Currently, when creating a new connection in Dynamics 365, users can select from all defined connection roles and entity types – regardless of the source record's entity type (e.g., Opportunity, Lead, etc.). This leads to confusion, incorrect relationships, and inconsistent data quality.

We are requesting:

• Context-sensitive filtering of connection roles, based on the source entity (record1).
• Filtering of the target entity (record2) to only allow those defined in the connection role configuration.
• (Optional but helpful) Automatically suggesting valid role pairs, depending on configuration.

Why this matters:

• Prevents invalid or irrelevant connections
• Improves user experience and data quality
• Reduces training overhead and user errors
• Enables consistent and reliable reporting on relationships and responsibilities

Example scenario:

If I create a connection from an Opportunity, the role picker should only show relevant roles like Negotiation Partner or Technical Operator – and only allow linking to Accounts or Contacts. Internal roles (like Sales Manager) or other Opportunities should not be selectable unless explicitly defined.

Competitive concern:

Leading CRM platforms such as Salesforce and SAP support context-sensitive role filtering out of the box. Dynamics 365 currently falls behind in this crucial area of usability and data integrity.

Business impact:

In organizations where connection roles are used to assign responsibility, revenue credit, or bonus eligibility, this lack of filtering is not just confusing – it becomes a critical issue.

We’ve experienced cases where opportunities are lost to competitors simply because users cannot correctly assign internal stakeholders or partners due to the unrestricted connection UI.

This makes Dynamics 365 appear less reliable and harder to control in high-stakes sales processes.