How a Charitable Trust Eliminated Manual Data Re-Entry With a Custom CRM Dashboard?
Instant Record Lookup | One-Screen Invoice and Batch Creation | Automated Workflows Triggered on Save
At a Glance
| Client | PSN — a New Zealand-based charitable trust |
| Industry | Non-Profit / International Development |
| Service | Dynamics CRM Consulting | Custom Web Resource Dashboard | Workflow Automation |
| Challenge | CRM’s default interface was too slow and cumbersome for PSN’s donation and invoicing workflows |
| Solution | A custom HTML/JS dashboard embedded in CRM to speed up batch creation, record lookup, and invoice entry |
| Key Result | Staff effort in daily data entry reduced drastically; PSN staff reported faster, easier day-to-day work |
About the Client
- PSN is a New Zealand-based charitable trust. They work to support children in need across multiple countries.
- PSN had been using Microsoft Dynamics CRM for several years. They had built custom entities and processes inside CRM to manage their operations. But the default CRM interface was slowing down their staff.
- They reached out to Aegis for help. The goal was simple: make the daily work faster and easier.
The Challenge
PSN’s CRM held everything they needed. But getting to it was hard work. Every common task required too many clicks, too many screens, and too much manual re-entry.
These were the five main problems:
Pain Points Before the Dashboard
| Slow record lookup | CRM’s default lookup windows required too many clicks. Staff had to open separate windows just to find a record. |
| No inline data fill | Selecting a parent record didn’t auto-populate child record fields. Staff re-entered the same data repeatedly. |
| Manual invoice creation | Creating a Contribution (Invoice) and Contribution Detail (Invoice Product) required navigating multiple CRM screens. |
| Cumbersome batch tracking | There was no quick way to create a Banking Batch record and link it to invoices for tracking purposes. |
| Limited UI flexibility | CRM’s standard grid view couldn’t display Organisations and Supporters on the same screen simultaneously. |
The result was clear. Staff were spending too much time navigating the system. Less time for the work that mattered.
Why a Custom Dashboard?
Aegis could have tried to reconfigure CRM’s standard interface. But that would not have solved the root problem.
The standard CRM UI is built for flexibility across many use cases. PSN needed something built specifically for their workflow. A custom HTML-based web resource embedded inside CRM gave them exactly that.
It would be lightweight. It would load fast. And it would match the way PSN’s staff actually worked — not the way CRM expected them to work.
The Solution
Aegis built a custom dashboard using HTML, JavaScript, and jQuery. It lives inside MS Dynamics CRM 2013 as a web resource. Staff access it directly from their CRM environment.
Here is what the dashboard does:
What the Dashboard Delivers
| Combined record grid | One screen shows both Organisation (Account) and Supporter (Contact) records. Staff switch between the two using a radio button — no separate screens needed. |
| Smart search | A search box lets staff find records instantly by typing. No more opening lookup windows and browsing through lists. |
| Auto-fill on record select | Clicking a record in the grid automatically fills in the related Contribution (Invoice) fields. Staff review and confirm rather than re-type. |
| One-click batch creation | A Load Batch button creates a Banking Batch record on the spot and displays the new batch number immediately on screen for invoice tracking. |
| Dynamic payment fields | Selecting a payment method (e.g. Credit Card or Cheque) shows only the fields relevant to that method. Irrelevant fields are hidden automatically. |
| Smart auto-selection | For Contribution Detail (Invoice Product), lookup fields are replaced with auto-suggest controls. Staff type a few characters and the right option appears — no lookup windows. |
| Multi-entity lookups | Some fields (Branch/Site Code, Fundraising Source) support lookups across more than one CRM entity from a single control. |
| Workflow triggers | Saving records from the dashboard triggers CRM workflows automatically. Back-end processes run without any extra steps from staff. |
How It Was Built?
Aegis followed a straightforward approach. Understand first. Build the second.
Phase 1: Understand the Workflow
The team reviewed PSN’s requirements in detail. The focus was on understanding what staff did every day: which records they accessed, what data they entered, and where they lost the most time. This shaped every design decision.
Phase 2: Design the Interface
The dashboard was designed to match PSN’s actual workflow. Organisations and Supporters on one screen. Record selection that auto-fills the form. A search box instead of lookup windows. One button for batch creation.
Phase 3: Build and Integrate
The team built the dashboard using HTML and JavaScript with jQuery. CRM SDK was used for all data operations — reading, creating, and updating records. JavaScript also handled the workflow triggers, so back-end processes fired automatically on key user actions.
Phase 4: Test and Refine
The solution was tested against PSN’s real data and workflows before handover. Edge cases — like multi-entity lookups and conditional field visibility — were verified and refined before go-live.
Results
PSN staff noticed the difference immediately. Here is what changed:
- Daily data entry effort dropped significantly. Staff spent less time on every common task.
- Record lookup became instant. The search box replaced the old multi-click lookup process.
- Invoice creation became a single flow. Staff could create a Contribution and a Contribution Detail without leaving the dashboard.
- Batch tracking was always visible. The batch number appeared on screen the moment it was created.
- Back-end processes ran automatically. No extra steps. Workflows triggered silently in the background.
PSN was highly satisfied with the outcome of the project and the expertise demonstrated by our CRM team. This engagement highlights how Microsoft Dynamics CRM Consulting and custom Dynamics 365 solutions can streamline business processes, reduce manual effort, and improve operational efficiency.
Key Takeaways
| Build for the workflow, not the tool. | CRM out-of-the-box was not the right interface for PSN’s team. The right answer was a custom layer that matched how staff actually worked. |
| Speed reduces errors. | When data entry is slow and manual, staff make mistakes. Auto-fill and smart search removed those friction points entirely. |
| Lightweight beats feature-heavy. | PSN didn’t need more CRM features. They needed less. A focused HTML/JS dashboard was faster and easier than any additional CRM configuration. |
| Automate what staff shouldn’t touch. | Workflow triggers run silently in the background. Staff focus on the task. The system handles the rest. |
| Good UX has a measurable impact. | The reduction in staff effort wasn’t a side effect. It was the goal. Designing for ease of use delivered that outcome directly. |
Technology Stack
- Dynamics 365
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013
- HTML Web Resources
- JavaScript
- jQuery
- CRM SDK (CRUD operations)
- CRM Workflow Engine
Need a Faster CRM Interface?
If your team is spending too long on data entry or navigating a CRM that doesn’t fit your workflow, Aegis can help. We build custom CRM dashboards, web resources, and automation layers that match the way your team works.
Talk to the Aegis team about your CRM challenge
Client identity is confidential. Project details verified through internal delivery records. Reference available on request.