This article was updated to reflect current Dynamics 365 and Power Apps functionality.
This article is part of our complete guide to Views in Dynamics 365 and Power Apps.
👉 Read the full guide here.
Views are one of the most fundamental — and most frequently used — features in Dynamics 365 and Power Apps. Anytime you open a table like Accounts, Contacts, or Cases, you’re interacting with a view, whether you realize it or not.
This article kicks off a short how-to series focused entirely on understanding, creating, and customizing views, so you can work with your data more efficiently every day.
What Is a View?
At its core, a view is simply a list of records.
For example, when you open Accounts, you might see a list showing:
- Account Name
- Street
- City
- State
Each row represents a single record, and each column displays a specific field. Together, these columns and rows form a view.
Views don’t just control what records you see — they also control how the data is presented, including:
- Which columns appear
- How records are sorted
- Which records are included (via filters)
Understanding Columns, Sorting, and Filters
Every view is made up of three key components:
Columns
Columns determine which fields are displayed in the list. Different views can show different columns depending on what information is most useful for that scenario.
Sorting
Views can be sorted by one or more columns. For example, an Accounts view might be sorted alphabetically by Account Name. When a column is sorted, you’ll see an arrow indicator showing the sort direction.
Filters
Filters control which records appear in the view.
An “All Accounts” view typically shows every account in the system, while an “Active Accounts” view might filter records where Status equals Active. This is why two views on the same table can show different record counts.
Switching Between Views
Dynamics 365 and Power Apps make it easy to move between views using the View Selector at the top of the list.
From there, you can:
- Switch between standard system views (like All or Active records)
- Access your own saved personal views
- Quickly change how you’re looking at the same underlying data
This flexibility allows you to adapt the system to how you work, rather than forcing you into a single fixed layout.
Global Views vs. Personal Views
One important concept to understand early is the difference between Global Views and Personal Views.
Global Views
- Available to multiple users
- Often come out-of-the-box with Dynamics 365
- Can only be created or modified by system administrators or customizers
These are typically used for standardized processes across a team or department.
Personal Views
- Created by individual users
- Only visible to the users they’re shared with
- Easily identified by a small person icon next to the view name
Personal views allow end users to tailor the system to their own day-to-day needs without impacting anyone else.
Default Views
Each table has a default view, which is the view that appears automatically when you navigate to that area of the system.
For example, when you click on Accounts, the default view determines what you see first. Choosing the right default view can save time and reduce unnecessary clicks for users.
What’s Coming Next
In the next articles in this series, we’ll walk through:
- How to create and modify personal views
- When to use personal views vs. global views
- How to add filters, sorting, and columns
- Best practices for building views that support real-world workflows
Whether you’re an end user or a system administrator, mastering views is one of the fastest ways to get more value out of Dynamics 365 and Power Apps.
If you’d like help optimizing views or tailoring your CRM system to the way your business actually works, P2 Automation can help.
Visit us at www.p2automation.com to learn more.
