I am the new CRM specialist at our college and have never worked with Microsoft Dynamics 365, so I find myself needing quite a bit of help. Also, a good bit of the terminology is lost on me, so bear with me as I try to explain what I need. Also, I realize our college is working in Ellucian Recruit, but it's basically Microsoft Dynamics CRM with a different label slapped on it.
One thing that I have noticed a need for is a Student Contact History. This "Contact History" would be able to track all communications to and from a student, as well as other forms of contact (i.e. when a user updates the record).
The ideal "contact history" would:
- have record of all interactions with the student that you can scroll through
- have a drop down menu with pre-determined entries, as well as the ability to create a new entry
- have the ability to be searched through by query (advanced find)
- have the ability to be "bulk edited", so as to post a communication to several students at one time
I have noticed the "activity feed" in the CRM, but this does not give the information that is needed. The only communications recorded in this feed are emails that are in place due to workflows, and this does not include physical mailings from multiple offices on campus. There is no option to add pre-determined communications, you can only select "Add New" and then randomly create a communication. There is also no ability to post a single communication to several students' activity feeds (bulk editing). I also feel that the way the information in this activity feed is presented could be much more streamlined, not as scrunched up and verbose as it is now (i.e. I don't need to see that an email was sent to Student Y if I'm currently looking at Student Y's record...).
Someone please help me. How would I create this contact history in the CRM? As a sub grid on the person form? as a Plug-in? as a web resource of something I've coded myself? (Is that what a Plug-in is?) <--see? I really need help!
Honestly, any input on where to even begin this project would be so appreciated. Thank you!