Customization helpers (forms, views, web resources, client scripting)

This is the “make it look right and behave right” toolbox category—aka the part of CE work where you can ship massive value… or accidentally create a haunted form that only breaks on Tuesdays for users in one security role. 🙂

These tools help you standardize, clone, bulk-edit, and track down where that JavaScript is hiding—without clicking through 47 screens in the Maker portal.

Pick your weapon (quick decision guide)

Web resources & JavaScript inventory

• Need: Upload/edit/publish web resources efficiently (JS/CSS/HTML) with a sane workflow
  Tool: WebResources Manager
  Why: Faster iteration + reliable publish loop without UI pain

• Need: Answer “Where is this JS registered?” (forms, events, handlers)
  Tool: Scripts Finder
  Why: Finds registrations so you stop guessing and start fixing

Forms

• Need: Bulk-manage form libraries, parameters, and field properties across forms
  Tools: Form Libraries Manager, Form Parameter Manager, Bulk Form Attribute Manager
  Why: Standardize forms fast (required/visible/locked, library attachments, params)

Views

• Need: Standardize columns across multiple views quickly
  Tool: View Layout Replicator
  Why: “Make all these views match” without manual edits

Columns / attributes

• Need: Rename / delete / change type of a column (powerful; treat like a chainsaw)
  Tool: Attribute Manager
  Why: Refactor/cleanup attributes when you really mean it

• Need: Edit attribute metadata (common: choice label tidy-ups)
  Tool: Attribute Editor
  Why: Clean up labels/settings in bulk for release-note hygiene

Option sets / choices

• Need: Build a big choice list without manual entry
  Tool: CreateOptionSetsFromCSV
  Why: CSV becomes the source of truth (and saves your wrists)

• Need: Create a choices reference table for reporting models (Power BI-friendly)
  Tool: PowerBI OptionSet Assistant
  Why: Stable label/value mappings for semantic models

Pre-flight checklist (read this before you touch anything)

This category is where unmanaged-layer surprises are born.

• Know whether you’re in Dev / UAT / Prod.
  (If you’re in Prod, you should feel at least slightly nervous. That’s healthy.)
• Work in a solution whenever possible (governance + portability).
• Document what you’re changing (name, date, reason).
  “We changed some stuff” is not release notes.
• Check dependencies before renaming/deleting/changing types:
  • forms, views, business rules, flows, Power Pages, integrations
• Test in a sandbox first if the action is destructive (delete/type change).

Consultant law #3: “Undo” is not a feature in Dataverse.

Web resources & JavaScript inventory

Tool 1: WebResources Manager (web resources without suffering)

What it’s for

WebResources Manager is your “I refuse to publish web resources the slow way” tool. Use it to manage JS/CSS/HTML web resources with a workflow.

When to use it

Use it when you need to:

• Upload new web resources (JS/CSS/HTML)
• Update existing files
• Publish changes reliably
• Keep your edits organized (especially when you’re iterating quickly)

Step-by-step (safe, repeatable workflow)

1. Open WebResources Manager.
2. Filter to your solution / prefix (don’t browse the entire org like it’s a thrift store).
3. Download the current version (optional but smart).
4. Make edits locally.
5. Upload and publish.
6. Smoke test:
   • open the form/page that uses the script
   • confirm the event fires
   • confirm no console errors

Common gotchas

• Forgetting to publish (classic).
• Caching makes you think it didn’t work when it did (or worse: it worked yesterday).
  Clear cache / use incognito / bump versioning patterns.
• Multiple scripts with similar names (the “final_final_v3.js” problem).
  Use naming conventions and keep scripts in a solution.

Validation checklist

• Confirm web resource version/time updated
• Confirm form loads without errors
• Confirm the specific handler behaves as expected

Real scenario

You’re tweaking a portal/form experience and need 5 quick iterations in a day. This tool turns that from “UI clicking marathon” into a normal dev loop.

Tool 2: Scripts Finder (where is this JS registered?)

What it’s for

Scripts Finder answers the question every CE consultant gets asked:
“Where is this JavaScript coming from?”

It helps you locate client events/handlers registered in the org so you can stop guessing.

When to use it

Use it when:

• A form behaves weird and you suspect JavaScript
• You inherited an org and everything is named “new_script.js”
• You’re doing cleanup and need to find unused libraries/handlers

Step-by-step

1. Run Scripts Finder.
2. Search by:
   • web resource name
   • function name (if available)
3. Review where it’s registered:
   • which forms
   • which events (onLoad/onSave/onChange)
   • which fields (if onChange)

Common gotchas

• Duplicate handlers across multiple forms (same JS, different registrations).
• Handlers pointing to scripts that no longer exist (yes, that’s possible, and yes, it’s annoying).

Validation checklist

• Confirm the form/event listed matches the behavior you’re seeing
• Disable/remove only after confirming it’s not used elsewhere

Real scenario

User says: “This field keeps changing after I save.”
Scripts Finder shows you a handler onSave that updates it. Mystery solved. You look like a wizard. 🪄

Forms

Form-related tools (bulk form work without clicking forever)

What it’s for

These tools help you manage form configurations in bulk:

• Form Libraries Manager (libraries attached to forms)
• Form Parameter Manager (form parameters)
• Bulk Form Attribute Manager (field properties across forms)

When to use it

Use these when you need to:

• Add/remove the same library across many forms
• Standardize field behavior:
  • required level
  • visibility
  • locked/unlocked
• Audit which forms contain a library/parameter

Step-by-step (bulk standardization playbook)

1. Identify the “source of truth” form (the one configured correctly).
2. Decide what you’re standardizing (fields, libraries, parameters).
3. Run the tool across target forms.
4. Publish.
5. Test:
   • main form
   • quick create (if applicable)
   • mobile (if relevant)

Common gotchas

• Different form types (main vs quick create) behave differently.
• Role-based forms: you standardize one and forget another exists for a different role.
• Unmanaged changes can sneak in if you’re not working solution-first.

Validation checklist

• Confirm the target forms actually changed
• Confirm a user in the correct role sees expected behavior
• Confirm no duplicate library references

Views

Tool: View Layout Replicator (make views consistent, fast)

What it’s for

View Layout Replicator lets you copy/apply a view layout across multiple views. It’s the antidote to:
“Can we make all these views show the same columns?”

When to use it

Use it when you need:

• Consistent columns across:
  • multiple system views
  • multiple personal views (depending on scope)
• A standardized “support view set” for UAT

Step-by-step

1. Pick your golden view (the one with the right columns/order/width).
2. Select target views.
3. Replicate layout.
4. Publish.
5. Quick validation: open 2–3 target views and confirm layout matches.

Common gotchas

• Replicating layout doesn’t automatically fix underlying filtering logic—layout ≠ query.
• Some views are owned/managed differently depending on solutions and customization layers.

Validation checklist

• Compare before/after on at least 3 target views
• Confirm the view is still usable (columns exist, no blanks due to security)

Columns / attributes

Tool 1: Attribute Manager (chainsaw mode)

What it’s for

Attribute Manager can rename/delete/change type of an attribute. This is powerful for refactors and cleanup… and also powerful for causing problems if done casually.

When to use it

Use it when:

• You must rename a column (and you understand what that impacts)
• You need to remove dead fields responsibly
• You need a type change (rare; treat carefully)

Step-by-step (do not be a hero edition)

1. Identify the attribute and everything it touches.
2. Review dependencies:
   • forms/views
   • business rules
   • flows
   • Power Pages
   • integrations/reporting
3. Do the change in Dev first.
4. Test UAT scenarios that reference it.
5. Deploy intentionally (and communicate clearly).

Common gotchas

• Renaming can break references in:
  • integrations
  • scripts
  • flows (depending on implementation)
• Type changes are the most “surprise!” action in this list.
• Deleting fields can orphan data/mappings.

Validation checklist

• Search solution/components for dependencies
• Test at least one end-to-end business process that touched the field

Tool 2: Attribute Editor (metadata tweaks, often choices)

What it’s for

Attribute Editor helps with attribute editing tasks—commonly used for cleaning up labels/settings. Often this shows up in “release note hygiene” work.

When to use it

Use it when:

• You need to fix labels/metadata in bulk
• You’re cleaning up columns that were created inconsistently
• You’re preparing for a governed release

Gotchas

• UI label changes are easy; downstream consistency is the real work (docs, training, reports).

Option sets / choices

Tool 1: CreateOptionSetsFromCSV (big choice lists without hand entry)

What it’s for

Creates an option set (choice list) from CSV. Perfect when the business hands you:
“Here are 214 values. Please add them by today.”

When to use it

Use it when:

• Large lists (regions, departments, categories)
• You want the list to be version-controlled (CSV becomes the source)

Step-by-step

1. Clean the CSV (remove duplicates, confirm spelling, confirm order).
2. Import/create option set.
3. Validate values and labels.
4. Add to solution.
5. Deploy.

Gotchas

• Duplicate labels and unexpected whitespace are common (Excel loves sneaking them in).
• Decide governance: who owns future edits to this list?

Tool 2: PowerBI OptionSet Assistant (reporting-friendly choices table)

What it’s for

Creates a table populated with option-set values for reporting models—useful so Power BI can join on numeric values and still show friendly labels.

When to use it

Use it when:

• Your reporting team needs stable label/value mappings
• You’re building a semantic model and want a clean “Choices” dimension table

Gotchas

• If choices change, your reporting table must be updated (build this into your governance process).

Great guide angles (easy “mini-guides” inside this article)

1) Bulk standardization

• Standardize libraries across forms
• Standardize field required levels/visibility
• Standardize view columns

2) Clone/copy patterns

• Golden view → replicate layout
• Golden form → replicate field behaviors
• CSV → create governed choice lists

3) Governance (naming + dependencies)

• Prefix rules
• Solution-first approach
• Dependency checks before refactors

4) Avoiding unmanaged-layer surprises

• Always know what layer you’re editing
• Prefer solution-managed customization
• Document changes like you expect to debug them later (because you will)