CRM 2015 Update 1: Exploring and Understanding Themes Deeper

Theme?

Theme is new feature and also new entity introduce in CRM 2015 Update 1.This is coming as the new trend and becoming fewer in term of the new improvement in UI design for most CRM User, who has been expecting this for long time.
Now, in my post, let’s we discover more about Theme, especially its attribute.

Overview

This is the list of Theme Attributes:

Schema Name	Type	Value of default theme	Description
ControlBorder	String	#CCCCCC	The color that controls will use for borders.
ControlShade	String	#F3F1F1	The color for controls to use to indicate when you hover over items.
DefaultCustomEntityColor	String	#006551	The default custom entity color if no color is assigned.
DefaultEntityColor	String	#8B98AB	The default color for system entities if no color is assigned.
GlobalLinkColor	String	#1160B7	The color for links, such as email addresses or lookups.
HeaderColor	String	#1160B7	The color for header text, such as form tab labels.
HoverLinkEffect	String	#D7EBF9	The color that commands or lists will use when you hover over the items.
LogoId	String	null	The name of a web resource to use as a logo. Recommended dimensions are a height of 50 pixels and a maximum width of 400 pixels.
LogoToolTip	String	Microsoft Dynamics CRM	The text that will be used as the tooltip and alt text for the logo.
Name	String	CRM Default Theme	The name of the Theme entity.
NavBarBackgroundColor	String	#002050	The primary navigation bar color.
NavBarShelfColor	String	#DFE2E8	The secondary navigation bar color.
ProcessControlColor	String	#0755BE	The primary color for process controls.
SelectedLinkEffect	String	#B1D6F0	The color that commands or lists will use to indicate selected items.

Source: https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn932133.aspx

Effect of Attributes

We know there are lot of attributes inside this Theme entity, which if we can’t understand their effects, will make our CRM not better, in fact is becoming more and more ugly + weird!
Now, let’s we begin our journey together.

Theme Name

Theme Name has only one field inside this section.

Theme Name

Okay, this is just a Name.
Remember, every entity in this world needs a name, that happening also in our Dynamics world, every entity in CRM needs a name! This is for instance identification only, can’t imagine if you create record then you do not name it, you will be confused.

Navigation Bar

Navigation Bar has 5 attributes inside this section

Logo

Logo is the one that will replace this CRM fav icon.. In the left side Top navigation.


To use your image as Logo, you need to upload it as Web Resource.


And here is the effect after you change it.



I recommend you to upload an image that height is not more than 48px and if possible, use the  .PNG with transparent BG, otherwise you will get an awkward design or you need to adjust the Navigation BG-Color.

If I use the transparent, I can choose my own Navigation Bar Color easily

Logo Tooltip

This is Tooltip for your logo that only appear if you Hover it.


Result:

Navigation Bar Color

This is the Main navigation color, it was defaulted to CRM Signature Blue Color



Now, let’s I change it to Green Color

Navigation bar Shelf Color

This setting is for the second layer of top navigation.



To make it flashy, I change to pink Color and you will see its difference.

Previously was:



Now is..



*All customized:

Header Color

Header Color is: “The color for header text, such as form tab labels.”

I change to:



This will determine the Navigation Text:

This is related to the Form also actually.




I change to other Color



Once you know its effect, you will be more careful to put your colorizing setting.

UI Elements

Global Link Color

If you notice, current version of CRM will have the link color, like you often defined in your CSS Styling

Previous version



CRM 2015 Update 1



For the lookup and email, now we can define our own color.

I change the color



Result:



And also for the Form level



In fact, it will affect any hyperlink.

Selected Link Effect

When you select an item or multiple items, you can see the color appearing, like in previous version:



Now, you can change its color



Result after changing it.



*Considering this I think it is not so that less important setting…hehe

Hover Link Effect

Related to previous, but this time, this color will appear only if we hover it on, not when we select it.



Now, i change to other color:



Result:


Not only to record, it also affect the ribbon!!

Process Control Color

Short word, it is related to the Business Process Flow



Now, I change the color to:



Result:

Default Entity Color

Remembering in forum that I have been active member, many people asking this feature and I always say, not, it is not possible. Now, I can say, yes, it is!

And what is the feature?

We can change the Entity Color in your sitemap!

Yeah..

And this is just a default one..





You must see the pink color box



When I say just ‘default one’, so yes, can we customize it?

Well, each individual entity, you can also defined, for those who are not defined in the Customization will get the default value, same as Custom Entity, you can change individually the color, please refer to this post.

http://missdynamicscrm.blogspot.sg/2015/05/crm-2015-update-1-sitemap-entity-color.html



Result:

Default Custom Entity Color

This is same as the previous one, but it is mainly for defaulted custom entity color!

Control Shade

This is related your activity when you try to hover a control (not a ribbon, because ribbon is controlled by another setting)



Result:

Control Border

Result:



After we know their effects, we might need to be careful to give them color because it can affect your CRM User Interface.

Hope this helps!
Thanks.