Microsoft Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Analyst : Configure an app for offline work
The Dynamics 365 Sales mobile app empowers sellers to stay productive even when working offline. With offline capabilities, users can access critical customer data, update records, capture notes, and complete tasks without requiring an active internet connection. Changes made offline are securely stored on the device and automatically synchronized with Dataverse once the connection is restored, ensuring data accuracy and continuity. This feature is especially valuable for sales reps who frequently travel or work in remote areas, allowing them to maintain seamless engagement with leads and opportunities anytime, anywhere.
Overview
The Dynamics 365 Sales mobile app allows sellers to work offline by syncing a subset of CRM data (from Dataverse) to their device. This ensures they can view customer records, update opportunities, log activities, or create notes without internet connectivity. Once they’re back online, all changes sync automatically with Dataverse.
Key Benefits
- Access customer data anytime, even in areas with poor/no connectivity.
- Create and edit records offline (e.g., leads, opportunities, notes).
- Automatic synchronization of offline changes to the online database.
- Role-based offline access, ensuring only the required data is synced.
Setup Steps
Step 1: Enable Offline Mode
1. Sign in to Power Platform Admin Center → (https://admin.powerplatform.microsoft.com).
2. Select the environment where Dynamics 365 Sales is deployed.
3. Go to Settings > Product > Features.
4. Enable Mobile Offline.
Step 2: Configure Offline Profiles
Offline profiles determine who gets offline access and what data is available offline.
1. In Dynamics 365 Sales Hub, go to Settings > Administration > Mobile Offline Profiles.
2. Create a new offline profile.
- Add users or teams who need offline access.
- Define the record types (tables) they can access offline (e.g., Lead, Contact, Opportunity, Account).
3. Assign the offline profile to the users.
Step 3: Configure Entities (Tables) for Offline Sync
1. Go to Settings > Customizations > Customize the System.
2. For each table (e.g., `Lead`, `Opportunity`), enable Enable for mobile offline.
3. Define data download filters to limit records synced to the device (e.g., only “My Active Opportunities” instead of all opportunities).
Step 4: Define Sync Rules
1. Navigate to Mobile Offline Profiles again.
2. For each table, specify:
- Download Filter: e.g., only active accounts owned by the user.
- Upload Filter: determine which changes sync back when online.
3. Save and publish changes.
Step 5: Test the Offline Functionality
1. Open the Dynamics 365 Sales mobile app on a device.
2. Sign in with a user that has an offline profile.
3. Verify:
- The app downloads the selected data (this may take a few minutes on first sync).
- Records are accessible offline.
- Changes sync back automatically once online.
Best Practices
- Keep offline filters narrow to avoid performance issues on mobile devices.
- Assign offline profiles only to sellers who really need offline access.
- Regularly review sync rules to ensure data relevance.
- Educate users about sync timing (sometimes sync is scheduled every 5–15 mins).
With this setup, sellers can seamlessly work offline, ensuring no disruption in managing leads, opportunities, or customer interactions.
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