Answers.Body: <p>This is a really broad question, and without some guidance as to what you consider a "professional CRM applications" looks like it is tricky one to answer.</p>
  
  <p>That said, with Drupal we often built out a UI via Views and Webforms that can keep all the but the hardcore admins out of civicrm entirely  - depending of course on what the extent of their requirements are.</p>
  
  <p>This may be an easier path for you to explore than rebuilding the civicrm ui directly.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-08T11:22:29.203Z
Answers.Text: Thank you for responding. What I meant by professional CRM application is that the UI would be more aesthetic and intuitive for the users to use the crm system. With all credits to civicrm, I feel that the User Interface could be more user friendly for the users to use. I am heading to develop a nice looking CRM application for membership and contribution management.
Answers.UserDisplayName: user2823396
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-08T18:44:22.647Z
Answers.Text: Then I think you should spend some time looking at how you can give most users a Drupal-side experience via Views and Webforms
Answers.UserDisplayName: petednz - fuzion
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-11T23:07:34.063Z
Answers.Text: thank you Pete. can you suggest some good learning metrial to start with please?
Answers.UserDisplayName: user2823396
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-12T07:32:43.430Z
Answers.Text: How about you give at least one really clear example of what you want to change, otherwise my feeling is this question will not get a worthwhile answer since it will all be generic. Fuzion have published lots of Views for civi data which can be imported to your site if you have very little experience with Views. Take a look in our Treasure Trove at http://www.fuzion.co.nz/treasure-trove
Answers.UserDisplayName: petednz - fuzion
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-12T07:33:22.893Z
Answers.Text: At this point I feel the overarching OP has been answered. Is there a way? Yes you can use Views + Webforms, or you can customise civicrm templates.
Answers.UserDisplayName: petednz - fuzion
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-12T22:36:35.113Z
Answers.Text: for example. I wanted to build a Drupal website (intranet) with the contacts, memberships and contributions. where the users can go and create new contacts, update contact, add memberships to the contacts and add contributions to the contacts. of course to search for the information too.
Answers.UserDisplayName: user2823396
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-13T07:36:24.620Z
Answers.Text: You can 'add a contact' via the civi backend, via a civicrm profile, or via a webform. Try them all out, then explain which of those most meets your concept of 'a professional CRM application' and which doesn't, and why? Otherwise I think this whole question/thread is going to remain vague and unhelpful
Answers.UserDisplayName: petednz - fuzion
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-08T02:35:19.177Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-11-08T02:35:19.177Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: petednz - fuzion
Answers.Body: <p>I agree with Pete - try to be as specific as possible and indicate which easily available information (e.g. on the CiviCRM handbook) you have already found &amp; considered.</p>
  
  <p>That being said, CiviCRM's appearance/look &amp; feel can be changed by using another drupal theme. You could use one that you like (we have been using boostrap as well as the AT adaptive theme) and adapt/extend it.</p>
  
  <p>Note that you can set a separate theme for CiviCRM backend, CiviCRM public pages and your CMS' other pages. </p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-08T11:28:56.363Z
Answers.Text: Thabks Fabian. I am looking to see how could I increase the user experience. As you pointed I can try modifying the theme but can I clarify will it make the application more user friendly? Can younshare some reference sites to Bootstrap and AT adaptive theme on civicrm/drupal sites?
Answers.UserDisplayName: user2823396
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-08T15:19:32.587Z
Answers.Text: A theme will/may change things such as fonts, buttons, colours, resposnsiveness (e.g. fluid vs. fixed width) so quite some things in regard to appearance. However, it will not change any workflows or influence number of clicks, popups, etc. That will require more sophisticated UI mods or an approach as outlined by pete.
  
  Visit this demo to see the adaptive theme: https://campaignmanager.systopia.de
  
  But note that there was no focus on style, we just use it by default.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Fabian
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-08T23:53:53.227Z
Answers.Text: thank you Fabian. actually I am looking to bring up better with the appearance and also lesser button clicks and organizing data for the users in a better manner. is this something achievable. if so, what is the complexity of this and more advice from you before taking this path. thank you.
Answers.UserDisplayName: user2823396
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-09T09:19:21.427Z
Answers.Text: Should you really want to improve user experience by changing the way they interact with the data, I would also recommend Pete's approach (keep users out of CiviCRM and use Druapl or another system for specialized tasks). Changing it in CiviCRM would be a lot (!) of work and in order to make it sustainable you would need to coordinate your changes closely with the core team/the community.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Fabian
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-11T23:05:26.267Z
Answers.Text: I am indeed thinking of taking the route of Pete's approach of using Drupal to customize. however I am not so familiar with Drupal too. can you suggest which theme would be most suitable for this approach. if this is not the place to ask the question pardon me and direct me to the right place. the intent of asking this question here is that civic fm experts can best advice the themes for civicrm.
Answers.UserDisplayName: user2823396
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2016-11-08T09:44:19.240Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2016-11-08T09:44:19.240Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Fabian
Body: <p>I am running a fresh site CiviCRM with Drupal. I am very new to CiviCRM and Drupal too.. I am in need up building an intranet CRM application that can look like a professional CRM applications. I am very much glad with the functionalities that CiviCRM provides. However as per the look and feel, I wanted to make it more intuitive for the users. My questions are:</p>
  
  <ol>
  <li>Can I enhance the look and feel of CiviCRM aesthetically?</li>
  <li>If yes, what are the means and ways to do it. </li>
  <li>Please advise the best recommended way.</li>
  <li>Guide me to some of the videos that can teach how to achieve this.</li>
  </ol>
  
  <p>Thank You. </p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2016-12-15T23:36:35.777Z
Comments.Text: This should be done through your Drupal theming. In Drupal, you can assign the theme that the CRM uses and through roles, you can assign what functions the roles can access.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Christia
Tags: <drupal><ui><user-interface>
Title: Is there a way to customize CiviCRM UI?
ThreadText: # Is there a way to customize CiviCRM UI?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2016-11-08)
  
  I am running a fresh site CiviCRM with Drupal. I am very new to CiviCRM and Drupal too.. I am in need up building an intranet CRM application that can look like a professional CRM applications. I am very much glad with the functionalities that CiviCRM provides. However as per the look and feel, I wanted to make it more intuitive for the users. My questions are:
  
  1. Can I enhance the look and feel of CiviCRM aesthetically?
  2. If yes, what are the means and ways to do it.
  3. Please advise the best recommended way.
  4. Guide me to some of the videos that can teach how to achieve this.
  
  Thank You.
  
  **Tags:** drupal, ui, user-interface
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: This should be done through your Drupal theming. In Drupal, you can assign the theme that the CRM uses and through roles, you can assign what functions the roles can access.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2016-11-08. Score: 3
  
  This is a really broad question, and without some guidance as to what you consider a "professional CRM applications" looks like it is tricky one to answer.
  
  That said, with Drupal we often built out a UI via Views and Webforms that can keep all the but the hardcore admins out of civicrm entirely - depending of course on what the extent of their requirements are.
  
  This may be an easier path for you to explore than rebuilding the civicrm ui directly.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Thank you for responding. What I meant by professional CRM application is that the UI would be more aesthetic and intuitive for the users to use the crm system. With all credits to civicrm, I feel that the User Interface could be more user friendly for the users to use. I am heading to develop a nice looking CRM application for membership and contribution management.  
  > **username_2**: Then I think you should spend some time looking at how you can give most users a Drupal-side experience via Views and Webforms  
  > **username_0**: thank you Pete. can you suggest some good learning metrial to start with please?  
  > **username_2**: How about you give at least one really clear example of what you want to change, otherwise my feeling is this question will not get a worthwhile answer since it will all be generic. username_2 have published lots of Views for civi data which can be imported to your site if you have very little experience with Views. Take a look in our Treasure Trove at http://www.username_2.co.nz/treasure-trove  
  > **username_2**: At this point I feel the overarching OP has been answered. Is there a way? Yes you can use Views + Webforms, or you can customise civicrm templates.  
  > **username_0**: for example. I wanted to build a Drupal website (intranet) with the contacts, memberships and contributions. where the users can go and create new contacts, update contact, add memberships to the contacts and add contributions to the contacts. of course to search for the information too.  
  > **username_2**: You can 'add a contact' via the civi backend, via a civicrm profile, or via a webform. Try them all out, then explain which of those most meets your concept of 'a professional CRM application' and which doesn't, and why? Otherwise I think this whole question/thread is going to remain vague and unhelpful  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2016-11-08. Score: 2
  
  I agree with Pete - try to be as specific as possible and indicate which easily available information (e.g. on the CiviCRM handbook) you have already found & considered.
  
  That being said, CiviCRM's appearance/look & feel can be changed by using another drupal theme. You could use one that you like (we have been using boostrap as well as the AT adaptive theme) and adapt/extend it.
  
  Note that you can set a separate theme for CiviCRM backend, CiviCRM public pages and your CMS' other pages.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Thabks username_3. I am looking to see how could I increase the user experience. As you pointed I can try modifying the theme but can I clarify will it make the application more user friendly? Can younshare some reference sites to Bootstrap and AT adaptive theme on civicrm/drupal sites?  
  > **username_3**: A theme will/may change things such as fonts, buttons, colours, resposnsiveness (e.g. fluid vs. fixed width) so quite some things in regard to appearance. However, it will not change any workflows or influence number of clicks, popups, etc. That will require more sophisticated UI mods or an approach as outlined by pete.  Visit this demo to see the adaptive theme: https://campaignmanager.systopia.de  But note that there was no focus on style, we just use it by default.  
  > **username_0**: thank you username_3. actually I am looking to bring up better with the appearance and also lesser button clicks and organizing data for the users in a better manner. is this something achievable. if so, what is the complexity of this and more advice from you before taking this path. thank you.  
  > **username_3**: Should you really want to improve user experience by changing the way they interact with the data, I would also recommend Pete's approach (keep users out of CiviCRM and use Druapl or another system for specialized tasks). Changing it in CiviCRM would be a lot (!) of work and in order to make it sustainable you would need to coordinate your changes closely with the core team/the community.  
  > **username_0**: I am indeed thinking of taking the route of Pete's approach of using Drupal to customize. however I am not so familiar with Drupal too. can you suggest which theme would be most suitable for this approach. if this is not the place to ask the question pardon me and direct me to the right place. the intent of asking this question here is that civic fm experts can best advice the themes for civicrm.  
  
  ---
  
  