Solutions: Web Resources in VB.NET

Generation QR in VB.NET Solutions: Web Resources

Summary

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 allows you to deploy static or browser-processed files directly to the application. As a result, you have the ability to programmatically extend Microsoft Dynamics CRM without the overhead of significant installation and configuration steps. Further, by deploying files directly within Microsoft Dynamics CRM, you can now extend more complex scenarios with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online.

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In this chapter: Understanding the Application Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modifying the Site Map . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Form Navigation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Modifying the Ribbon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401 405 424 425 437

In previous chapters, you learned how to customize the system by creating and modifying entities, forms, views, relationships. Further, you learned how to extend system functionality with web resources. In this chapter, we demonstrate how to customize the Microsoft Dynamics CRM navigation and ribbon actions. We ll discuss how you use the Microsoft Dynamics CRM site map to customize and revise the application user interface, as well as introduce the ribbon controls you can use to surface custom functionality.

We ve already discussed some of the entity customization features in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, so you should have a good idea of the power and flexibility you have for customizing your system. Depending on your business requirements, chances are you ll find yourself creating several custom entities in your Microsoft Dynamics CRM system. Simple deployments might use just a few custom entities, but a complex deployment might contain over 100 custom entities. Regardless of the level of complexity in your system, you should understand how Microsoft Dynamics CRM displays your custom entities. By default, Microsoft Dynamics CRM adds custom entities to the user interface and site navigation in the order in which you create them, listing the first custom entity at the top. In addition, Microsoft Dynamics CRM lists the custom entities under the Extensions group in the navigation pane. Given the robust tools to customize entities, forms, fields, views, charts, and more in the preceding chapters, it probably comes as no surprise that Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides

several options for configuring how users access entities and navigate the application. Microsoft Dynamics CRM allows you to customize the following navigation controls:

Site map Entity navigation pane Application ribbon Entity grid ribbon Entity sub-grid ribbon Entity form ribbon

As you can see, you have as much flexibility to customize the navigation controls as you do the other areas of the application. Further, Microsoft Dynamics CRM also provides a Personalize Workplace feature that allows users to customize the groups that appear in their Workplace areas. Before we discuss each navigation control, let s review the terminology for the screen region names in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Figure 12-1 shows the primary application screen regions, Figure 12-2 shows the entity record screen regions, and Figure 12-3 shows the entity record screen with a sub-grid selected.