Configure Multiple Forms

In the previous step, we discussed Forms Elements. In this step, we learn about Configure Multiple Forms.

Users of model-driven applications will encounter many forms in their user experience, and will even encounter different forms for the same entity depending on their role, job tasks and desired outcomes.

You can set form order when using multiple forms. This will define the order in which a user sees the available forms, within the allowed forms for their security roles.

Note: You can create more than one Quick Create form for a given entity, but only the first one in order will be available for end-users.

Access to Forms

Note: Controlling user access to forms is not necessarily a secure means to prevent access to data. Sometimes users have other ways to interact with data such as advanced find or background automation. More information about securing data is discussed in the security module of this course.

Form Types and Behaviours

• Main – main forms are the primary user interface where people view and interact with their data. Main forms provide the widest range of options and are available for model-driven apps, the exception being Dynamics 365 for phones. One of the main design objectives for the main forms is that you design them once and deploy them everywhere. The same main form you design for a model-driven app or the Dynamics 365 customer engagement web application, is also used in Dynamics 365 for Outlook and Dynamics 365 for tablets. The advantage of this approach is that you don’t have to integrate changes into multiple forms. Autosave is the default behaviour on main forms but can be disabled by administrators.
• Quick create – with quick create forms, your app can have a streamlined data entry experience with full support for logic defined by form scripts and business rules. In Dynamics 365, quick create forms appear when you select the Create button in the navigation bar or when you choose + New when creating a new record from a lookup or sub-grid. The Dynamics 365 customer engagement mobile apps use quick create forms for creating new records. If an entity already has a quick create form configured for it, the mobile apps use that form. If an entity doesn’t have a configured quick create a form, Dynamics 365 generates a quick create a form for creating records in the mobile apps based on the main form definition.

  Note: The entity definition must allow for Quick Create before you will be able to configure a Quick Create form. This setting is managed along with other Data Services for the entity.

• Quick view – a quick view form can be added to another form as a quick view control. It provides a template to view information about a related entity record within a form for another entity record. This means your app users do not need to navigate to a different record to see the information needed to do their work. Quick view controls are associated with a lookup field that is included in a form. If the lookup field value is not set, the quick view control will not be visible. Data in quick view controls cannot be edited and quick view forms do not support form scripts.

• Card – a card form is used in interactive dashboards and placed on forms of related entities. It is configured to show key fields at a glance in the entity feed. There are several options available to configure including colour coding based on criteria such as record status.

Miscellaneous Form Details

• Each entity must have a designated fallback form. This is the form that all users would see if they do not have a security role assigned that matches your role tailored forms.

• Only main forms can be assigned to security roles.

• When a user has access to multiple forms, a form selector will be available near the top of the form. If a user has access to only a single form for a given entity, there will be no form selector visible.

• You can designate a main form as inactive. This will make it not visible to all users, regardless of security roles. This feature was included primarily to manage new forms included when organisations upgrade but you can use it to prevent people from being able to use any main form.

Next up, we’ll be finding out more about Using Specialised Form Components.