Quick view forms have always been one of the lesser known or popular kids on the block, the Unified Interface also agrees. In fact I can’t think of how anything has changed about them since CRM 2013, even Microsoft has got no love for them. Good news - out of the box custom controls are here to save the day! I would like to introduce you to the better sibling of the Quick View form - it’s called ‘Form Component Control’ (catchy huh?). Thankyou to Jukka Niiranen for saving me from my Quick View forms crisis

Why use a Quick View form?

Quick view forms are added to a form which will display information from an associated lookup field record - they do not include header, footer, or navigation areas. Basically its a little window into the associated table. For example I can add a ‘Contact’ quick view form onto my Opportunity record - to show the contacts email, phone number and description. So I don’t have to go open the contact record to find it - very handy. More info on Quick View forms [1] and the how to from the archives [2].

What’s so great about the Form Component Control?

Well a picture tells a thousand words so here’s a GIF to demonstrate the glory. Key highlights for me are that you can both view AND edit the details from the related record; it renders beautifully and seamlessly on the form; its a custom control; No more awkward attempts to answer the ‘why can’t I edit it if I can see it?’ questions; it makes sense!

What’s the catch?

When you compare it to quick view form - not much at all, but it is not 100% flawless (yet!). A few key things below but full limitations documented too [3]

• Its in preview so all the usual disclaimers come with this

• Currently only main forms are supported

• It’s a little bit tricky to setup as you need to find the form ID and table name but easy to follow instructions have been provided [4]

• Business process flows and timelines on forms are a bit glitchy

Why not just use the Quick View form?

WARNING: this is based on feedback from customers, and the experience of myself/others I have worked with, its not an exhaustive analysis. Its a bit of a therapeutic whinge, but also a heads up before you dive in to using them instead of the Form Component Control

• You can look but you can’t touch - data on the quick view form cannot be edited which can be confusing and frustrating - especially when you create a ‘form’ rather than a view

• There is strange funky spacing in and around the form, slightly indented but not obviously from somewhere else

• Multiline text controls do not render or flow like they would on a normal form, formatting stays at row height 1 no matter what you do

But none of this is a good excuse to offend your users with quick view forms any longer - go get your form component control on!

[1] Quick view form docs - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365/customerengagement/on-premises/customize/create-edit-quick-view-forms?WT.mc_id=BA-MVP-5003692

[2] How to add quick view form - https://blog.magnetismsolutions.com/blog/adammurchison/2017/09/14/how-to-add-a-quick-view-form-in-microsoft-dynamics-365

[3] Form Component Control limitations - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/maker/model-driven-apps/form-component-control#limitations?WT.mc_id=BA-MVP-5003692

[4] How to use the Form Component Control - https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/powerapps/maker/model-driven-apps/form-component-control#add-the-form-component-to-a-table-main-form?WT.mc_id=BA-MVP-5003692