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Spring '14 Wave Update on New Feature: Timer Control

Post Author: Joe D365 |

In the Spring '14 Wave, Timer Control was created so that it can easily be placed in any custom entity form or customizable out of the box form. Timer Control give users a visual indication of where the case is in relation to the SLA (Service Level Agreement) goal. You can place a timer of the actual countdown on the case form to warn users of approaching/breached SLA's, you can also use this to trigger a warning condition to escalation for items at risk and deadline monitoring.The SLAs are configurable to your requirements that you want and provide. You would see how many hours/minutes/seconds is remaining or if it is exceeding the specified time/date field.

Where can you use it?

  • Microsoft Dynamics CRM web application
  • Microsoft Dynamics CRM Office Outlook
  • Currently not available for CRM for Tablets
  • Mobility: Android version is set to be released to support Windows 8.1 and iOS 7

 

How Does It Work?

The value Timer Control uses is date/time field. There are three Option Set values to help you see if you met the deadline or not and you can have many Timer Controls in one form for different date/time fields.

Know Your Limitations

  • You can only add the timer to the body.
  • It works best on forms because it is not a field, which means, it can' be added to CRM views.
  • Each Timer Control is bound to a set of fields.

 

Let's get started

Make sure you have everything you need:

  • Required fields you plan to use and created.
  • Know where you will place the Controller on the form.
  • Once the Timer Control is on the form, select the associated date/time field and configure the conditions (Required).

 

Let's Begin…

[Note: First Response By and Customer Contacted fields were created for the example below.]

  1. In Microsoft Dynamics CRM, navigate to Settings>Customizations>Customize the System.Spring '14 Wave Update on New Feature: Timer Control (Case Timer)
  2. Select Forms from the entity you want to add Timer Control > select Information form (Form Type: Main).
  3. Highlight on the form where you want to insert the Timer. A blue outline will appear when you made a selection. (You can drag and drop the Timer if you decide to move it).
  4. Select Insert tab > Timer.

Spring '14 Wave Update on New Feature: Timer Control (Case Timer)

6.  Fill in Timer Control window and select OK.
Spring '14 Wave Update on New Feature: Timer Control (Case Timer)

7.  Drag and drop fields to the form: First Response By, Customer Contacted, Is Escalated, and Status Reason.

8.  Select Save and Publish.

Spring '14 Wave Update on New Feature: Timer Control (Case Timer)

Now to test it. Go to your CRM…

  1. Refresh the browser and go to the entity you have chosen to add the Timer Control.
  2. Create a New record.
  3. Notice the Timer Control displays Not Set.

 

Spring '14 Wave Update on New Feature: Timer Control (Case Timer)

4.  Name your record and in the First Response By field, set the value to 15 min greater than the current date/time.

5.  Select Save.

Can you see what happened? Look at First Response By field again. You will see the Timer Control is showing a decreasing number of hours, minutes, and seconds.

Spring '14 Wave Update on New Feature: Timer Control (Case Timer)

If you let the time exceed the time limit, the Timer Control will display with red text and begin increasing to show the time since the First Response By date/time value.

Spring '14 Wave Update on New Feature: Timer Control (Case Timer)

What will happen if you change the values in the other fields?

 

Customer Contact to Yes, the status will change to say Succeeded.

Spring '14 Wave Update on New Feature: Timer Control (Case Timer)

Is Escalated to Yes, the Timer Control displays in yellow.

Spring '14 Wave Update on New Feature: Timer Control (Case Timer)

    Status Reason to Canceled. The Timer Control displays Canceled.

Spring '14 Wave Update on New Feature: Timer Control (Case Timer)

VOILA!

Now you can create a Timer Control on your forms and be able to automate a countdown for anything you need it for!! This function will be great for any scenario that you will need to make sure it is being handled. The visual tool will trigger warning condition to escalations for items at risk and deadline monitoring.

If you are interested in the new case functionality, and other Spring 2014 Wave features, PowerObjects blog has you covered, check out our Install Spring ’14 Wave blog post to learn how to update ones CRM, and be sure to visit the general PowerObjects Blog page for resources regarding previous case functionality as well as other new features of Spring 2014 Wave.


Joe CRM
By Joe D365
Joe D365 is a Microsoft Dynamics 365 superhero who runs on pure Dynamics adrenaline. As the face of PowerObjects, Joe D365’s mission is to reveal innovative ways to use Dynamics 365 and bring the application to more businesses and organizations around the world.

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