July 20, 2020 | By admin

Dynamics 365 Field Service 2020 release wave 2

Microsoft has announced the range of new features coming to Dynamics 365 Field Service in October 2020. This forms part of Microsoft’s wave 2 2020 updates.

Microsoft has announced a wide range of powerful new features in this wave for Dynamics 365 Field Service. This article summarises our pick of favourite features included in Dynamics 365 Field Service 2020 release wave 2.

Dynamics 365 Field service has now been a part of the Microsoft stack for five years and it has seen some great advances in both processes and technology. The first big change in Field Service was the replacement of the original schedule board. Since then the product team have not stopped introducing new innovative features at a speedy rate.

Work order completion surveys with Microsoft Forms Pro

This feature enables administrators to configure work order completion surveys using Forms Pro to solicit feedback and present the survey natively as part of the customer’s experience.

Integration with Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management

With this feature, technicians using Field Service can easily and seamlessly initiate purchase orders that flow into Dynamics 365 Supply Chain Management without switching apps or initiating manual workflows outside of Dynamics 365.

Travel outside of working hours

Sometimes technicians start their day at the site of the first assigned job instead of their home or office address. The goal of this feature is to allow resource travel outside of working hours to accommodate various scenarios for starting and ending points in the trip.

Technicians travel time availability can be scheduled independently of working hours so that jobs that require extra travel outside of working hours.

Field Service inspections

This previously preview feature is now generally available. Dynamics 365 Field Service includes the capability to define and capture inspections. It enables customers to:

  • Create an inspection through a designer experience
  • Associate an inspection with a work order
  • Complete an inspection via a mobile experience (including the Field Service Mobile application)
  • Capture the inspection results for analysis or further action.

Technician locator

The technician locator capability of Dynamics 365 Field Service includes:

  • Sending scheduled service confirmation notifications to the end customer
  • On the day of service, sending a reminder with a link to track technician location and estimated arrival time
  • A portal application from which end customers can view scheduled service details and technician arrival details.

In addition to the above feature updates, Dynamics 365 Field Service also has value-added supporting products, including Connected Field Service, Resource Scheduling Optimisation and the Model-Driven Mobile application.

For the hardware surrounding Dynamics 365 Field Service, HoloLens or Remote Assist is being used to support mobile workforces and to remotely assist customers quicker and with more backup.
Summary

There are many more features for Dynamics Field Service included in the 2020 release wave 2. All of these updates will be released between October 2020 and March 2021. Access the full wave 2 feature list for Dynamics Field Service here.

Alternatively, get in touch and we will be glad to help your organisation transition through and harness the power of these changes