Views in Dynamics is best described as the format in which you want your data to display when listed. It decides which data is included and which is excluded, and it decides which columns of display what. Most often, you see Views when you select from a dropdown after choosing a specific Entity. An example is below where, after I have selected Matters, I need to choose which View of those Matters I want to see.

But what if I want to create my own View? Perhaps I want to see only Matters where I’m the Responsible Attorney and the current Balance is greater than a specific amount. Previously to now, you would have had to use the Advanced Find option to create this View. While this is still a valid way of solving this problem, and there is still a Guide for that process, linked here, Dynamics has made it much easier to create and save new, personalized Views.

This Guide will show how those features work, so let’s get to it!

First, start by going to the Entity on the left side of the screen for which you’d like to make a View. For our example, we’ll use the Matters Entity.

Next, decide what you’re wanting to look for. We’ll use the example listed above, and it helps to be able to write it out in a sentence.

I want to see all Matters where I am the Responsible Attorney and where the Balance is greater than $1000.

Once you’ve been able to define in a sentence exactly what you want, you’ll have an easier time creating it. Next, choose an existing View that’s the closest to what you want. I’ll go ahead and choose All Matters for my view, since it allows me to show more examples, but you may be able to find a more specific one.

Next, let’s add a Filtering Criteria. Start by clicking Edit Filters on the top right.

Here, you see all of the existing Filters. In our case, It’s very few, but you can add quite a few filters and create quite a complex list of criteria in order to return only the exact results that you want. Before I add anything, let’s discuss the difference between the three options here.

A Row is for adding a Criteria based on a field that is already part of this Entity or Record Type. So for example, adding Responsible Attorney will be a Row, because it’s part of the Entity at which I’m already looking. If, instead, I wanted to see all Matters where the Responsible Attorney was someone living in Ohio, I would need to add a related Entity and then find the Contact Info for that Attorney. It can be a little complex, so I suggest experimenting.

For our example, we’ll add a Row for Responsible Attorney, and set it to Equal me.

Then we’ll add another row for the Balance being greater than $1000.

Finally, click Apply at the bottom right and see the new results.

All of these Matters (only 1) meet the criteria that we just set!

Now that we have our results, we want to be able to see certain Data Points as well, and those are handled as Columns in your View. Columns contain the various bits of information that you think is the most important for accomplishing whatever you want your View to accomplish. To add more Columns or to remove existing Columns, click Edit Columns.

To remove existing Columns, simply click the Ellipses for a Column and choose Remove. You can also drag and drop them into different orders.

To add more Columns, click +Add Column on the top and choose what you need.

Once again, you’ll need to specify whether you want something related to the current Entity (in this case, Matter) or something related to a Related Entity (by clicking Related, at the top). You’ll want to experiment with different options. For me, I’m going to add the Total Balance.

Once finished, click Close at the bottom.

And then I’ll remove a bunch of unwanted Columns.

And then click Apply.

Now that we’ve created a new View, we may want to save it so that it’s accessible later. In that case, look at the top right of your ribbon (it may also be hiding in your ellipses options) for a drop-down next to Create View. Click it and find Save as New View.

Then give it a name and a description if necessary and click Save.

Now note that your View, the one you just made is in your list of available Views!

But what if you want someone else to see the View? In that case, you’ll still need to go into the old Advanced Find interface and do it there. Click here to be taken to a Guide on the Advanced Find interface and scroll down until you find the portion on Saving and Sharing.

Additionally, if you check the video above, I do show how to Share the View there.

And that’s it! Use this new method to create quick, easy-to-use Views for yourself and the other members of your firm!