Top Field Service release wave 2 features

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Field Service is an end-to-end solution that allows customers to transform their service operations by connecting people, places, and things to deliver customer-centric experiences. Microsoft releases two waves of updates per year to enhance usability and add new features. The 2021 Field Service release wave 2, which rolled out in October, includes streamlined onboarding, a redesigned work order form, enhanced frontline worker experience, and a new schedule board experience.

For a list of features released in 2021 wave 1, read our recap here.

Below is an overview of the best updates in Field Service 2021 release wave 2 from our team of Dynamics 365 experts.

Collaboration between dispatch centers, customer service centers, field workers, and customer locations is critical to deliver an optimal outcome for customers. Field Service release wave 2 features embedded Microsoft Teams so that any user in the Work Order process can see and participate in all the contextual conversations. Users can now chat with colleagues within a Work Order and link one to an existing chat to save time switching between apps. If a Teams chat is linked to a case, and the case is then converted into a Work Order, that chat will automatically link to it for seamless cross-departmental collaboration.

Admins can now enable location sharing and analytics capabilities by default for new organizations. By enabling location sharing, dispatchers can schedule service appointments based on nearby frontline workers, and customers will receive service reminders with estimated technician arrival based on their current location. This functionality maximizes Field Services’ out-of-the-box functionality to help organizations minimized missed appointments by reminding customers the day-of service. By enabling the automatic use of analytics, managers can track and optimize field service operations. Note – this update will not impact existing deployments and will only impact new organizations.

Field Service release wave 2 includes Work Order form usability improvements to increase service manager productivity. Work Order form changes include the following:

• New setting that makes it simpler to disable pricing in Field Service for organizations where pricing is not relevant or needed within the application
• Dialog box to help users understand why they’re blocked from completing a Work Order when bookings are in an incomplete state; the dialog box provides users with a simple action to complete or cancel their open bookings and successfully set the work order to complete
• Hidden “Date Window Start” and “Date Window End” fields to simplify time commitments and have users leverage the “Time From” and “Time To Promise” fields
• Simplified Work Order ribbon with less frequently used commands for the work order’s form and list views removed
• Improved geocode dialog layout with a larger map, making it easier to move the location marker and update the geolocation along with a simplified autocomplete address field

The Schedule Board is a core piece of functionality for service managers and dispatchers. In 2021 release wave 2, Microsoft added more features to the new Schedule Board for service managers and dispatchers to see enhanced productivity from the old board.

New schedule board capabilities include:

• Functionality for finding the best available resources to schedule jobs
• Single resources (accounts, contacts, users, and equipment) or multiple resources (crews, pools, and facilities) can be scheduled to jobs
• Custom fields on a work order or requirement can be displayed as a filter and on booking information or alerts
• Customers can use custom JavaScript methods that can be executed prior to creation or update of the bookable resource booking records on the hourly view of the new schedule board.
• Schedule board functionality in hourly view can be extended via different client-side extensions such as scripts, stylesheets, and localization

For existing users, our teams of experts are ready to answer any questions about new features in Field Service 2021 release wave 2. Contact us today for support.

Are you ready to implement Dynamics 365 Field Service today? From configuration and data migration to training and user adoption, Rand Group is your partner to ensure a smooth implementation of Dynamics 365 Field Service that is tailored to your users and processes. Learn more about Dynamics 365 Field Service implementation and get your business on a comprehensive cloud-based field service management solution.