The CRM Administrator(s) have the ability to set the system-wide default dashboard for all users—the dashboard which all users see when visiting the Dashboards section. However, in CRM 2011, users have the ability to override this default and select a different dashboard as their personal default.
Launch your Dynamics CRM 2011 application. The first time you access a new Dynamics CRM 2011 environment the default dashboard will probably be the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Overview dashboard.
Carry out the following steps:
From the Workplace area in Dynamics CRM 2011, select the Dashboards link.
The system default dashboard will be displayed. It is probably the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Overview dashboard. If not, don't worry, the procedure is the same.
Select a different dashboard from the available list. In the following example, the Sales Activity Dashboard has been selected:
As this is not currently the default dashboard, there is a button available in the CRM ribbon (toolbar) named Set As Default, as shown in the following screenshot:
Click on the Set As Default button. If the current dashboard is already flagged as the default, then the Set As Default button will be disabled, as shown in the following screenshot:
In order to test out the feature, click on the Activities section link located just beneath the Dashboards link in the Workplace area. Then, click again on the Dashboards link and you should be taken to your new default dashboard.
Personalization settings, such as the default dashboard, are stored at the user level for Dynamics CRM 2011. The user's personalization settings override the system default settings. This applies to dashboards as well. If a user removes their personal dashboard, the system default will take effect again.
Why doesn't the Dashboards link go back to my default dashboard? You may have noticed that when you navigate away from the dashboard (say into the Sales section) and then return, Dynamics CRM may not show your default dashboard, but rather goes to the last visited dashboard.
This is not a bug. CRM 2011 tries to remember your recent visits, including views and dashboards. Therefore, the default dashboard might not always be shown during your CRM session. However, if you close your browser and start a new session with Dynamics CRM 2011, the default dashboard will be shown again.