Introduction
If you use Dynamics 365, Microsoft releases new features and functionality on an ongoing basis. Typically, these software releases have been grouped into two separate waves per year, where a wave is a rolling release of software over six months.
For Dynamics 365 Sales 2024 Release Wave 2, Microsoft is adding new features and AI-driven enhancements to streamline sales processes, boost customer engagement and loyalty, and ultimately drive revenue growth.
You will find that AI is at the center stage. In preparation for writing this article, I found a new Microsoft slogan, “Automate the Mundane,” that I thought was fitting.
Enhancing customer experience, boosting loyalty, and expanding your customer base are Microsoft’s stated objectives for this release.
What is a Release Wave?
A release wave for Microsoft Dynamics 365 represents a rollout of new features, enhancements, and updates designed to boost productivity, efficiency, and customer engagement.
For a sales manager or executive, this means periodic introductions of new tools like AI-driven sales insights, process automation, and improved CRM functionalities that can accelerate deal cycles, enhance customer interactions, and provide deeper analytics for better sales strategies and performance management.
Why is it Important?
As a sales manager or executive, staying informed about Microsoft Dynamics 365 release waves is critical because these updates directly enhance your ability to drive sales, manage teams, and leverage new technologies.
Each wave introduces opportunities to stay competitive, streamline operations, and adapt your sales processes to meet evolving market demands.
These updates offer tools to simplify sales workflows, provide deeper customer insights through AI, automate repetitive tasks, and improve data analytics for more informed decision-making.
The result is quicker responses to customer needs, more effective sales strategies, and potentially higher conversion rates.
Keeping up with release waves ensures your sales capabilities remain cutting-edge, helping you stay ahead of competitors using outdated systems. By aligning your operations with the latest advancements, you can continue to meet and exceed your business goals.
Many clients find the frequency and depth of these ongoing updates overwhelming.
This article is designed to simplify the process by highlighting the most significant features, making it easier for you to focus on what matters most for your sales success.
Dynamics 365 Sales: 2024 Release Wave 2 Timeframe:
The 2024 Release Wave 2 for Dynamics 365 Sales will roll out between October 1, 2024, and March 2025.
Not all features will be available immediately; Microsoft uses the term "General Availability" (GA) to indicate when specific features become accessible to end users.
Additionally, the release primarily focuses on the U.S. market, with availability and release dates potentially differing in other regions.
Sales Focus Areas: Microsoft Dynamics 365 for 2024 Release Wave 2
Microsoft’s 2024 Release Wave 2 for Dynamics 365 Sales highlights several key areas aimed at enhancing seller productivity and sales management through advanced AI capabilities.
This release brings significant improvements designed to streamline sales processes, deliver actionable insights, and provide a more integrated experience across Microsoft applications.
Key focus areas include:
Natural Language Copilot Experiences
Full-Screen Copilot Home Page
AI-Powered Lead Insights
Sales Pipeline Insights for Managers
These improvements are organized into two distinct sales apps: Dynamics 365 Sales and Microsoft Copilot for Sales.
Each app offers specific functionalities to improve both individual seller experiences and management oversight, making this release wave pivotal for driving sales performance.
The remainder of this article (Part 1) will focus on Dynamics 365 Sales.
The next article in this series (Part 2) will focus on Microsoft Copilot for Sales.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales
Dynamics 365 Sales is a core part of Microsoft’s CRM offerings and is designed to help businesses manage their sales processes, improve customer engagement, and drive revenue growth.
The 2024 Release Wave 2 plan outlines three investment areas for Dynamics 365 Sales:
Administration
Copilot and AI Innovation
Seller Experience
Each of these is further detailed below.
Administration
Dynamics 365 Sales provides powerful administration features that allow businesses to tailor the platform to their specific needs, ensuring it aligns with organizational goals.
Administrators can manage critical aspects such as security roles, integration with external services, and application settings, shaping the user experience to meet evolving business demands.
Additionally, the extensibility options enable sales operations teams to create custom solutions through plugins, workflows, and web resources, providing a flexible toolkit for addressing unique challenges.
For the 2024 Release Wave 2, a significant update for Dynamics 365 Sales is the transition to a monthly release channel for the Sales Hub app, enhancing the speed of innovation.
Previously, organizations had to wait for semiannual updates to access new features, which limited their ability to adapt quickly.
With the new monthly release schedule, businesses can now receive the latest features and improvements as soon as they become available.
This frequent update cycle helps organizations stay ahead of the curve, continuously optimizing their sales processes and workflows.
The release channel configuration offers three options
Auto
Monthly
Semiannual
As part of the 2024 Release Wave 2, the default for the Sales Hub app will change from Auto to Monthly.
Administrators who prefer the slower, semiannual update cycle can adjust their environment’s configuration.
Copilot and AI Innovation
There are six new Copilot and AI features in the Microsoft Dynamics 365 2024 Release Wave 2. The latest updates are designed to enhance seller productivity and streamline workflows by providing real-time AI assistance.
These features include tools that help sales teams better manage customer relationships, automate tasks, and improve their overall effectiveness in the field.
With natural language processing, AI-powered summaries, and manager dashboards, sellers can now access the latest account details, receive intelligent recommendations, and communicate more effectively with their customers.
Some key features include:
Copilot Email Assistance: (GA Oct 2024) Automatically generate personalized, high-quality emails using AI to improve customer engagement and brand reputation.
AI-Generated Account Summaries: (GA Oct 2024) Get a 360-degree view of accounts with a consolidated summary of customer data and opportunities.
Sales Document Summary: (GA Nov 24) Save time by automatically summarizing key information from sales documents based on BANT framework.
AI-Powered Action Suggestions: (GA Nov 24) Receive recommendations for follow-up actions to ensure you're always one step ahead in customer interactions.
Manager Dashboards: (GA Mar 25) Leverage insights from customer interactions and seller behaviors to coach sales teams and adjust strategies effectively.
Copilot Overview Page: (GA Jul 25) Access real-time insights, goal tracking, and natural language chat for smarter sales management.
These features are designed to streamline sales processes, improve decision-making, and enable sales teams to engage more effectively with their customers, ensuring success in both short- and long-term business goals.
Seller Experience
The latest updates in the "Seller experiences" section of Dynamics 365 Sales aim to enhance how sellers manage customer data, monitor deal progress, and engage with clients, enabling more efficient and streamlined operations.
The new features, such as grouping and aggregating opportunities and customizing lead qualification, boost productivity by allowing sellers to easily segment opportunities, analyze key metrics, and fine-tune their approach based on actionable insights.
These tools empower sellers to navigate tasks more efficiently, reducing manual effort and expediting deal closures.
Some key features include:
Group and Aggregate Opportunities: Dynamically group opportunities by relevant fields such as account or seller name and aggregate key metrics like estimated value and actual revenue.
Customizable Lead Qualification: Configure lead qualification processes to eliminate redundant data entry and prepopulate fields for creating multiple opportunities from 1 lead, ensuring faster, more informed decision-making.
In summary, these seller-centric solutions provide the tools necessary to increase sales efficiency, foster team collaboration, and enable sellers to focus on high-value activities that drive success in their sales pipelines.
Summary
Stay ahead in the fast-evolving sales landscape.
Explore how the Optrua Care Plan can help you seamlessly integrate and optimize these new Dynamics 365 Sales features. Contact Us for more information.
And don’t forget to stay tuned for Part 2, where I’ll share the new Copilot features in Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales that will bring even more AI-driven innovation to your sales strategy!
About the Author
Ryan Redmond is the founder of Optrua, specializing in CRM and business process optimization. Ryan channeled his passion for efficiency from lessons learned in the Navy to his work today.
He helps businesses streamline technology to improve employee and customer experiences and empower teams to work smarter, not harder, without unnecessary overhead.
Connect with Ryan on LinkedIn.
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