[Update SEP 22] : A guide to the changes in Dynamics 365 Release Wave 2 2022

Last week we had a look at the changes that are coming to Business Central with Microsoft’s Release Wave 2, 2020 and now this week we have a look at what upcoming functionality you can expect from some of the other Dynamics 365 applications.

This is just a selection of the updates that are coming out, you can see the full release notes from Microsoft here.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales

Coming to Dynamics 365 Customer Service with Release Wave 2 2020:

See the full release notes

• Forecasting: Configure forecasting models that support more complex requirements, allowing you to use your own data to predict future performance through a number of fully customisable scenarios.
• Mobile: Sales has received a complete mobile refresh, allowing your sellers to work productively on-the-go. Easily complete common tasks like updating accounts and adding notes, as well as an improved search to help you get to the information quicker

• Usability: An improved data management experience helps eliminate data errors and duplication. Enhancements to email allow your sales teams to provide a consistent experience and view email correspondences without losing the context.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Service

Coming to Dynamics 365 Customer Service with Release Wave 2 2020:

See the full release notes

• Internet of Things: View real-time and historical IoT data to understand what action should be taken next when an alert is received.
• Knowledge Base: Easily view and edit content in the knowledge base and get search insights providing information about what content is used most and least.
• Emails: Send customers personalised, professional email templates with attached knowledge base articles and file attachments to aid with faster case resolution.
• Omnichannel Experience: Proactively reach out to customers using their preferred communication channel, access historical live chat transcripts and translate messages in real-tine to support international customers.
• Agents: Get automatic suggestions for knowledge articles and similar cases to improve resolution time and customer satisfaction.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service

Coming to Dynamics 365 Field Service with Release Wave 2 2020:

See the full release notes

• Insights: New dashboards providing Field Service metrics and measures to monitor KPIs with work order information capture to enable advanced reporting and utilise work order satisfaction forms to solicit feedback from customers.
• Asset Hierarchy: Model a customer’s physical space to build a location hierarchy and link your assets to a functional location, helping technicians easily pinpoint where to go when working at large sites such as a large office spaces or manufacturing facilities.
• Scheduling: Improvements have been made to the resource scheduling optimiser, allowing for automated schedule optimisation with skill-based technician matching, more accurate work duration & travel time predictions that are based on AI models and previous data.
• Mobile: Microsoft are moving from the legacy Field Service mobile app to one built on PowerApps. Capabilities have been added to increase technician efficiency, leverage Connected Field Service and accurately track technician times both online and offline.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Human Resources

Coming to Dynamics 365 Customer Service with Release Wave 2 2020:

See the full release notes

• Leave & Absence: Submit absence requests, view time-off balances and get manager approvals directly in Microsoft Teams & automatically see your absence requests in your Outlook calendar once they’re approved.

• Security: Integration with Azure Active Directory provides a single point that allows maintaining user accounts, security, and data access for all workers in Human Resources.
• LinkedIn Talent Hub: With the retirement of the Talent: Attract application, Human Resources has a seamless integration with LinkedIn Talent Hub to fill the gap in the applicant tracking system functionality. Streamlined integrations are also available for a wide range of third-party recruiting applications.
• Payroll: API Integrations can be built and used to provide the essential employee data necessary to use third-party payroll providers.

• Management: Enhanced automation for management providing a better understanding of the approval process, the state of new hires and position requests or making changes to existing employees or positions.
• Reporting: Providing the ability to create customized reports that combine data across human resources, finance, time, and other data is key to helping organizations make those critical business decisions.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Marketing

Coming to Dynamics 365 Marketing with Release Wave 2 2020:

See the full release notes

• Segments: Quickly and easily build complex segments using natural language rather than searching for specific attributes and logic.

• Social media: Create, manage and monitor social channels with a redesigned post creation and scheduling experience helping you optimise your social selling.

• Teams: With almost all events being hosted online now, this created a huge demand for digital channels, leading to Microsoft adding functionality to create and host live events using Microsoft Teams.

• Customer Journey: Utilise an enhanced customer journey canvas helping you create sophisticated, multistep campaigns with easy to follow paths providing a more intuitive and efficient user experience.

These updates are planned for release from October 2020; however, some features are available for early access so you may start seeing them soon.

If you’d like to learn more about Dynamics 365, please check out all the other content available throughout our website. Alternatively, if you’d like to see the solution in action please leave your details in the contact form below and we will get back to you to arrange a demo.