You are reading correctly, and your understanding of how "Collect extra customer data without custom attributes" relates to the current "Custom unmapped fields" functionality in Outbound Marketing forms and the "Custom Registration Fields" in Event Planning is accurate.
Let's break down your questions:
1. Am I reading correctly and will the "Collect extra customer data without custom attributes" feature be similar to the Outbound Marketing Form Fields (un mapped) and Custom Registration Fields in Event Planning?
Yes, you are reading correctly. The "Collect extra customer data without custom attributes" feature in Real-time Marketing forms is the intended replacement and evolution of the "Custom unmapped fields" functionality found in Outbound Marketing forms and the "Custom Registration Fields" within the Event Planning module.
Here's why this alignment makes sense:
- Addressing the Core Need: Both the old and the new features aim to solve the same fundamental problem: capturing additional information from contacts during form submissions (including event registrations) without the immediate need to create dedicated custom attributes on the Contact, Lead, or other relevant entities. This is crucial for collecting transient data, preferences for specific events, or information that might not be relevant for long-term storage as standard attributes.
- Flexibility in Data Collection: The goal is to provide marketers with the flexibility to ask specific questions relevant to a campaign or event without cluttering the core CRM schema with numerous custom fields that might only be used once.
- Backend Handling: The new feature, like the old ones, will likely store this "extra" data in a flexible backend structure associated with the form submission or event registration record. This allows for accessing and utilizing this data for segmentation, personalization within the specific journey or event context, and potentially for export or integration purposes.
- Transition Path: Microsoft's reference to "Custom unmapped fields" in the context of transitioning off Outbound Marketing forms strongly suggests that this new feature is the direct successor designed to handle those use cases in the new Real-time Marketing paradigm.
Think of it as a unified and potentially enhanced way to handle those scenarios where you need to gather specific, often contextual, information without the overhead of creating and managing numerous custom attributes.
2. Is there any indication of whether this may reach EA or GA before the June 30, 2025 deadline to move off Outbound Marketing?
Based on the information available in the Microsoft Release Plan for the 2024 Wave 2, the "Collect extra customer data without custom attributes" feature is currently scheduled for Public Preview in February 2025.
There is no explicit indication in the public release plan for the 2024 Wave 2 regarding when this feature might reach Early Access (EA) or General Availability (GA).
However, we can infer some possibilities and considerations:
- February 2025 Public Preview: The fact that it's slated for public preview in February 2025 is a positive sign that Microsoft is actively working on this critical functionality for the transition. Public preview typically involves a wider release to allow customers to test and provide feedback.
- Wave Release Cadence: Microsoft's release waves generally have a predictable cadence. Wave 2 features often progress through public preview and then move to GA within the same wave or shortly thereafter.
- June 30, 2025 Deadline: Microsoft is aware of the June 30, 2025 deadline for moving off Outbound Marketing. Functionality that is a direct replacement for heavily used Outbound Marketing features, like unmapped form fields and custom event registration fields, would likely be prioritized for GA before this deadline to facilitate a smooth transition for customers.
- Potential for Early Access: While not explicitly stated, it's possible that select customers might get access to an Early Access Program (EAP) or private preview before the broader public preview in February. These programs are often used to gather initial feedback on key transition features. Keep an eye on official Microsoft communications and potentially reach out to your Microsoft account team to inquire about early access opportunities.
Cautious Optimism:
Given the importance of this feature for event registration and general form data collection, and the impending Outbound Marketing deadline, there is a strong likelihood that Microsoft will aim to make this functionality generally available before June 30, 2025. However, software development timelines can be subject to change, and unforeseen issues during the preview phase could potentially cause delays.
Recommendations:
- Closely Monitor the Release Plan: Keep a very close eye on the official Dynamics 365 Release Plan for any updates to the status and timeline of the "Collect extra customer data without custom attributes" feature.
- Participate in the Public Preview: Once the public preview becomes available in February 2025, actively test the functionality with your client's event registration scenarios and provide feedback to Microsoft. This can help ensure the feature meets your requirements and can potentially influence its development and GA timeline.
- Communicate with Microsoft: Engage with your Microsoft account team to express the urgency of this feature for your client's transition plans and inquire about any potential updates or early access opportunities.
- Plan for Contingencies: While optimistic, it's also wise to start thinking about potential alternative approaches or workarounds if the feature's GA is significantly delayed.
In conclusion, your understanding of the alignment between the old and new features is correct. While there's no guaranteed GA date before June 2025 publicly available yet, the public preview in February 2025 suggests a strong intent from Microsoft to deliver this crucial replacement functionality in a timely manner for the Outbound Marketing transition. Continuous monitoring and active participation in the preview will be key.
