Simple List User Experience Guidelines

Article
11/07/2012

Applies To: Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 R2, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012 Feature Pack, Microsoft Dynamics AX 2012

A simple list form is a single page that contains list functionality. It is the recommended pattern for enabling users to view and create reference and dependent data.

Simple list form

Overview

It is simpler for a user to view and create reference and dependent data on a simple list form than it is to perform the same tasks on various details forms accessed from a list page. That is because, with a simple list form, a user can stay on a single page to view all details for multiple records instead of opening multiple details forms from a separate list.

Design concepts

The simple list pattern helps users understand the nature of the data they see. When a user selects a record in the list, all information related to that record is available to the user.

Guidelines

This section includes both general and specific guidelines for simple list forms.

General

A simple list form should follow these rules:

A simple list form should have an action pane strip at the top of the form and contain the File menu on the left side and the Layout and Help menus on the right side.
A New button and a Delete button should be the first two actions on the action pane strip.
The list should span the full width of the form with no borders.
The fields in the grid should be editable.
The width of a simple list form should be 640 pixels.
Focus should be in the first cell of the grid or node of the tree when the form is opened for viewing.
The window should allow vertical and horizontal resizing.
The window should retain its last size when reopened.
The window should retain its last position when reopened.
The contents of the form should be aligned by using the fewest vertical gridlines possible.
No user experience (UX) guidelines should be violated when security is applied for the various roles that have access to this form.

Specific

Guidelines in this section are grouped by screen element.

A window title should be displayed within the window frame and should accurately describe the entity.

The window title should be in plural form.
If opened from an area page, the window title should have the same text as the text of the label used to open the form.
If the form is opened in the context of another record, another title should be displayed above the list and content area.

An action pane strip should be at the top of the form and contain the File menu on the left and the View and Help menus on the right. The action pane strip should contain New and Delete buttons as the first two actions.

For the New button:
- The icon should be AXID 11045 .
- The label should be “New”.
- The button should be set as a primary action.
For the Delete button:
- The icon should be AXID 10121 .
- The label should be “Delete”.
- The button should be set as a primary action.
For any additional actions:
- Buttons should appear after a separator to the right of the New and Delete actions.
- Their labels should be used consistently across all action pane strips for similar actions.
- These actions should have tooltips.
- These actions do not need an icon but can optionally have an icon. If the action has an icon, it should be an icon specifically designed for this action.

The list grid should adhere to the following guidelines:

The list should display up to six columns.
The fields in the grid should be editable.
Grids should be sorted on the first column in ascending order with a visible sort indicator.
A user should be able to select only one record at a time. If records are displayed in grids, no trough (row label) should be displayed because that might cause users to think incorrectly that they can select multiple records.
Full gridlines should be designated as mandatory, showing a red squiggly line within the field.
When there is no data, the grid should not automatically add a new record.
The list should span the full width of the form with no borders.
When creating a new record, focus should go to the first field in the details form.

There should be a status bar at the bottom of the form.

The status bar should contain a Close button, which closes the form.
The status bar should contain field Help text.
If the save fails, a message should be displayed to the user and the form should remain open.

What a simple list form should not have

A Save button on the action pane strip.
An OK or Cancel button in the lower-right corner of the form.
VCR buttons (First, Previous, Next, and Last).
Buttons in a button group on the right side of the form.
A Preview pane.
FactBoxes.
Regular tabs to group fields.

Labels and text

All labels on the form should be in sentence case.
All labels on the form should be spelled correctly.