Summary Designed a two-page Power BI Income Pipeline Report for a Texas-based Cybersecurity & AI Business Solutions firm using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Project Operations. Unified visibility across Opportunity, Unbilled Income, Billed Income, and Paid Income in a single view. Introduced Average Turnaround to forecast realistic cash collection timelines based on actual payment behavior. Integrated Dynamics 365 Project Operations with QuickBooks to connect sales, delivery, invoicing, and cash collection. Enabled a 17-week rolling revenue forecast with week-by-week cash visibility. Provided dual invoice status for contractual vs realistic payment tracking. Table of Contents 1. Introduction 2. The Business Problem 3. Report Structure Overview 4. The Income Pipeline 5. Project Revenue Forecast 6. Design Principles 7. Business Impact 8. FAQs 9. Conclusion 1. Introduction Managing revenue across a professional services firm is rarely straightforward. When your business spans cybersecurity assessments, AI-driven solutions, and long-term managed services engagements, the gap between work being delivered and cash actually landing in the bank can be wide — and costly if left unmonitored. This is precisely the challenge we set out to solve for a U.S.-based Cybersecurity and AI Business Solutions firm running their operations on Microsoft Dynamics 365 Project Operations. The result was a two-page Power BI report — the Income Pipeline Report — that gives leadership a real-time, end-to-end view of every dollar moving through the business: from early-stage opportunity, through unbilled and billed income, all the way to cash collected. This post walks through how the report was built, how each data layer was modelled, and why the design decisions were made the way they were. 2. The Business Problem The firm needed clarity across four distinct but connected stages of their revenue lifecycle: Sales opportunities and pipeline value Delivered but unbilled work Outstanding invoices and expected payments Actual vs expected payment behavior This would answer as well as resolve the following questions – Where are active sales opportunities sitting, and how much pipeline value do they represent? Which project work has been delivered but not yet invoiced? Which invoices have been raised and sent to clients, and when are they realistically going to be paid? And finally, how does actual payment behaviour compare against what was expected? Each of these questions existed in isolation before. Project managers had partial visibility into their own contracts, and needed a comprehensive bird’s eye view of all of these together. Finance had QuickBooks data but lacked the context of the delivery pipeline. Leadership had no consolidated view. The Income Pipeline Report brought all of this together in a single, navigable Power BI experience. 3. Report Structure Overview The report consists of two pages: Income Pipeline Report — a high-level pipeline view across four stages: Opportunity, Unbilled Income, Billed Income, and Paid Income, each with summary cards and interactive donut charts. Project Revenue Forecast — a time-distributed breakdown of expected cash collection across a rolling 17-week horizon, organised by customer and contract. 4. The Income Pipeline The Four-Stage Pipeline Banner Across the top of the report, four chevron-style stage indicators guide the revenue journey: Opportunity → Unbilled Income → Billed Income → Paid Income Each stage includes a summary card showing record count and total value Provides immediate visibility into where revenue is sitting Highlights potential bottlenecks across the pipeline Stage 1 — Opportunity Data sourced from Dynamics 365 Sales using Business Process Flow (BPF) Uses active BPF stage (Develop, Propose, Close) instead of static fields Ensures accurate reflection of real sales progression Estimated revenue pulled directly from opportunity records Donut chart shows distribution across Develop, Propose, and Close stages Stage 2 — Unbilled Income Represents contracted or delivered work not yet invoiced Sourced from project contract lines in Dynamics 365 Project Operations Includes: Fixed Fee milestones (explicit values) Time & Material (T&M) estimates based on resource allocations T&M calculated as allocated hours × billing rate Clearly marked as estimated until billing run is executed Grouped into payment expectation buckets (30, 60, 90, 120, 180+ days) Uses Average Turnaround to forecast realistic payment timing Stage 3 — Billed Income (Confirmed Invoices) Combines Dynamics 365 Project Operations and QuickBooks data Tracks invoices that are confirmed and sent to clients Introduces Average Turnaround: Average days from invoice creation to payment Based on historical payment behaviour Each invoice has two statuses: Contractual (due date) Estimated (based on Average Turnaround) Provides realistic vs contractual payment visibility Includes: Due-date based categorisation Estimated overdue analysis Prevents misleading insights from strict payment terms alone Stage 4 — Paid Income Tracks fully collected invoices Uses QuickBooks for actual payment dates Groups payments by time bands (under 30, 60, 90 days, etc.) Enables comparison between actual vs estimated payment behaviour Continuously improves accuracy of Average Turnaround Tooltip Drill-Down Hover shows: Payment band Record count Total value Drill-through available for detailed record-level analysis 5. Project Revenue Forecast Overview Distributes expected cash collection across a rolling 17-week window Shifts view from pipeline stage to time-based forecasting Hierarchy and Structure Customer → Contract → Revenue Type Revenue types include: T&M run schedules Fixed Fee milestones Confirmed invoices Each row shows: Customer Contract Billing type Average Turnaround Value mapped to expected payment week Weeks range from Week 0 to Week 16 Top row aggregates total expected cash per week Colour Coding Amber — Unbilled income Green — Invoice within terms Red — Overdue (based on estimated payment date) Drill-Through to Detail Click any row to view detailed breakdown Includes: Billed invoices with due and estimated dates Unbilled milestones and run schedules Connects high-level forecast to transactional detail 6. Design Principles Average Turnaround over payment terms Reflects actual customer behaviour instead of contractual assumptions. Dual invoice status Provides both contractual and realistic payment visibility. Consistent time buckets Ensures comparability across Opportunity, Unbilled, Billed, and Paid stages. Weekly forecasting instead of monthly Supports short-term cash flow planning aligned with operational rhythm. 7. Business Impact Improved cash flow predictability Earlier visibility of at-risk invoices Unified cross-team visibility Improved T&M billing discipline Increased accountability 8. FAQs What is Average Turnaround and why does it … Continue reading How we designed & deployed an Income Pipeline Report for a Texas, U.S. based Cybersecurity & AI Business Solutions Firm, via MS D365 Project Operations and Power BI. →

Summary: In industrial manufacturing, especially in sectors like piping systems, fittings, and castings, the sales process is not a simple transaction, it is a structured, multi-stage bid lifecycle. This blog explains how organizations can manage the entire journey from lead generation to project completion using Dynamics 365 Sales. It also highlights how organizations can: Industrial sales in manufacturing industries such as pipes, fittings, and castings involve long sales cycles, multiple stakeholders, and highly detailed technical and commercial evaluations. Unlike standard product sales, these deals often begin with tenders or RFQs and require coordination across sales, engineering, finance, and production teams. Without a structured system, it becomes difficult to track bid progress, maintain version control, and ensure timely responses. This is where Dynamics 365 Sales plays a crucial role. It provides a centralized platform to manage every stage of the industrial bid process, ensuring visibility, accountability, and efficiency. From capturing initial leads to closing deals and delivering projects, it helps organizations streamline operations and improve win rates. The Challenge Section The Problem with Disconnected Data Organizations often manage sales and bid-related data across multiple systems such as ConstructConnect, Excel sheets, and offline trackers. This creates several operational challenges: As a result, the bidding process becomes reactive instead of proactive, slowing down execution and reducing win probability. Manufacturing companies dealing with industrial products face several challenges during the bid process: These challenges can result in missed opportunities, delayed submissions, and reduced customer confidence. The Solution Section Building a Structured Lead-to-Project Pipeline A key improvement is bringing all activities into a centralized system like Dynamics 365 Sales. Some practical steps include: Projects can then follow a clearly defined lifecycle: This structured pipeline ensures: Enforcing Pipeline Discipline and Accountability One key insight from mature implementations is the importance of pipeline governance. This includes: For example: This brings accountability and keeps the pipeline active and realistic. Improving Quote Tracking and Automation Quote management becomes significantly more efficient with automation. Key capabilities include: This ensures: Enhancing Visibility for Decision Making With all data centralized, leadership gains meaningful insights into the sales pipeline. Examples include: This enables: Business Impact / Results Section Adopting a unified system like Dynamics 365 Sales leads to tangible improvements: Result:A centralized platform replaces fragmented tools, enabling organizations to manage bids more effectively and improve overall project outcomes. With automation across lead capture, pipeline tracking, quote management, and follow-ups, up to 80% of the bid-to-project lifecycle can be automated, significantly reducing manual effort and operational delays. Technical Deep-Dive For organizations requiring deeper customization: FAQ Section Q1. Why is a single system important for managing industrial bids?A single system eliminates data silos, reduces manual work, and ensures all teams work with the same, up-to-date information. This improves coordination and increases the chances of winning bids. Q2. How does Dynamics 365 Sales support the industrial bidding process?It provides a structured pipeline, tracks projects from lead to completion, enables collaboration across teams, and automates key activities such as quote management and follow-ups. Q3. Can we customize the sales stages to match our business process?Yes, stages like Opportunity can be renamed to “Project,” and custom stages such as Pre-Qualified, Submittal, Negotiation, and Commitment can be configured to reflect the actual industrial bidding lifecycle. Q4. How does the system help in identifying projects at risk?Projects with no recent activity or delays in stage movement can be automatically flagged, allowing teams to take timely action and prevent potential losses. Q5. What improvements can be expected after implementation?Organizations typically see better data accuracy, faster bid processing, improved team accountability, and enhanced visibility into the sales pipeline. Q6. Can Dynamics 365 integrate with tools like ConstructConnect?Yes, it can integrate with external platforms to automatically import leads and project data, reducing manual entry and ensuring consistency. Q7. How much of the bid process can be automated using Dynamics 365 Sales?A significant portion of the process can be automated, including lead capture, stage tracking, quote handling, reminders, and reporting. In well-structured implementations, up to 80% of the bid-to-project lifecycle can be automated, allowing teams to focus on strategic and high-value activities. Conclusion Managing industrial bids across disconnected tools creates inefficiencies that directly impact business performance. By transitioning to a unified system like Dynamics 365 Sales, organizations can standardize their processes, automate critical tasks, and gain complete visibility into their pipeline. From capturing leads to delivering completed projects, a structured and integrated approach ensures better control, faster execution, and improved success rates. If your organization is still managing bids through spreadsheets and multiple systems, it may be time to move towards a more structured, scalable solution with Dynamics 365 Sales. Connect with CloudFronts to get started at transform@cloudfonts.com Author Bio The author specializes in implementing Dynamics 365 solutions for manufacturing and industrial sectors. With experience in optimizing sales processes, bid management, and system integrations, they focus on helping organizations streamline operations and improve efficiency through digital transformation.

Summary : In this blog, you will learn: Field sales teams generate some of the most valuable business insights during distributor visits, site meetings, and customer discussions. These interactions often include pricing feedback, upcoming opportunities, and competitor information. But in many manufacturing organizations, this information is never formally captured. It stays in personal notes or memory and is lost when teams change or time passes. The result? Leadership lacks visibility into what is actually happening in the field. This blog explains how organizations can solve this by using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales to turn everyday field interactions into structured, measurable data. The Challenge The Field Sales Visibility Problem Field sales in manufacturing is highly relationship-driven. While this builds strong customer connections, it also creates a major gap in tracking and visibility. Key challenges include: This leads to a situation where the CRM reflects only partial activity, missing the interactions that actually drive business. The Solution Building a Structured Field Activity System The goal is not to increase administrative work, but to make activity tracking quick, simple, and useful. 1. Introduce a “Branch Visit” Activity FrameworkCreate a structured way to capture key field interactions such as: Each visit can include: This ensures every interaction is recorded in a consistent and useful format. 2. Enable Quick Mobile UpdatesUsing the mobile capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales, sales teams can log visits immediately after meetings. The process is simple and takes less than a minute, making it easy to adopt without disrupting their workflow. 3. Connect Activities to Customers and OpportunitiesAll recorded visits are linked to customer accounts and ongoing deals. This allows: 4. Turn Data into InsightsOnce activities are consistently captured, organizations can generate reports such as: With Microsoft Power BI, this data can be visualized into dashboards that clearly show trends and performance. Business Impact / Results When field sales activities are properly tracked, the impact is immediate and measurable: Managers can now: Most importantly, field sales productivity becomes visible, measurable, and manageable. Technical Deep-Dive (Simplified) For implementation within Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales: These configurations ensure the system is scalable while remaining easy for sales teams to use. FAQ Section a. What is a Branch Visit activity?It is a structured way to record field interactions like distributor visits and customer meetings, ensuring all key details are captured in the CRM. b. How does this improve productivity?It connects daily activities with actual sales outcomes, helping managers track performance and identify gaps. c. Can this data be visualized?Yes, using Microsoft Power BI, organizations can create dashboards to monitor performance across regions and teams. d. How do you ensure sales teams actually use the system?By keeping the process fast, simple, and beneficial so it saves time rather than adding extra workz To conclude, Field sales will always be driven by relationships but managing those relationships should not rely on memory or manual tracking. By using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales to capture and structure field activities, organizations can transform how they measure productivity. a. What was once invisible becomes clear.b. What was once assumed becomes measurable. This shift allows leadership to make better decisions, improve sales performance, and strengthen customer relationships. If you’re looking to bring visibility and structure to your field sales operations, now is the time to adopt a smarter, data-driven approach. The author is a D365 CRM Consultant specializing in sales process optimization for manufacturing organizations. She focuses on helping businesses implement practical, user-friendly solutions using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales to improve visibility, efficiency, and performance. Connect with CloudFronts to get started at transform@cloudfonts.com

Summary Organizations typically use Dynamics 365 CRM/Sales Business Process Flow (BPF) to manage the sales cycle and win deals. It is commonly treated as an out-of-the-box (OOB) capability designed strictly for sales processes. In this blog, we explore how a door and window manufacturer in New York successfully repurposed Dynamics 365 Business Process Flow to track ‘Shop Floor Stages’-extending its use beyond sales into operations. The Idea Behind Using Business Process Flow This company manufactures one of the most diverse ranges of steel windows and doors in the USA. While managing their sales cycle, they also needed better visibility into order progress. The idea was to reuse the standard BPF structure instead of building a new system from scratch. The standard BPF follows:Lead → Opportunity → Quote → Order The approach was to repurpose this flow into a custom process aligned with their operational needs. Extending into Order Fulfilment The Order entity was enhanced and renamed as Order Fulfilment, where the BPF continued beyond sales. Shop floor coordinators could quickly identify issues and physically inspect problem areas, improving operational efficiency. Additionally: Over time, the system evolved organically-retaining only what added value. Readiness for AI With clean, structured, and unified data across the entire lifecycle, the system became AI-ready. Key use cases included: What Did We Achieve? Key insights from the solution architects: To conclude, by reimagining the use of Dynamics 365 Business Process Flow, this organization successfully bridged the gap between sales and operations. What began as a sales tracking tool evolved into a comprehensive system managing the entire lifecycle-from lead generation to shop floor execution. Today, this approach continues to power their operations end-to-end, proving that thoughtful reuse of existing capabilities can drive efficiency, reduce costs, and create a strong foundation for future innovations, including AI. Connect with CloudFronts to get started at transform@cloudfonts.com

Summary A Houston-based cybersecurity firm eliminated report failures (~65%) by replacing SSRS with an Azure Function App pipeline. Dynamics 365 bound action ensured authentication stayed internal, bypassing Defender-related token failures. Integrated Power Pages, Power Automate, Dynamics 365, and Azure Functions for real-time PDF generation. Report generation time reduced from 3–8 minutes to under 15 seconds with zero infrastructure overhead. Table of Contents 1. About the Customer 2. The Challenge 3. The Solution 4. Technical Implementation 5. Business Impact 6. FAQs 7. Conclusion 1. About the Customer The client is a technology consulting and cybersecurity services firm based in Houston, Texas. They manage multiple concurrent client engagements using Dynamics 365 Project Operations as their core platform. Project managers and clients access live project data through a customer-facing portal built on Microsoft Power Pages. 2. The Challenge The organization needed one-click downloadable Project Status Reports from their Power Pages portal covering risks, issues, logs, and timelines. Their SSRS-based solution failed frequently due to authentication breakdowns caused by Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps across multiple service boundaries. Key pain points: Silent authentication failures with no clear errors Retry delays of 60–90 seconds per attempt Separate SSRS infrastructure dependency Slow report customization cycle Project managers avoided generating reports during live meetings due to reliability concerns. 3. The Solution At Cloudfronts, while working on this project, I replaced the SSRS pipeline entirely with a synchronous, serverless architecture that keeps the authentication context inside the Dynamics 365 service layer. Technologies Used: Dynamics 365 Project Operations Power Pages Power Automate Plugins Azure Function Apps The solution generates fully formatted PDFs in real time using structured JSON payloads. This eliminated authentication failures while significantly improving speed and reliability. 4. Technical Implementation 1] Power Pages Button triggers Flow A “Download Report” button captures the project GUID and triggers a Power Automate flow with real-time progress feedback. 2] Dynamics 365 Plugin prepares JSON payload A bound action plugin retrieves all project data and converts it into a clean JSON payload for PDF generation. 3] Azure Function generates PDF The Azure Function processes the JSON and generates a formatted PDF, returning it as a Base64 string. 4] SharePoint Integration The generated PDF is automatically stored in the associated SharePoint document location linked to the project. This ensures centralized document management, version control, and easy access for stakeholders directly within the project workspace. 5] Portal PDF Preview The Base64 PDF is rendered directly in the portal using an iframe, allowing instant preview and download. Video: End-to-end implementation of real-time PDF report generation. 5. Business Impact 100% success rate — zero failures post deployment Under 15 seconds report generation time No infrastructure — fully serverless Zero authentication failures Faster iteration for report updates Project managers can now confidently generate reports during live client meetings. 6. FAQs Why not fix the SSRS authentication issue instead of replacing SSRS entirely? The authentication failures were a structural consequence of traversing multiple service boundaries in an environment with strict Defender for Cloud Apps session policies. Fixing them would have required either relaxing those policies — which the client’s security posture did not permit — or re-architecting the data retrieval to stay inside the platform, which is exactly what the bound action approach achieves. Replacing SSRS also removed a separate infrastructure dependency and gave the client full control over report formatting in code. Can this pattern be reused for other document types in Dynamics 365? Yes. The Azure Function App’s renderer is data-driven — it consumes a JSON payload and builds tables from whatever keys are present. The Dynamics 365 plugin can be adapted to query any entity and produce an equivalent payload. CloudFronts has applied the same pattern to inspection records, summary reports, and client-facing status documents across Professional Services and Manufacturing implementations. Does this work for environments without Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps? Yes. The architectural benefits — synchronous generation, serverless PDF rendering, no SSRS infrastructure, and in-browser preview — apply regardless of the security layer on the environment. 7. Conclusion Replacing SSRS with an Azure Function App-based PDF renderer resolved both the reliability and authentication problems in a single architectural shift, delivering instant, professional-quality Project Status Reports from a Microsoft Power Pages portal with no legacy reporting infrastructure to maintain. The key lesson from this project is that keeping authentication within the Dynamics 365 service layer — rather than bridging to external systems — eliminates an entire category of environment-specific failures that are otherwise very difficult to diagnose and fix. By keeping authentication within Dynamics 365 and leveraging serverless architecture, the solution delivers instant, high-quality reports without infrastructure overhead. This approach demonstrates how modern cloud-native patterns can eliminate entire classes of system failures while improving user experience dramatically. Ready to modernise document generation in your Dynamics 365 environment?CloudFronts builds scalable Power Platform and Dynamics 365 solutions that replace legacy reporting infrastructure and automate document workflows. Reach out at transform@cloudfronts.com. Shashank Keny Associate Consultant · CloudFronts Shashank Keny is an Associate Consultant at CloudFronts with 1.5+ years of experience in cloud, data, and business applications. He specializes in building scalable, API-driven architectures and integrating enterprise systems across the Microsoft ecosystem. He is a Certified Databricks Data Engineer with hands-on experience in Dynamics 365 Project Operations and Dynamics 365 Sales, along with delivering business intelligence solutions using Power BI. His expertise also extends to modern AI solutions, including building custom copilots and implementing intelligent applications using Azure AI Foundry. Passionate about solving real-world business challenges through data and AI, he focuses on delivering efficient, scalable, and production-ready solutions. Experience: 1.5+ years Certification: Databricks Certified Data Engineer Specialization: Dynamics 365 Project Operations, Power BI, Azure Integrations, AI Solutions View LinkedIn Profile

Summary A Netherlands-based sustainability certification non-profit faced a key limitation in Dynamics CRM: the default subgrid had no way to filter related lookup values — meaning all versions and levels appeared for every certification standard, regardless of relevance. CloudFronts replaced the default subgrid with a custom HTML Web Resource that renders each certification standard as an interactive card, with its own pre-filtered version and level dropdowns. Users selecting C2C Certified® Full Scope now only see versions and levels that belong to Full Scope — not a cluttered list of every record in the related table. Beyond fixing the filtering gap, the solution transformed the CRM form experience from a flat, generic grid into a clean, modern card-based interface — significantly improving usability for both applicants and assessors. Table of Contents   1. Customer Scenario 2. The Real Problem — Unfiltered Lookups in Subgrids 3. Solution Overview 4. Key Features of the Custom Web Resource 5. How It Works — Technical Implementation 6. End-to-End Walkthrough 7. Architecture & Design Decisions 8. Business Impact 9. FAQs 10. Conclusion Customer Scenario A Netherlands-based non-profit organization uses Dynamics CRM to manage the full certification application lifecycle, from initial scoping through assessment and final issuance. As part of every certification application, users must define a Certification Scope, selecting which Cradle to Cradle standards they want assessed, choosing the correct version of that standard, and setting a target certification level. The available standards include: Full Scope Material Health Circularity Each standard has its own set of applicable versions and certification levels stored in related Dataverse tables. The challenge was making sure users could select and configure each standard correctly — without the CRM form showing them irrelevant data from other standards. The Real Problem, Unfiltered Lookups in Subgrids The original design used a default CRM subgrid to list the certification scope lines. Each row in the subgrid had lookup fields pointing to related Dataverse tables, one for Standard Version, one for Certification Level. The problem was straightforward but significant: CRM subgrid lookup fields have no native mechanism to filter their values based on another field in the same row. This meant that when a user opened the Version lookup on a Full Scope row, they saw every version across every standard — Full Scope versions, Material Health versions, Circularity versions, all mixed together in a single unfiltered list. The same issue applied to Certification Levels. There was no built-in way to say: “this row is for Full Scope — only show me Full Scope versions.” Key Pain Points Wrong version selected by mistake: With all versions in one unfiltered list, users had to manually identify and pick the correct one — easy to get wrong, especially for new staff unfamiliar with which version belongs to which standard. Cluttered, confusing lookup lists: A lookup showing 20+ mixed records when the user only needs to choose from 3–4 relevant options is a frustrating experience and a source of data quality issues. No visual structure or grouping: The default subgrid renders as a flat table. There is no way to visually distinguish one standard from another or understand the overall scope at a glance. A form that did not match the product’s quality: The client wanted their CRM environment to feel professional and polished — a plain, out-of-the-box grid did not meet that expectation. The subgrid was not broken — it was simply the wrong tool for this job. What was needed was a control that understood the relationship between a standard and its versions, and filtered accordingly. Solution Overview CloudFronts replaced the default subgrid entirely with a custom HTML Web Resource embedded directly on the CRM application form. The web resource reads a single JSON field on the record which carries each standard along with its own pre-scoped list of versions and levels. The core idea: Each certification standard gets its own card  →  Each card shows only the versions and levels that belong to that standard  →  No more mixed, unfiltered lookup lists   What This Achieves For Applicants and Assessors: Select one or more certification standards using clear, visual checkbox cards See only the versions relevant to the selected standard — nothing from other standards Choose a target level from a correctly filtered, correctly sorted dropdown Get instant visual feedback on which standards are active in the scope For the CRM Platform Team: No subgrid lookup filtering workarounds, form-level JavaScript hacks, or plugin-based filtering required All filtering is naturally handled by the JSON data structure, each standard row already carries only its own versions and levels A significantly better-looking form that reflects the quality of the certification program itself Scope configuration can be extended simply by updating the JSON, no schema changes needed Key Features of the Custom Web Resource The web resource was designed with two clear goals: solve the filtering problem correctly, and make the form experience noticeably better. Here is how each feature serves those goals.   1. Card-Per-Standard Layout with Checkbox Selection Each certification standard is rendered as its own self-contained card — with a title, a short description of what that standard covers, and a checkbox. This immediately solves the visual grouping problem that a flat subgrid cannot address. Clicking a card (or its checkbox) marks that standard as In Scope The selected card highlights with a blue left-border accent and a soft background tint — making it immediately clear which standards are active Deselected cards remain compact and unobtrusive, keeping the form clean For assessors reviewing multiple applications, being able to scan the full scope at a glance — without opening related records or reading through a grid — is a meaningful time saving.   2. Filtered Version Dropdown — Per Standard This is the feature that directly solves the original problem. When a card is selected and expands, the Standard Version dropdown is populated exclusively from the versions array within that standard’s JSON row. A user working on a Full Scope card sees only Full Scope versions A user working … Continue reading From Default to Dynamic: Transforming Dynamics CRM Subgrids with Custom HTML for a Netherlands-Based Sustainability Certification Non-Profit →

Summary A US-based oil & gas cybersecurity firm implemented a mobile-first Canvas App integrated with Dynamics 365 Project Operations to unify time, expense, and material submission, tracking, and approval. The solution enabled project-specific approval workflows where only assigned approvers could validate submitted records. CloudFronts introduced a dual-mode interface (Day Mode and Week Mode) to improve usability for both field engineers and managers. Submission and approval cycle time reduced from hours/days to near real-time visibility. Table of Contents 1. Customer Scenario 2. Solution Overview 3. Key UX Features 4. Functional Implementation 5. Solution Walkthrough 6. Architecture & Integration Approach 7. Business Impact 8. FAQs 9. Conclusion Customer Scenario A Texas-based cybersecurity firm specializing in operational technology (OT) security for oil rigs manages multiple concurrent field projects using Dynamics 365 Project Operations. Employees and resources were responsible for logging: Time entries Expense entries (travel, accommodation, airfare, etc.) Material usage logs (equipment, parts, consumables, etc.) However, the system was not designed for mobile-first usage, and processes were fragmented across multiple interfaces. Key Challenges Field engineers & other Resources could not efficiently submit entries from mobile devices Time, expense, and material tracking existed in separate workflows Approval processes had to be restricted to project-specific stakeholders Project managers lacked real-time visibility into resource usage • Delays in submission can cause downstream billing and reporting issues Project tracking accuracy can get compromised, and reporting delays directly affected client communication and billing cycles. Solution Overview CloudFronts designed and deployed a unified mobile application using Power Apps (Canvas Apps) integrated with Dynamics 365 Project Operations. Objective: One app → All submissions → Controlled approvals → Real-time visibility What the App Enables For Field Users: Submit time entries (daily or weekly) Create expense entries with receipt validation Log material consumption against projects Track submission status instantly For Project Approvers: View only entries related to assigned projects Approve or reject submissions directly from mobile Maintain audit-ready approval workflows Key UX Features The application is designed with a strong focus on usability for both resources and project approvers, ensuring a seamless mobile experience across submission and approval workflows. 1. Day Mode / Week Mode Toggle The app provides a flexible entry experience through a dual-mode interface: Day Mode: Enables detailed entry for a single day, ideal for precise logging and corrections. Week Mode: Allows bulk entry across multiple days, reducing effort for repetitive data entry. This flexibility significantly improves usability across different working styles and scenarios. 2. Calendar-Based Swipe Navigation The application introduces a Dynamics-style calendar navigation with swipe support, allowing users to: Traverse across multiple days or weeks effortlessly View and manage multiple submission records in sequence Navigate between historical and current entries with minimal effort This mobile-first interaction design reduces friction in high-frequency data entry scenarios. 3. Unified Submission & Approval Experience The UI/UX is intentionally designed to mirror the complete lifecycle of a record, ensuring consistency between submission and approval stages. Each record follows a structured lifecycle aligned with Dynamics 365 stages: Submitted Pending Approved Rejected Recall Requested Recall Request Approved Recall Request Rejected The interface dynamically adapts based on the current stage: Action buttons (Approve, Reject, Recall, etc.) are conditionally visible Status indicators are clearly displayed Users experience the same structured flow from creation to closure This ensures clarity, reduces errors, and improves user confidence in the system. 4. Dynamic Action-Based UI (Smart Button Behavior) The app intelligently modifies UI controls based on record state: Submit button appears only for draft entries Approve/Reject buttons are visible only to project approvers Recall option is available only after submission Post-approval states restrict further edits This enforces role-based and state-based control, preventing invalid actions and maintaining process integrity. 5. Conditional Receipt Upload for Expense Entries Expense submission logic is enhanced with category-driven validation: Mandatory: Airline tickets, OT hardware purchases Optional: Meals, local travel This balances compliance requirements with user convenience, avoiding unnecessary friction. 6. On-Demand Data Refresh Users can manually refresh data within the app to: Fetch the latest submission and approval statuses Sync newly created or updated records Ensure real-time visibility without relying solely on background refresh Especially useful in environments with intermittent connectivity. 7. Mobile-First Interaction Design Touch-friendly controls Swipe navigation Lightweight screens for faster performance Minimal navigation depth This ensures field engineers working in remote or on-site environments can operate efficiently. Functional Implementation This section outlines how the solution was implemented within Dynamics 365 Project Operations and the Power Platform to enable end-to-end submission and approval management. 1. Unified Data Model in Dataverse All three entry types — Time, Expense, and Material — are structured within Dataverse and linked to: Project Resource (User) Approval records Supporting documents (for expenses) Each submission creates a corresponding record with a defined lifecycle stage, ensuring consistency across all entry types. 2. Submission Logic from Canvas App Each submission type follows a structured flow: User selects project and entry type (Time / Expense / Material) Required fields are validated based on entry type Conditional logic enforces: Receipt requirement (for specific expense categories) Mandatory fields (based on business rules) Record is created in Dataverse Submission triggers backend approval workflow This ensures that all records entering the system are complete, validated, and ready for approval processing. 3. Approval Record Creation & Routing Upon submission: A corresponding approval record is automatically created The system identifies project-specific approvers Key behavior: Only assigned project approvers can view and act on records Approval actions update the main record status 4. Record Lifecycle Management (Status-Driven System) Lifecycle: Draft → Submitted → Pending → Approved / Rejected → Recall Flow Users submit records → moves to Submitted Approvers review → Approved or Rejected Users request recall → Recall Requested Approvers respond → Recall Approved or Rejected Controlled through: Power Apps UI logic MS Bound Actions for submission and approval handling Dataverse status fields 5. Expense Receipt Handling (Integrated from Previous Solution) Receipt upload enforced conditionally Files stored as Notes (Annotations) in Dataverse Linked to expense records This eliminates manual document handling and ensures compliance. Solution Walkthrough The following walkthrough … Continue reading How We Built & Deployed a Mobile-Based Canvas App for Unified Time, Expense (with Receipts) & Material Submission with Project-Based Approvals for a US Cybersecurity Firm →

Summary A window and door manufacturing company based in the United States, specializing in energy-efficient fenestration products, eliminated brittle hard-coded email recipients from their sales automation by adopting a Dataverse-driven approach in Power Automate. CloudFronts implemented a dynamic recipient resolution pattern using coalesce and createArray expressions, pulling the To and CC parties directly from opportunity record lookups in Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. The solution handles null lookups gracefully, scales as team structures change, and requires zero flow edits when personnel or roles shift. Business impact: Reduced flow maintenance overhead, eliminated misdirected emails caused by stale hard-coded addresses, and established a reusable pattern applicable across multiple automation scenarios. About the Customer The customer is a U.S.-based manufacturer of custom steel windows and doors, serving commercial, residential, and architectural projects. Established in the mid-1980s, the company specializes in high-performance, energy-efficient fenestration systems designed for both modern and heritage applications. They rely on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM to manage their sales pipeline, opportunity tracking, and customer communications across a distributed sales network. Their sales process involves multiple stakeholders per opportunity, including an opportunity owner, primary customer contact, forwarding representative, and regional sales representative, all of whom may need to be included in outbound communications at different stages of the deal lifecycle. The Challenge When the organization first automated opportunity-related emails through Power Automate, recipient addresses were defined statically inside the flow. A specific mailbox was hard-coded as the CC address, and To recipients were manually entered per scenario. This approach worked initially but quickly became a source of ongoing problems: Stale recipients: When team members changed roles or left the organization, flows continued sending emails to incorrect or inactive addresses, requiring a developer to open the flow and update it manually every time. No relationship to CRM data: The recipient list in the flow had no connection to who was actually assigned to the opportunity in Dynamics 365 CRM. The two could easily fall out of sync. Scalability and maintenance burden: As the number of automated flows grew, so did the number of places where email addresses were hard-coded. A single personnel change could require updates across multiple flows, increasing both effort and the risk of missing one. Inability to handle variable stakeholders: Not every opportunity has the same set of involved parties. Some have a forwarding representative, others do not. Some have a dedicated sales representative assigned, while others rely only on the owner. A static recipient list cannot handle this variability. The organization needed a recipient model that was driven entirely by what was recorded in CRM, not by what a developer had typed into a flow months earlier. The Solution CloudFronts redesigned the email automation to resolve all recipients dynamically at runtime, using lookup field values from the opportunity record in Dataverse. No email addresses are stored in the flow itself. Technologies Used Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM, Source of opportunity data, ownership, and stakeholder relationships Power Automate, Orchestration layer for the email automation Dataverse connector, Real-time retrieval of opportunity record and related lookup fields Email activity (CRM), Target entity for structured email creation with party list support What CloudFronts Configured The flow fetches the opportunity record from Dataverse as its first action after the trigger. From that single record, four lookup fields are evaluated, the record owner (_ownerid_value), the opportunity contact (_cf_opportunitycontact_value), a forwarding sales representative (_ow_forwardingtosalesrep_value), and the primary sales representative (_ow_salesrep_value). Each lookup is conditionally included in the recipient array only if it is not null. If a lookup field has no value on a given opportunity, it is excluded entirely, the flow does not error, and no placeholder address fills the gap. The recipient array is constructed using a single coalesce + createArray expression, producing a clean party list that is passed directly into the email activity creation step. The participationtypemask value distinguishes the To recipient (mask 1, the owner via systemusers) from CC recipients (mask 2, contacts). Power Automate Flow Walkthrough The diagram above illustrates the end-to-end structure of the flow. Below is a breakdown of each stage. Step 1, Trigger The flow is triggered by a CRM event such as an opportunity stage change, a manual button, or a scheduled recurrence. Step 2, Get opportunity record A Dataverse action retrieves the full opportunity record including all lookup fields. Step 3, Build the recipients array This is the core of the solution: coalesce( createArray( if( not(equals(outputs(‘Get_Opportunity_Record’)?[‘body/_ownerid_value’], null)), json(concat( ‘{"participationtypemask": 1,"partyid@odata.bind": "systemusers(‘, outputs(‘Get_Opportunity_Record’)?[‘body/_ownerid_value’], ‘)"}’ )), null ), if( not(equals(outputs(‘Get_Opportunity_Record’)?[‘body/_cf_opportunitycontact_value’], null)), json(concat( ‘{"participationtypemask": 2,"partyid@odata.bind": "contacts(‘, outputs(‘Get_Opportunity_Record’)?[‘body/_cf_opportunitycontact_value’], ‘)"}’ )), null ), if( not(equals(outputs(‘Get_Opportunity_Record’)?[‘body/_cf_forwardingtosalesrep_value’], null)), json(concat( ‘{"participationtypemask": 2,"partyid@odata.bind": "contacts(‘, outputs(‘Get_Opportunity_Record’)?[‘body/_cf_forwardingtosalesrep_value’], ‘)"}’ )), null ), if( not(equals(outputs(‘Get_Opportunity_Record’)?[‘body/_cf_salesrep_value’], null)), json(concat( ‘{"participationtypemask": 2,"partyid@odata.bind": "contacts(‘, outputs(‘Get_Opportunity_Record’)?[‘body/_cf_salesrep_value’], ‘)"}’ )), null ) ) ) Each lookup is checked for null and included only when present, producing a clean, variable-length recipient list from CRM data. Step 4, Null checks per lookup Missing stakeholders are simply excluded without breaking the flow. Step 5, Create email activity The recipient list is passed into Dataverse email activity creation. Step 6, Email sent Recipients are resolved dynamically from CRM data at runtime. Business Impact Metric Before After Recipient source Hard-coded in flow Live from CRM opportunity record Personnel change handling Manual flow edit required Automatic, CRM update is sufficient Variable stakeholder support Not possible Supported natively Misdirected email risk High Eliminated Flow maintenance effort Per-change developer intervention None for recipient changes The organization now operates email automation where the flow itself never needs to be edited when team structures shift. Updating the opportunity record in CRM is the single source of truth, and the flow responds accordingly at runtime. Frequently Asked Questions What if all lookup fields are null on an opportunity? The createArray expression will produce an array of null values, and coalesce will return an empty or minimal array. It is recommended to add a condition step before the email creation to check that at least one valid recipient exists and to handle the empty case, such as logging a CRM note or notifying an administrator, rather than … Continue reading Stop Hard-Coding Recipients: Streamlining Email Automation with Dataverse and Power Automate for a U.S.-Based Window and Door Manufacturer →

Summary A non-profit sustainability certification organization reduced CRM complexity by replacing multiple custom entities with a JSON-based data structure in Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. CloudFronts implemented a custom HTML interface to dynamically render input fields and manage document uploads within a single, unified UI. The approach eliminated repeated schema changes, reduced admin overhead, and enabled faster adaptation to evolving certification requirements. Business impact: Reduced CRM customization overhead, accelerated onboarding of new certification types, and a more maintainable solution that scales without structural rework. About the Customer The customer is a non-profit organization focused on sustainability certification across industries. They operate across multiple certification programs, each with distinct documentation requirements, input fields, and approval workflows. Their team relies on Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM as the central platform for managing certification applications, applicant data, and compliance records. The Challenge Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM is built for structured data — but not all business processes follow fixed structures. The organization managed several certification programs, each requiring different sets of input fields, document uploads, and validation logic. Initially, each new certification type was handled by creating a new custom entity or modifying existing ones to accommodate the required fields. While this worked for a small number of programs, the approach quickly revealed significant limitations: Schema rigidity: Every time a new certification type was introduced, or an existing one updated, the CRM schema had to be modified. This meant new fields, new relationships, and repeated deployment cycles. Administrative overhead: Each schema change required coordination between developers and CRM administrators, creating delays and dependency bottlenecks. Inconsistent UI experience: With different entities handling different certification types, the user interface lacked consistency. Applicants and internal users faced a fragmented experience depending on which program they were working in. Scalability ceiling: The entity-per-program model was not designed to scale. Adding a tenth or fifteenth certification type would exponentially increase the complexity of the CRM data model. Document management friction: Handling document uploads across multiple entities was cumbersome, with no unified approach to tracking submission status or linking files to the correct certification record. The organization needed a solution that could accommodate evolving certification structures without requiring constant schema modifications or developer intervention. The Solution CloudFronts redesigned the data architecture by replacing the multi-entity model with a JSON-based structure stored within Dynamics 365 CRM, paired with a custom HTML interface to dynamically render the appropriate fields and manage document workflows. Technologies Used Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM, Core platform for certification records, applicant data, and workflow management JSON, Flexible data structure for storing dynamic certification inputs within a single CRM field Custom HTML with JavaScript, Dynamic front-end interface rendered within the CRM form, replacing static entity-based layouts Power Automate, Supporting workflows for notifications, approvals, and document status updates What CloudFronts Configured Rather than creating a separate entity for each certification type, CloudFronts introduced a single Certification Application entity with a dedicated JSON field to store all variable inputs. A configuration-driven approach was used, each certification type is defined by a schema that specifies which fields to show, what validations to apply, and which documents are required. The custom HTML interface reads this configuration at runtime and dynamically renders the correct form, no code changes required when a new certification type is added or an existing one is modified. The same interface handles document uploads, linking each file to its corresponding certification record and tracking submission status in real time. CloudFronts also implemented role-based visibility within the HTML component, ensuring that internal reviewers, applicants, and administrators each see only the sections relevant to their function. Business Impact Metric Before After Adding a new certification type Requires schema changes and deployment Configuration update only UI consistency Fragmented across entities Unified interface for all programs Developer dependency High, every change needed development effort Low, administrators manage configurations Document tracking Manual, per entity Centralized and automated CRM data model complexity Growing with each program Stable and maintainable The organization can now onboard new certification programs in a fraction of the time, without touching the underlying CRM schema. Internal teams manage certification configurations independently, and the development team focuses on feature improvements rather than reactive schema maintenance. Frequently Asked Questions When should I use JSON instead of CRM entities? JSON is a strong fit when input structures vary frequently, differ across record types, or are driven by business rules that change regularly. If your data model is stable and relational, entities remain the better choice. Is it possible to query or filter on JSON data in CRM? Direct filtering on JSON fields in Dynamics 365 is limited. CloudFronts structured the solution so that key filterable attributes, such as certification type, status, and applicant ID, remain as standard CRM fields, while the variable payload lives in JSON. Does the custom HTML approach work on mobile? Yes. The HTML web resource is built to be responsive and functions within the Dynamics 365 mobile app, though optimal use is on desktop given the complexity of certification forms. Can this approach support approval workflows? Yes. Power Automate workflows trigger based on standard CRM field changes, such as status updates, and do not depend on the JSON structure, keeping workflow logic clean and maintainable. Conclusion Not every data problem in CRM needs a new entity. When business requirements are variable and evolving, as they often are in certification, compliance, and document-heavy workflows, a rigid entity model can become a liability rather than an asset. By combining JSON-based storage with a dynamic HTML interface, CloudFronts helped this organization build a CRM solution that adapts to change without requiring structural rework. The result is a leaner data model, a more consistent user experience, and a team that can move faster because they are no longer dependent on developer cycles for every process update. Sometimes the best CRM architecture is the one that knows when not to add more to the schema. We hope you found this article useful. If you would like to explore how AI-powered customer service can improve your support … Continue reading Stop Creating Entities: Simplifying CRM with JSON and Custom HTML for a Sustainability Certification Non-Profit in the Netherlands →

Summary A services firm based in Houston, Texas, specializing in enterprise security solutions, improved operational efficiency by transitioning from Excel-based reporting to Power BI Paginated Reports, implemented by CloudFronts. CloudFronts designed a structured, client-ready reporting solution integrated with Dynamics 365 CRM. The solution supports manual distribution today while being fully prepared for future automation such as scheduled PDF delivery. Business impact: Improved operational efficiency, standardized reporting, and scalability without rework. Client-ready account statement using Power BI Paginated Reports About the Customer As a 9x Microsoft Gold Partner and 6x Microsoft Advanced Specialization-endorsed organization based in Texas, U.S., the customer specializes in delivering solutions for critical business needs across systems management, security, data insights, and mobility. The Challenge Initially, the organization generated account statements manually using Excel for a small number of clients. While this approach worked at a smaller scale, it presented several limitations: Manual effort and inefficiency: Reports had to be created individually for each client. Lack of standardization: Formatting and structure varied across reports. Scalability concerns: While effective for a small client base, the process was not designed to scale as the business grows to 30–50+ clients. Technology decision gap: The team required guidance on choosing between SSRS and Power BI Paginated Reports, along with future automation capabilities. As a result, the organization needed a solution that addressed current inefficiencies while preparing for future scale. The Solution CloudFronts implemented Power BI Paginated Reports, integrated with Dynamics 365 CRM, to create structured, print-ready account statements. Technologies Used Dynamics 365 CRM — Source of funding, account, and transaction data Power BI Paginated Reports — Designed pixel-perfect, client-facing statements Power BI Service — Enabled hosting and future automation capabilities What CloudFronts Configured CloudFronts designed a paginated report tailored for client communication, including account summaries, transaction-level details, and allocation tracking. The solution includes parameterized filtering for month, account, and funding status, enabling efficient report generation across multiple clients. The report was built with a strong emphasis on consistency, print-ready formatting, and reusability—ensuring that reports can be generated without redesign as the business grows. CloudFronts also guided the customer in selecting Power BI Paginated Reports over SSRS to ensure better alignment with the Power BI ecosystem and support for future automation such as subscription-based PDF delivery. Key Implementation Decisions Replacing Excel with Paginated Reports: Improved standardization and reduced manual effort. Choosing Paginated Reports over SSRS: Enabled seamless integration with Power BI Service and future automation readiness. Designing for scalability: Built a solution that works manually today but supports automation in the future. Business Impact Metric Before After Report Creation Manual Excel-based System-generated reports Operational Efficiency Low Significantly improved Scalability Limited Ready for growth Consistency Variable Standardized The organization now operates with a structured reporting system that reduces manual effort while being fully prepared for future automation. Frequently Asked Questions Should I use SSRS or Power BI Paginated Reports? If you are using Power BI, Paginated Reports are a better choice due to seamless integration and future automation support. Can I automate PDF report delivery later? Yes. Paginated Reports support subscription-based delivery for automated PDF emails. Do I need automation from day one? No. It is more effective to design a scalable solution first and introduce automation as the business grows. Conclusion This implementation highlights that effective reporting is not just about automation—it is about designing for scalability from the beginning. By choosing Power BI Paginated Reports, the organization built a solution that meets current needs while avoiding future rework as they grow. Not every reporting requirement needs a dashboard or immediate automation. A well-designed structured report can often be the most scalable solution. Read the full case study here: Invoke We hope you found this article useful. If you would like to explore how AI-powered customer service can improve your support operations, please contact us at transform@cloudfronts.com. Deepak Chauhan | Consultant, CloudFronts