance and Power BI can be leveraged to manage financial processes and provide powerful analytics. Your skills as a certified Power Platform developer with help from Dynamics 365 CRM developer training July 2023 can be invaluable in customizing the finance module and creating insightful dashboards with Power BI.

A small business, on the other hand, may benefit from Dynamics 365 Business Central to handle its accounting needs. Here, your role as a Dynamics 365 developer may involve customizing the Business Central module to cater to the business’s specific processes and workflows.

In an entertainment and sales scenario, Dynamics 365 Sales and Customer Service can be invaluable for managing customer interactions, tracking leads, and ensuring high-quality service. As a Dynamics 365 CRM developer, you may be called upon to tailor these modules to align with the business’s sales processes and service standards.

Similarly, for a field service use case, Dynamics 365 Field Service can be the game-changer. It can help manage field personnel, schedule service appointments, and track service performance. Your expertise as a Dynamics 365 CRM developer can help customize this module to meet the unique requirements of the field service operation.

Project Service Automation (PSA), another Dynamics 365 CE module, can be invaluable in managing projects, resources, and finances in a project-oriented business scenario. Here, your role as a Dynamics 365 CRM developer may involve configuring the PSA module to align with the project management methodologies and practices of the business. For more info check out our Dynamics 365 CRM CE training July 2023 offerings

In all these scenarios, the PL-400 certification is likely to be most beneficial in roles where the Power Platform’s capabilities are leveraged to extend and enhance Dynamics 365 applications. Whether it’s creating custom Power Apps, automating processes with Power Automate, creating powerful data visualizations with Power BI, or building intelligent chatbots with Power Virtual Agents, a certified Power Platform developer can make a significant difference.

One exciting development to watch out for is the update to the English language version of the PL-400 exam, scheduled for July 11, 2023. The changes are expected to reflect evolving trends and practices in Power Platform development, making the certification even more relevant and beneficial for aspiring Power Platform developers.

And now let’s touch upon the relevance of Dataverse in Dynamics 365 CE / CRM and Power Platform. Formerly known as Common Data Service, Dataverse is a low-code data platform provided by Microsoft. It underpins the data storage and management for Dynamics 365 and Power Platform applications. As a Dynamics 365 CRM developer or a Power Platform developer, understanding and leveraging Dataverse is integral to developing efficient and effective business solutions.

As a seasoned Dynamics 365 CRM developer, Power Platform developer, or someone aspiring to become one, the journey ahead is exciting with Power Platform developer training July 2023 options available with Dynamics Edge. The power to shape businesses’ digital strategies, influence their customer engagements, and drive their success lies in your hands. And with Microsoft’s continuous innovation and updates, the learning never stops. You are indeed in the driver’s seat of transforming the business landscape with Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the Power Platform. So, buckle up and enjoy the ride!