In Microsoft Dynamics 365 and the broader Power Platform, users often need to retrieve specific records from a vast dataset quickly and effectively. This is where Advanced Find and Views come in. These tools are essential for querying and visualizing data in a way that supports business processes and enables efficient decision-making.
In this article, we will explore Advanced Find and Views in-depth, covering their functionality, use cases, best practices, and the differences between them. By the end, you’ll have a comprehensive understanding of how these features work and how they can benefit your organization.
What Is Advanced Find?
Definition
Advanced Find is a powerful tool in Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Dataverse (the underlying platform) that allows users to query data based on complex, multi-criteria filters. It enables users to create custom queries that can be saved, shared, and even used to create dashboards and reports. Advanced Find is used to retrieve records based on any combination of fields, relationships, and conditions in the system.
Key Features of Advanced Find
- Filter Criteria: Users can apply multiple filters based on fields, conditions, and values.
- Relationships: It allows you to include data from related entities and apply filters across those relationships.
- Saved Queries: Queries can be saved for reuse and shared with others, ensuring consistency in reporting and filtering.
- Export Capabilities: Results can be exported to Excel, making it easy to perform additional analysis or share the data with others.
- Grouping and Sorting: Users can group results by specific fields and sort them in ascending or descending order.
- Real-Time Results: Queries are executed in real-time, and results are displayed immediately, making it easy to adjust criteria on the fly.
How Does Advanced Find Work?
When using Advanced Find, the user starts by selecting an entity (e.g., Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities) and then defines the filters based on the fields available for that entity. For example, you could create a query to find Contacts in a specific Region or Opportunities with a close date in the next 30 days.
Once the query is defined, users can preview the results before saving or exporting them. Advanced Find also supports logical operators like “AND” and “OR”, giving users great flexibility in defining complex queries.
What Are Views?
Definition
Views are predefined or custom views into records that are displayed in a list format within Microsoft Dynamics 365 or Power Apps. A view represents a set of records filtered and organized according to specific criteria, and it can be used to display records in a grid. Views are essential for users to interact with data on a daily basis.
Types of Views
- System Views: These are predefined views provided by the system. Examples include “Active Accounts,” “Closed Opportunities,” and “My Open Cases.”
- Personal Views: These are views that users create for their personal use. Personal views allow users to tailor the way they interact with data, making it more efficient for their unique roles and responsibilities.
- Public Views: These views are created by users with administrative privileges and shared across the organization. Public views are often used for company-wide reporting or specific workflows.
- Advanced Views: Views that are customized with advanced filtering, sorting, and grouping to create more sophisticated data perspectives.
Key Features of Views
- Custom Columns: Views allow users to select and display the columns that are most relevant to their needs. These columns can be added or removed depending on the user’s requirements.
- Sorting and Filtering: Like Advanced Find, views support sorting by fields and applying basic filters to the displayed records.
- Customization: Users can create custom views, define the criteria, and control the display layout, which makes it adaptable to various business needs.
- Shared Views: Views can be shared with other users to ensure that everyone is working with the same set of data.
Differences Between Advanced Find and Views
1. Purpose
- Advanced Find is mainly used for creating complex, multi-condition queries to retrieve specific data. It is primarily a querying tool for retrieving data that is not readily available in standard views.
- Views are used to display data in a predefined or custom format. They provide users with an ongoing snapshot of data relevant to their job function and are used on a daily basis to interact with records.
2. Complexity
- Advanced Find allows users to create much more sophisticated queries, including the ability to search across related entities, apply multiple conditions, and sort/group data.
- Views, while customizable, are more straightforward and typically involve selecting filters and columns for a simpler, consistent presentation of data.
3. Use Case
- Advanced Find is best suited for creating one-off queries or performing ad hoc analysis. It is a great tool for data exploration, reporting, and exporting results.
- Views are best for regular data consumption. They provide users with a consistent way of viewing data that is automatically filtered based on predefined criteria.
4. Saving and Sharing
- Both Advanced Find and Views can be saved, but Advanced Find allows you to create saved queries that can be shared with others.
- Views can be shared and used across the organization, with system administrators able to create and manage public views.
Use Cases for Advanced Find and Views
Use Case 1: Sales Opportunity Tracking
In a Sales department, users can use Advanced Find to create custom queries to track sales opportunities. For example, a query could be created to find all Opportunities that are open, assigned to a specific salesperson, and have an expected close date within the next 30 days. The results can be exported into Excel for further analysis or used for dashboard reporting.
On the other hand, a view like My Open Opportunities might display a list of opportunities assigned to the current user, with a set of fields that are relevant for day-to-day management, like Opportunity Name, Estimated Revenue, and Close Date. This view can be used repeatedly by salespeople to monitor their pipeline.
Use Case 2: Customer Support Case Resolution
A Customer Service team may use Advanced Find to identify all open cases that are over 7 days old and are assigned to a specific support team. This would allow the team to focus on older cases that may need more urgent attention. In contrast, a view such as Active Cases might provide customer service agents with a list of cases that are currently open, along with key details such as the priority, status, and customer name.
Use Case 3: Marketing Campaign Performance
For a Marketing team, Advanced Find can be used to find all leads generated from a specific campaign that have not been followed up within the last week. The results can be exported to Excel for further segmentation and follow-up planning. Meanwhile, a view such as My Leads might allow a marketing manager to keep track of leads assigned to the team, showcasing fields like Lead Source, Lead Status, and Campaign.
Best Practices for Using Advanced Find and Views
Best Practices for Advanced Find
- Define Specific Criteria: When using Advanced Find, ensure that you define specific and relevant search criteria to avoid retrieving too much data.
- Save Queries: If you frequently perform the same query, save it for reuse. This can save you time and ensure that the same logic is applied each time.
- Use Advanced Filters: Leverage advanced filters like OR conditions to broaden the scope of your query or narrow it down to exactly what you need.
- Export Data for Analysis: Use the export feature to send your results to Excel for further analysis or reporting.
Best Practices for Views
- Create Personal Views for Efficiency: Create personal views that filter out unnecessary data, making it easier to focus on the most relevant records for your role.
- Standardize Public Views: Establish a set of public views that are shared across teams or departments, ensuring consistency in the way data is displayed across the organization.
- Optimize Views for Performance: Avoid creating views with too many filters or complex queries that could slow down performance. Keep views simple and efficient.