The Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement platform (previously known as Microsoft Dynamics CRM) streamlines business processes and enhances customer relationships. Users can access various functionalities and modules within Dynamics CRM through the sitemap, a key feature of the application. Although the default sitemap serves most organizations well, customizing the sitemap is sometimes necessary to align with unique business requirements. The purpose of this article is to guide you through the process of creating a custom sitemap for your Microsoft Dynamics CRM application.
Step 1: Understand Your Business Requirements
Before diving into the customization process, it is crucial to have a clear understanding of your organization’s business processes and user needs. Identify the specific areas, entities, and functionalities that need to be highlighted in the navigation to improve user productivity and experience.
Step 2: Access the Sitemap Customization Tools
In Microsoft Dynamics CRM, the sitemap can be customized using the built-in customization tools. To access these tools, you need to have the necessary administrative privileges in the CRM system. Here’s how you can access the sitemap customization feature:
- Log in to your Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement application with administrative credentials.
- Navigate to the “Settings” menu from the top-right corner and select “Customizations.”
- In the Customization window, click on “Customize the System.”
Step 3: Enter the Sitemap Designer
Once inside the customization area, click on “Client Extensions” in the left navigation pane, and then click on “Sitemap.” This will open the Sitemap Designer, allowing you to customize the navigation structure of your CRM app.
Step 4: Add Areas, Groups, Entities, and Subareas
The Sitemap Designer presents a hierarchical view of the existing sitemap, and from here, you can add new areas, groups, entities, and subareas, or modify existing ones. Let’s look at each of these components:
a. Areas: Start by creating new areas to represent major sections of your CRM app, such as Sales, Marketing, Service, etc. You can also rename or remove default areas if needed.
b. Groups: Within each area, you can create groups to organize related entities or subareas. For example, under the Sales area, you might have groups like Leads, Opportunities, and Accounts.
c. Entities: Add the individual business objects or data entities that users interact with, such as Contacts, Accounts, Cases, etc.
d. Subareas: For each entity, create subareas to represent specific functionalities or views. For instance, for the “Accounts” entity, you could have subareas like “Active Accounts,” “Inactive Accounts,” etc.
Step 5: Arrange and Customize the Sitemap
After adding the necessary components, arrange them in the desired order to optimize user navigation. Drag and drop areas, groups, entities, and subareas to the appropriate locations in the sitemap. Customize the icons and titles to make the navigation more visually appealing and intuitive for users.
Step 6: Save and Publish the Custom Sitemap
Once you have designed your custom sitemap, click on the “Save” button to save your changes. After saving, click on the “Publish” button to apply the custom sitemap to your CRM app.
Creating a custom sitemap for your Microsoft Dynamics CRM app enables you to tailor the navigation structure to match your organization’s unique business processes and user needs. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can design an intuitive and user-friendly sitemap that enhances the user experience and boosts productivity. Remember to thoroughly test your custom sitemap before deploying it to your production environment to ensure a seamless experience for all CRM users. With a well-designed custom sitemap, you can unlock the full potential of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement and empower your team to achieve greater success.