Fixing Unified Interface Problems in Dynamics 365 Sales: A Troubleshooting Guide

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This guide is designed to assist you in identifying and resolving common issues encountered within the Unified Interface of Dynamics 365 Sales. The Unified Interface is a modern, responsive design that provides an optimal viewing and interaction experience for any screen size, device, or orientation. While designed for improved user experience, you might occasionally face certain challenges. This article will walk you through a specific problem related to entity editability and provide a step-by-step solution to get you back on track.

Issue: Entities Appear as Read-Only in Unified Interface Apps¶

One frequently reported issue in Dynamics 365 Sales Unified Interface applications is the unexpected behavior of entities, both standard out-of-the-box entities and custom-built entities, appearing as read-only. Users report that while these entities function correctly and are fully editable within the legacy web client interface, the same entities become inexplicably read-only when accessed through applications built on the Unified Interface, such as the Sales Hub app. Furthermore, users may notice that certain standard buttons and functionalities that are normally available on entity forms are also missing or unavailable within the Unified Interface. This discrepancy in behavior between the legacy web client and the Unified Interface can disrupt workflows and hinder user productivity.

This issue can be particularly confusing because users might assume that data access or security roles are the cause, especially if they have recently made changes to user permissions. However, in many cases, the root cause lies within the customization settings of the entity itself, specifically a setting related to its behavior within the Unified Client. Understanding the potential cause and the precise steps to rectify this situation is crucial for maintaining a smooth and efficient Dynamics 365 Sales environment.

Cause: Read-only Setting in Unified Client¶

The primary reason for entities unexpectedly becoming read-only in Unified Interface applications stems from a specific configuration setting within the entity’s customization properties. Dynamics 365 allows administrators and customizers to define how entities behave across different client types. Within these settings, there is an option that explicitly controls whether an entity should be treated as read-only specifically within the Unified Client environment.

If this “Read-only in Unified Client” setting is inadvertently enabled or incorrectly configured for an entity, it will override the standard editability permissions and render the entity as read-only when accessed through any Unified Interface application. This setting is independent of the entity’s behavior in the legacy web client, which explains why users might find the entity editable in the older interface but not in the new Unified Interface. Therefore, when troubleshooting read-only entity issues in Unified Interface apps, checking this specific setting should be a primary step in the diagnostic process. It’s important to remember that customizations, while powerful, can sometimes introduce unexpected behavior if not carefully managed.

Resolution: Steps to Re-enable Entity Editability¶

To restore the editability of entities within your Dynamics 365 Sales Unified Interface applications, you need to navigate to the customization settings for the affected entity and adjust the “Read-only in Unified Client” option. The following step-by-step guide will walk you through the process:

1. Access Advanced Settings: Begin by navigating to the Settings area within your Dynamics 365 Sales application. You can typically find the Settings icon, which often resembles a gear or cog, in the application navigation bar. Click on this icon and then select Advanced Settings from the dropdown menu. This action will open the legacy Business Management settings page in a new browser tab. It’s important to note that while you are working with the Unified Interface, some customization settings are still managed within this classic interface.

   

2. Navigate to Customizations: On the Business Management page, locate the navigation bar. Within this navigation bar, click on Settings again. From the expanded menu, select Customizations. This will take you to the main Customization area where you can manage and modify your Dynamics 365 system’s configurations.

   

3. Customize the System: Within the Customization page, you will see various options. Select Customize the System. This action will open the Solution Explorer, which is the primary tool for managing and customizing your Dynamics 365 environment. The Solution Explorer provides access to all customizable components of your system, including entities, forms, views, and more.

   

4. Locate the Entity: In the Solution Explorer window, look for the Components section in the left-hand navigation pane. Expand the Entities node within Components. This will display a list of all entities in your Dynamics 365 system, both out-of-the-box and custom entities. Scroll through the list or use the search functionality to find and select the specific entity that is exhibiting the read-only behavior in your Unified Interface application.

   

5. Access General Settings: Once you have selected the problematic entity, you will see its properties and settings in the main pane of the Solution Explorer. Click on the General tab. The General tab contains core settings for the entity, including display names, ownership, and importantly, settings related to Outlook & Mobile and Unified Client behavior.

   

6. Clear the Read-only Checkbox: Within the General tab, locate the section labeled Outlook & Mobile. Under this section, you will find the option Read-only in Unified Client. If the entity is currently read-only in your Unified Interface app, this checkbox will likely be selected (checked). To resolve the issue, clear this checkbox by clicking on it to unselect it.

   

7. Save and Publish: After clearing the Read-only in Unified Client checkbox, it is crucial to save your changes and publish the customizations. In the Solution Explorer toolbar, click the Save icon to save the changes you made to the entity. Then, click Publish All Customizations. Publishing ensures that your changes are applied to the Dynamics 365 organization and are reflected in the Unified Interface applications. Publishing can take a few minutes to complete, depending on the extent of customizations in your system.

   

8. Refresh the App: Finally, after publishing is complete, navigate back to your Sales Hub app or the specific Unified Interface application where you were experiencing the issue. Perform a hard refresh of your browser window. This can usually be done by pressing Ctrl + F5 or Shift + F5 (depending on your browser) to clear the browser cache and ensure you are loading the latest version of the application with the newly published customizations.

   

After completing these steps, the entity should now be editable within your Unified Interface application. All standard out-of-the-box actions and functionalities should be available, and users should be able to create, modify, and interact with records of this entity as expected within the Unified Interface. If the issue persists, it’s recommended to review other potential causes, such as security role configurations or form customizations, but in many cases, this “Read-only in Unified Client” setting is the root of the problem.

Diagram of Resolution Steps

mermaid graph LR A[Start] --> B{Access Advanced Settings}; B --> C{Navigate to Customizations}; C --> D{Customize the System}; D --> E{Locate the Entity}; E --> F{Access General Settings}; F --> G{Clear Read-only Checkbox}; G --> H{Save and Publish}; H --> I{Refresh the App}; I --> J[End: Entity Editable];

This diagram visually represents the steps outlined above, providing a quick overview of the resolution process.

By following these steps, you can effectively troubleshoot and resolve the common issue of entities appearing as read-only in Dynamics 365 Sales Unified Interface applications, ensuring a seamless and productive user experience. Remember to always publish customizations after making changes to ensure they are applied system-wide.

Do you have any other questions or issues related to Dynamics 365 Sales Unified Interface that you’d like to discuss? Feel free to leave a comment below!