Problem Statement

We love custom views in Dynamics 365, but often face the challenge of integrating these views easily and effectively into the Site Map. Many times, we encounter the issue of only being able to specify a default view for a given table. With this solution, we can display custom views as separate menu items while maintaining user experience and clarity.

Possible Use Case

For example, if we want to track our projects by displaying ongoing and closed projects in separate menus, we can insert the URL of the views into the Site Map. Let’s go through this scenario:

       
• Create a custom view in the Project table that filters ongoing projects. The URL for this view is::https://**********.crm4.dynamics.com/main.aspx?appid=**************&pagetype=entitylist&etn=msdyn_project&view=5ba30ec3-a0f1-ee11-904b-000d3a64fb2d&viewType=1039

       
• Create a custom view in the Project table that filters closed projects. The URL for this view is::
         
  • https://**********.crm4.dynamics.com/main.aspx?appid=**************&pagetype=entitylist&etn=msdyn_project&view=2ce26bab-a1f1-ee11-904b-000d3a64fb2d&viewType=1039

Default Behavior

In the Site Map, if we select the URL type and insert the view’s URL, opening it from the app will open the view in a new tab, pointing to the default table of the view, and not staying in the specified Site Map menu item.

Goal

When clicking the newly created menu item in the Site Map, it should not open the view in a new window, nor jump to the Projects menu item. Instead, it should remain in the clicked menu and display the view in the currently open window.

Solution

In the Site Map, when adding the new URL type element, do not insert the entire URL copied when opening the view. Instead, insert only the part after "dynamics.com":

/main.aspx?appid=**************&pagetype=entitylist&etn=msdyn_project&view=2ce26bab-a1f1-ee11-904b-000d3a64fb2d&viewType=1039

User Interface After Publishing the Site Map

For ongoing projects:

We see that the menu item did not switch to a new tab, and the selection remained on the chosen menu. Note that this menu item also points to the msdyn_project table, but displays the view relevant to us.

For closed projects

We see that the menu item did not switch to a new tab, and the selection remained on the chosen menu. Note that this menu item also points to the msdyn_project table, but displays the view relevant to us.

Additional Thoughts

It’s important to understand that this solution can be applied not only to custom views but also to other Dynamics 365 objects. Imagine how much we can integrate into the application!

Practical Tips

       
• Remember to test the solution in different browsers and devices to ensure the application’s overall compatibility.
       
• Use custom icons or labels for the menu items to make the Site Map even easier to navigate.

These innovations can revolutionize our work in Dynamics 365, allowing us to work more efficiently and take full advantage of the application’s capabilities! If you have any questions, feel free to contact us!