In the dynamic field of service management, efficiency, accuracy, and streamlined processes are key. The new work order experience in Dynamics 365 Field Service, introduced in the 2023 release wave 2 (release plan), offers a refreshed user interface that revolutionizes work order creation, management, and scheduling. We’ve continued to refine and add new features based on your feedback, and starting wave 1 2024, the new experience will be the default for all organizations (release plan). 

What Is the New Work Order Experience?  

The new work order experience is a complete revamp of the existing work order management system within Dynamics 365 Field Service. It simplifies the entire lifecycle of work orders, easing seamless collaboration among service managers, technicians, and dispatchers. Here are the key features: 

1. Experience the power of Copilot: Achieving operational excellence and building customer trust are paramount for organizations. Copilot, your companion in this journey, provides a summary of the current work order to help you get up to speed quickly. The contextually aware booking card suggests next steps, making the transition from incoming work to completed work smoother.
2. Streamlined forms: The new work order form features visually appealing layouts with fields that can be quickly updated, reducing clicks by up to 39%. Say goodbye to cumbersome data entry and hello to efficiency.
3. Enhanced Work Order List: The revamped work order list lets you understand what’s most important to you by introducing visuals to denote work order status, priority, and booked resources. Common actions are readily accessible inline or through the all-new side pane, dropping the need to open a full form for minor updates.

Let’s explore each of these capabilities in more detail.

Overview of the new experience

Work Order Grid

We’ve rebuilt the work order grid from the ground up to increase performance and enable new capabilities such as inline editing of commonly changed fields like priority. We’ve enhanced the visual appeal of the status field and recently added the ability to see booked resources too. You can now configure whether you want just the work order ID or all linked entities to be clickable in the grid. Lastly, we’ve built inline actions and introduced a side pane for quick edits within the flow of work. 

Work Order Form

We’ve updated the work order form to reflect how most organizations manage their work from start to finish. The most vital information is now in the General tab, we’ve merged billable work into a unified Products and Services section, we’ve grouped tasks and inspections under Tasks, and we’ve pulled all reference materials – such as knowledge articles, Dynamics 365 Guides, and timeline media – into the References tab.

General

We reorganized the general tab into a two-column setup for improved readability and better usability, focusing on the most essential information for service organizations. These enhancements are designed to make your daily tasks smoother and more efficient, based on user feedback and telemetry. Key improvements include: 

• Copilot summary: Copilot helps you quickly catch up on work details and suggests next steps based on the work order status.
• Contextually-aware booking card: This card is an evolution of the business process flow in Field Service, guiding you through the process of moving a work order from unscheduled to completed effortlessly.
• Asset card redesign: Set and view primary assets, along with any assets linked to products or services, with improved visualization and navigation of the asset hierarchy.
• Revamped location card: Easily pinpoint where work needs to be done on a map, with an enhanced visualization of functional locations using a hierarchical breadcrumb.
• Modernized contact card: Introduction of profile cards for detailed information on issue reporters and primary account contacts, facilitating easy communication via email, call, or Teams message.
• Improved priority field: Features color-coded priority indicators for better understanding of emerging priorities.
• Unified Status and Sub-status Field: Select both status and sub-status from a single field, with new color indicators for quick visual reference. 
• Timeline notes counter: Quickly check if there are any linked notes in the timeline, reducing the need to access the full timeline experience within the general tab.
• Simplified action bar: Streamlined interface with commonly used actions, reducing clutter and focusing on essential functions.

Products and Services

We’ve unified the Product and Services into a single tab, with a unified summary of financials atop it. Service managers can easily switch between the products and services view, make changes to used inventory and services inline, and open the side pane for more detailed changes. 

Tasks

The tasks section captures the steps that need to be done to complete the work. A summary card keeps count of scheduled vs. completed tasks and duration. You can also visualize if a tasks includes linked items to help technicians complete their work with Dynamics 365 Guides or capture their work result with inspections.

Reference

You can now find all your references in a unified experience that includes knowledge articles that capture fixes or known issues for commonly encountered issues, Dynamics 365 Guides that are linked to tasks, and media that has been attached to the timeline.

Side Panes

The introduction of the side panes is one of the biggest changes in the redesigned work order experience. Side panes allow you to see more details or make minor tweaks to related content in the context of your work. From being able to make tweaks to work order instructions from the work order grid, to updating product inventory financial data in a form, side panes keep you productive. Side panes are available in the work order grid, products and services grids, tasks grids, and when opening related items such as assets.

Transitioning to the new experience

Embracing change can be daunting, but the benefits are worth it. Starting wave 1 2024, the new experience will be the default for all organizations. There are several reasons why organizations should consider transitioning to the new experience starting now:

1. Stay ahead: The field service industry is evolving rapidly. By adopting the new work order experience, you position your organization at the forefront of innovation.
2. Future-proof your processes: Microsoft’s commitment to continuous improvement means that the new experience will evolve further. Be part of that journey.
3. Training and support: Microsoft provides resources to help you transition smoothly. We’ve invested in robust documentation to guide you and your organization through the process.

Next Steps

The new work order experience in Dynamics 365 Field Service isn’t just an upgrade—it’s a leap forward. Embrace it, empower your team, and elevate your field service operations. Efficiency, collaboration, and customer satisfaction await!

Ready to take the plunge? Start your journey today to ensure your organization stays competitive and prepared for the future of field service management. Explore the official documentation to get started, download our adoption playbook to aid you in the deployment process, and don’t forget to share your feedback using the Feedback button in the app header. Together, we’re shaping the future of field service management.

The post Introducing the new Work Order Experience in Dynamics 365 Field Service appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

The potential for AI at work is practically endless—and understanding how your teams can accomplish more with generative AI is more important than ever. Every day, more companies are turning to AI features to help their employees work more efficiently, provide positive customer experiences faster, and stand out among competitors.  

Join us on Wednesday, April 10, 2024

See what’s new at the Microsoft Business Applications Launch Event

Register now

Redefine what’s possible with AI 

Join Microsoft product leaders and engineers on April 10, 2024, for an in-depth look at the latest AI features and capabilities in Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Power Platform. You’ll learn how advances in AI and Microsoft Copilot can help you connect teams, processes, and data, and respond to changing business needs with greater agility—and see how organizations across several industries already take advantage of the newest AI features to streamline business processes and accelerate low-code development.  

Register now to see key presentations from Microsoft leaders, including:  

• Business Applications Launch Event—2024 release wave 1. Charles Lamanna, Microsoft Corporate Vice President of Business Applications and Platforms, will provide opening remarks and shed light on the strategy and vision behind new Copilot and core platform capabilities in 2024 release wave 1. 

• Amplifying contact centers and field service operations with AI. Jeff Comstock, Corporate Vice President, Dynamics 365 Customer Service, will share how Copilot is transforming the customer service landscape, boosting efficiency, reducing training costs, and ultimately delivering exceptional experiences for agents, frontline workers, and customers.  

• Streamline sales and marketing with Copilot. Lori Lamkin, Corporate Vice President, Dynamics 365 Sales and Marketing, will discuss how sellers can close more deals by optimizing sales and marketing strategies and increasing productivity. 

That’s just a small sample of what we’ve got planned. You’ll also hear directly from other Microsoft leaders about their vision for AI, customer service, and operations, and get timely tips on how to use these new technologies to take on your business’ toughest challenges. If you have questions about new AI features, how Copilot experiences work, or what’s new in low-code tools, take advantage of the live Q&A chat with Microsoft experts throughout the event. 

Explore new AI features and capabilities for Dynamics 365 

We’re excited to share the latest AI features for Dynamics 365 spanning across end-to-end customer experiences, sales, finance, supply chain, commerce, and other areas. Here are just a few of the new features in 2024 release wave 1: 

• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales features include recommended content for documents, insights from past successful deals, and summaries of account details—including customer buying behavior, recent activity, and more.   
• Microsoft Copilot for Sales helps teams deliver more seamless experiences within Microsoft Teams and Outlook. New features include suggested updates to customer relationship management (CRMs) systems as sellers work and suggested responses based on customer questions across platforms. 
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Insights empowers every organization to unify and enhance customer data, using it for insightful analysis and intelligent actions. New features now make it easier and faster to ingest and manage data, while AI enables quick insights and easier access to analytics. 
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance includes more autonomous finance features, building intelligence, automation, and analytics around every business process. This release adds AI-powered experiences to ease setup of financial dimension defaulting. 

See what AI can do for you  

Microsoft customers are already doing amazing things with the new AI features in Dynamics 365, and we can’t wait to inspire you with their stories. Register now and join us to see what’s new in the 2024 release wave 1.   

Microsoft Business Applications launch event  

Wednesday, April 10, 2024  

9:00–10:30 AM Pacific Time (UTC-7)

The post Explore the next wave of AI innovation at the Microsoft Business Applications Launch Event appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

End of support for Project Service Automation (PSA 3.x)

In April 2022, November 2022 and April 2023 release waves we announced the availability of the first, second and third and final phase of upgrade experiences from Dynamics 365 Project Service Automation to Dynamics 365 Project Operations. With the third and final phase of upgrade experiences, it is now possible to upgrade projects of any size to Project Operations.  Today, we are announcing the deprecation of Dynamics 365 Project Service Automation or PSA 3.x.  

As of March 31st 2025, Microsoft will no longer be supporting the PSA application. Beyond this date, there will not be any feature enhancements, updates, bug fixes or other updates to this application. Any support ticket logged on the PSA application will be closed with instructions to upgrade to Dynamics 365 Project Operations.   

We strongly encourage all customers of PSA application to start planning your upgrade process as soon as possible so you can take advantage of many new Project Operations features such as:  

• Integration with Project for the Web with many new advanced scheduling features 
• Project Budgeting and Time-phased forecasting   
• Date Effective price overrides  
• Revision and Activation on Quotes    
• Material usage recording in projects and tasks  
• Subcontract Management  
• Advances and Retained-based contracts  
• Contract not-to-exceed  
• Task and Progress based billing  
• Multi-customer contracts  
• AI and Copilot based experiences.  

Upgrade documentation and FAQ links 

Upgrade from Project Service Automation to Project Operations | Microsoft Learn 

Project Service Automation end of life FAQ | Microsoft Learn   

Feature changes from Project Service Automation to Project Operations | Microsoft Learn 

Project Service Automation to Project Operations project scheduling conversion process | Microsoft Learn 

Plan your work in Microsoft Project with the Project Operations add-in | Microsoft Learn 

Learn more about Dynamics 365 Project Operations 

Project Operations was first released in October 2020 as a comprehensive product to manage Projects from inception to close by bringing together the strengths of Dataverse, F&O and Project for the web assets. Want to learn more about Project Operations? Check this link and navigate to our detailed documentation!  

Want to try Project Operations? Click here and sign up for a 30 days trial!  

Thank you 

Rupa Mantravadi 

GPM, D365 Project Operations 

The post Announcing End of Life for Dynamics 365 Project Service Automation  appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.

Harness the power of streamlined integration with third-party tax solutions through the universal tax rate API, now generally available in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance, Supply Chain Management and project management and accounting functionality of Project Operations. This advancement eases the complexities of managing multiple and frequently changed tax rates and rules across diverse tax jurisdictions for businesses worldwide. 

Navigating the Challenges of Tax Calculation 

The tax calculation functionality of Dynamics 365 offers highly flexible and powerful tax determination and calculation capabilities right out of the box. It allows customers to input and manage tax rates and rules to cover complex tax scenarios across Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management applications. In some countries, tax rates and rules are inherently intricate, demanding constant vigilance and updates to comply with constant changes by local tax authorities across multiple jurisdictions. This complexity escalates for businesses operating internationally, necessitating the maintenance of accurate tax rates and rules for each location. Traditionally, this process has had a high potential for errors, requiring extensive manual data management and exposing businesses to risks of non-compliance, penalties, and reputational harm. 

Recognizing these challenges, many businesses opt for third-party tax solutions to automate and simplify their tax calculation processes. However, integrating these solutions with Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management applications could be a complex endeavor, burdened by the need for deep understanding of the ERP systems data models and business logic, along with ongoing maintenance to ensure alignment with release updates. 

Empowering Businesses with the Universal Tax Rate API 

In response to these challenges, we are releasing the universal tax rate API as a standardized solution facilitating communication between Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management applications, and third-party tax solution providers. This API offers a consistent, reliable interface for data exchange, eliminating the need for extensive customization and simplifying the integration process. 

Benefits of the Universal Tax Rate API 

The universal tax rate API drives simplification and efficiency for users of Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management applications. By offering integration with third-party tax solutions, this innovative API dispels the complexities traditionally associated with managing tax rates and rules, enabling businesses to focus on growth and scalability. Harnessing the universal tax rate API enhances compliance and operational efficiency, through delivering: 

• Simplified Integration: Connect with supported third-party tax solution providers, leveraging their expertise without the need for expensive customizations. 
• Standardized Communication: Utilize a predefined set of APIs for various tax operations, including address validation, tax calculation, and transaction posting, all employing the JSON format for efficient data exchange. 
• Enhanced Compliance and Efficiency: Keep your tax calculations accurate and up to date, minimizing risks of non-compliance and improving operational efficiency. 
• Comprehensive Dynamics 365 coverage: Take advantage of the wide coverage of tax transactions within Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management applications, as well as within other Dynamics 365 applications that can be available through the universal tax rate API later. 

Utilizing the Universal Tax Rate API 

The process of employing the API is straightforward. Upon transaction creation or update, the system identifies taxable transactions configured for external tax calculation. It then prepares and sends a data payload to the chosen tax solution provider via the API. The provider calculates the tax and returns the results, which are then validated and recorded in Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management applications for audit and reporting. 

Get started today 

To begin leveraging this powerful feature, select a compatible third-party tax solution provider that aligns with your business needs from the list on Microsoft Learn. Follow the detailed guide provided in the Connect to an external tax solution provider via the Universal Tax Rate API learning path on Microsoft Learn, ensuring a smooth setup and efficient use of the universal tax rate API in your organization. 

Embrace the universal tax rate API to transform your tax calculation process, focusing on compliance, efficiency, and scalability within Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management applications.

Resources 

1. Universal tax rate API – Finance | Dynamics 365 | Microsoft Learn 
2. TechTalk Recoding 
3. Tax solution provider’s connectors available at general availability (GA):
   • Vertex 

The post Discover the Advantages of the Universal Tax Rate API for Simplified Tax Calculations in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Supply Chain Management applications  appeared first on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Blog.