Part of the 2020 Wave 1 were some changes to the Email functionality, namely contextual email communication & Easier selection of email templates.

I have already been through enabling the Wave 1 release here, so won’t do that again.

Easier selection of Email templates

Previously, in an email, you can select the Template box, and it just gives you a selection of the templates.

Once you select the template, this is rendered in the email body.

Now, in 2020 Wave 1, we get a different popup

As you select a template, the right pane shows you a preview of the email, including the data that is part of the template being retrieved from the regarding record you created.

This is a simple change, but is a great user experience change, particularly where templates are heavily used. No longer will you have to do all those clicks to ensure you have the right template, simple but effective. Well done Microsoft.

Contextual Email Communication

This is another brilliant, quick win. Allowing you to switch between email & the record is excellent enhancement. You need to enable it.

Start by going to the area selector at the bottom of the site map & select App Settings

This will open the overview pane, and in the middle of that you can select Manage against Enhanced Email

Select Yes then Save then go back to an Opp form or anything with a timeline

Select the little + against the activity timeline, select Email & viola, contextual email

This little screen is a sort of popup, detached from the opp behind it, but you can interact with the form behind

See how you can copy and paste information to make a sales or service users life easier.

You can also navigate to other screens

Well played Microsoft, well played.

Email writing in D365 has always been behind that of Outlook, but this will bea big improvement to a lot of people.