Customer Engagement & Dynamics CRM Forum

Just reading other posts about this gives me anxiety!! I am also screaming (and crying!) mostly because I foresee an uproar when I have to announce my users will need to learn how to use CRM again (that's what they will hear anyway!). I try to be very optimistic when I give out not-so-great news like, "It's so much faster! You will love it! You just have to get used to the screen looking different."

We are currently using the 9.1 UI- and I'm still unsure where to even start to get things slowly going in the next few months to have myself set up for this change. I do have access to the 9.2 app just doesn't have everything loaded (some fields etc missing).

Can anyone provide me with the 'top 5 things' everyone should keep in mind when this "upgrade" happens? I am still a newbie and want to make sure I don't miss anything when we have to desert our beloved classic UI.

For instance, I know Contracts will be deprecated (why??) and replaced with Entitlements(what the heck is that?) my company uses Contracts so is there an easy way to convert this?

@Aaron Back I was looking over that link you sent the other day with all the upcoming changes. It was very helpful thank you!
​

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Heather L
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Hello Heather, 

From my experience user adoption for these types of navigational changes can take 3-6 months before you see productivity return to normal so the sooner you can get users on the UI the better. I remember CRM2011 to CRM2013 took almost a year for users to get comfortable but I don't see this transition as being as difficult as other UI changes mainly because the UI navigation, look and feel has been present in all of the office 365 products for a while especially Outlook.  

Here's a few things to consider: 

1. Plan your transition date now and a few months before cutoff. i.e., August 2020. 
   • I will transition all of my customers by June 2020...most have already started beta testing a few months back. 
2. Users can google and use both the UI APP and the Classic Web IU 
   • This will be good for your power/advance users.  
   • Use role base security to allow UI APP access to specific users. 

1. The image above is a demo sandbox has all of the bells and whistle but I just wanted to give you an idea of all of the CRM components that are now Unified APPs: Sales, Scheduling, Portals, etc and thousands of 3rd party apps in the app store. 
2. Also In the image above you will see (2) 1Staff Apps, the first is the classic UI which is a custom product solution and the 2nd is the new UI APP of the custom product solution.   
3. If you have a custom managed or un-managed solutions (they must be converted to UI model driven APPs) 
   • Create a new UI model driven app with a new un-managed solution in your developer sandbox to replace your existing web UI solution.  
   • Add all of your custom components to your new solution. 
   • All Main forms for custom entities must be created from new from within the unified solution and cannot be merged with old forms. 
   • Be sure to include all of the different form types (card forms, quickview forms, etc) for the standard entities because some are designed specifically for the UI and interactive experience. 
4. Create a beta group for testing and feedback, the sooner they can start using the UI the sooner they can conceptualize it's capabilities and communicate how their business processes can be improved. This will also help with change management and org readiness. 

------------------------------
Kevin McGill
CRM Consultant
Professional Advantage
London
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Sep 18, 2019 10:33 AM
From: Heather Laughlin
Subject: Goodbye Classic UI... best resources to cope with this change

Just reading other posts about this gives me anxiety!! I am also screaming (and crying!) mostly because I foresee an uproar when I have to announce my users will need to learn how to use CRM again (that's what they will hear anyway!). I try to be very optimistic when I give out not-so-great news like, "It's so much faster! You will love it! You just have to get used to the screen looking different."

We are currently using the 9.1 UI- and I'm still unsure where to even start to get things slowly going in the next few months to have myself set up for this change. I do have access to the 9.2 app just doesn't have everything loaded (some fields etc missing).

Can anyone provide me with the 'top 5 things' everyone should keep in mind when this "upgrade" happens? I am still a newbie and want to make sure I don't miss anything when we have to desert our beloved classic UI.

For instance, I know Contracts will be deprecated (why??) and replaced with Entitlements(what the heck is that?) my company uses Contracts so is there an easy way to convert this?

@Aaron Back I was looking over that link you sent the other day with all the upcoming changes. It was very helpful thank you!
​

------------------------------
Heather L
------------------------------

Original Message------

Hello Heather, 

From my experience user adoption for these types of navigational changes can take 3-6 months before you see productivity return to normal so the sooner you can get users on the UI the better. I remember CRM2011 to CRM2013 took almost a year for users to get comfortable but I don't see this transition as being as difficult as other UI changes mainly because the UI navigation, look and feel has been present in all of the office 365 products for a while especially Outlook.  

Here's a few things to consider: 

1. Plan your transition date now and a few months before cutoff. i.e., August 2020. 
   • I will transition all of my customers by June 2020...most have already started beta testing a few months back. 
2. Users can google and use both the UI APP and the Classic Web IU 
   • This will be good for your power/advance users.  
   • Use role base security to allow UI APP access to specific users. 

1. The image above is a demo sandbox has all of the bells and whistle but I just wanted to give you an idea of all of the CRM components that are now Unified APPs: Sales, Scheduling, Portals, etc and thousands of 3rd party apps in the app store. 
2. Also In the image above you will see (2) 1Staff Apps, the first is the classic UI which is a custom product solution and the 2nd is the new UI APP of the custom product solution.   
3. If you have a custom managed or un-managed solutions (they must be converted to UI model driven APPs) 
   • Create a new UI model driven app with a new un-managed solution in your developer sandbox to replace your existing web UI solution.  
   • Add all of your custom components to your new solution. 
   • All Main forms for custom entities must be created from new from within the unified solution and cannot be merged with old forms. 
   • Be sure to include all of the different form types (card forms, quickview forms, etc) for the standard entities because some are designed specifically for the UI and interactive experience. 
4. Create a beta group for testing and feedback, the sooner they can start using the UI the sooner they can conceptualize it's capabilities and communicate how their business processes can be improved. This will also help with change management and org readiness. 

------------------------------
Kevin McGill
CRM Consultant
Professional Advantage
London
------------------------------

Last summer we created two apps...

1. A "classic" app that is the existing/legacy interface
2. A "new" app that is the new unified interface

We rebuilt some of our forms for the "new" app as we wanted to take advantage of the tabs across the top as it offers a better user experience.  We have communicated and encouraged as many users as possible to use the new app so they can see what is coming.  This was difficult when a lot of functionality was missing but is much better now with the strides Microsoft has made in getting parity between both.  Over time we updated any links to our CRM system on our intranet site to launch directly into the new app.  Later this year we are going to make the new UI the default app that everyone will go to when they go to our URL, but we will still have the "classic" app available.  We have communicated this mutliple times so people won't be surprised and can proactively use the new interface now.  A lot of our users are only using the new unified interface and have gotten comfortable with it.  I realize there will be stragglers but this approach has allowed us to ease into it over time.

------------------------------
Shawn Hickey
Burns & McDonnell
Kansas City MO
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: Sep 18, 2019 04:20 PM
From: Heather Laughlin
Subject: Goodbye Classic UI... best resources to cope with this change

This is really helpful thank you so much!!

I will discuss with my IT guru as well, and hopefully we can get a plan in action!

 

Heather Laughlin   |   DBM

AFIMAC GLOBAL 1.800.554.4622 ext 7647 WWW.AFIMACGLOBAL.COM

This transmission contains information which may be confidential and which may also be privileged. It is intended for the named addressee only. Unless you are the named addressee, or authorized to receive it on behalf of the addressee you may not copy or use it, or disclose it to anyone else. If you have received this transmission in error please contact the sender. Thank you for your cooperation.

 

 

Original Message------

Hello Heather,

From my experience user adoption for these types of navigational changes can take 3-6 months before you see productivity return to normal so the sooner you can get users on the UI the better. I remember CRM2011 to CRM2013 took almost a year for users to get comfortable but I don't see this transition as being as difficult as other UI changes mainly because the UI navigation, look and feel has been present in all of the office 365 products for a while especially Outlook.

Here's a few things to consider:

1. Plan your transition date now and a few months before cutoff. i.e., August 2020. 
   • I will transition all of my customers by June 2020...most have already started beta testing a few months back. 
2. Users can google and use both the UI APP and the Classic Web IU 
   • This will be good for your power/advance users.  
   • Use role base security to allow UI APP access to specific users. 

1. The image above is a demo sandbox has all of the bells and whistle but I just wanted to give you an idea of all of the CRM components that are now Unified APPs: Sales, Scheduling, Portals, etc and thousands of 3rd party apps in the app store. 
2. Also In the image above you will see (2) 1Staff Apps, the first is the classic UI which is a custom product solution and the 2nd is the new UI APP of the custom product solution.   
3. If you have a custom managed or un-managed solutions (they must be converted to UI model driven APPs) 
   • Create a new UI model driven app with a new un-managed solution in your developer sandbox to replace your existing web UI solution.  
   • Add all of your custom components to your new solution. 
   • All Main forms for custom entities must be created from new from within the unified solution and cannot be merged with old forms. 
   • Be sure to include all of the different form types (card forms, quickview forms, etc) for the standard entities because some are designed specifically for the UI and interactive experience. 
4. Create a beta group for testing and feedback, the sooner they can start using the UI the sooner they can conceptualize it's capabilities and communicate how their business processes can be improved. This will also help with change management and org readiness. 

------------------------------
Kevin McGill
CRM Consultant
Professional Advantage
London
------------------------------

Hi Heather.

I understand your frustrations and concerns concerning user adoption after system updates or new integrated systems. To get all your user on-boarded quick and painless I suggest you take look at the ClickLearn software - The software the company provides is the best and fastest way to ensure rapid user adoption. 

I will add that I DO work here and is thus biased!
But it really believe it could be a great tool for what you need. Just wanted to let you know that there is a software out there that could help. But take a look for yourself.  www.clicklearn.com

It creates user instructions, e-learning and process videos for business software. just go through your process ones and ClickLearn will instantly produce 8 different learning formats: written instructions in HTML, Word and PDF, full-screen PowerPoint presentation, digitally narrated videos, 2 interactive learning videos and a digital assistant that guides the user on-screen in the live system.  Automated written and narrated support in +45 languages. On top of that ClickLearn auto-upgrades all your learning materials to newer or changed product versions with a click of a button.

Cheer
/Rasmus

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Rasmus Abrahamsen
Marketing Manager
ClickLearn
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