microsoft dynamics crm

Our Blog Site Is Moving to http://blogs.msdn.com/b/crm/ *PLEASE READ* - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

We want to let everyone know our blog site will be combined with the overall Microsoft Dynamics Team Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/crm/  We will keep our past blogs up for existing linked resources for a while, however for upcoming news and updates please go to http://blogs.msdn.com/b/crm/. 

We greatly appreciate your interest in our blogs and comments!

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Do you have time to be more productive? - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

If you’re a salesperson like me, you get a number of email newsletters, webcast invites, etc. all about the business of being a more productive salesperson.  Create more leads!  Close more deals!  Forecast better! And if you’re like me, you scan these announcements, think “Yep, I sure would like to close more deals!” and move on to the next glib email.  Unless there is a nugget of immediate value the message is lost to the inbox monsters.

The great thing about selling Microsoft Dynamics CRM and representing such a solid CRM for SFA product is that we use it daily, and so do our partners.  Our partners have literally built their businesses using CRM as a fundamental component of their sales process, and they’ve lived to tell the tale of what works, what doesn’t work, and everything in between.

Starting this month, Zero2Ten and Microsoft Dynamics CRM (US) have partnered to deliver a two-part, repeating webcast series focusing on corporate sales productivity.  Using best practices, testimonials, and demonstrations of CRM, Zero2Ten will deliver these nuggets of CRM value:

• Improve lead flow, distribution and responsiveness
• Efficient activity tracking, customer follow-ups at the right time
• Opportunity management, sales predictability and quota visibility

Throughout the demonstrations there will be an opportunity for Q&A, so bring your questions. 

The sessions are 45 minutes in length starting at 10:00AM EDT and are appropriate for sales managers and reps who may already be using CRM or evaluating CRM, Microsoft or our competitors’ products.  Registration links below.

We’re moving beyond the glib “Top 10 Sales Tips” to show you something truly productive and applicable in Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Hope to see you there!  ~Laura

• March 28 – Corporate Sales Productivity Part 1
• April 4 – Corporate Sales Productivity Part 2

• April 11 – Corporate Sales Productivity Part 1
• April 18 – Corporate Sales Productivity Part 2

• April 25 – Corporate Sales Productivity Part 1
• May 2 – Corporate Sales Productivity Part 2

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Every CRM System Has a Sweet Spot - Story From: Commence CRM Blog

If you are considering implementing CRM software for your business perhaps the following recommendations will help. First, it is important to realize that despite the fact that CRM solution providers try to be all things to all people, every CRM system is targeted at a specific market sector. Programs like Zoho for example start out [...]

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CRM 2011 Industry Templates Solutions - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

Many organizations may view CRM 2011 and notice that their business does not fit into CRM 2011 how it is out of the box.  We understand that this may be a challenge during your time of evaluation of CRM 2011, but o make it easier for our customers Microsoft has created some industry templates to import into your trial or production environment.  Created with industry expertise, these solutions can help evaluating CRM 2011 for how you would use it in your business today.  You will see that you can evaluate the product closer to your unique vertical requirements along with experiencing the flexibility of the application not only as a solution, but as a platform as well.  To access the Dynamics Marketplace click here, but we made it easier for you to get to the templates with the list below:

Currently there are industry template solutions for the following verticals (click on each and download the solution, from there import the solution to your trial environment and publish all).  Click here for instructions on how to import a solution.

• Non-Profit
  
• Health Plan
  
• Wealth Management
• Grants Management
  
• Public Sector - 311 Call Center

Stay tuned for more industry templates to come!

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Q2 2012 R8 Preview: “CRM Anywhere” Video - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

There are some exciting new features coming down the road for CRM 2011 in the upcoming release.  Preview some upcoming features in Q2 "R8" such as mobility, BI and Analytics enhancements from Reuben Krippner a MSFT Technical Product Management Lead in this video.  Click the link below to start the video.

Q2 2012 R8 Preview: CRM Anywhere (42:05)

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Setting Expectations for Online CRM - Story From: Commence CRM Blog

Web CRM review -- What to look for in the top rated CRM software for small to midsize companies selecting an online CRM system. Compares cost and CRM features to differentiate between enterprise level and mid-market CRM competitors.

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CRM 2011 R8 Release Preview Guide - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

These are exciting times for CRM 2011 Online, in Q2 we will release some great new features for our customers.  You have spoken and we have responded, take a look at the release preview guide to see some of the new exciting R8 features to be released in Q2. 

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Small Enterprises Take Advantage of Cloud Based CRM Software - Story From: Commence CRM Blog

Small to mid-size enterprises have been using some form of CRM software for almost two decades. Once labeled contact management software, customer interaction software and collaborative groupware, the business objective behind these software programs was primarily the same; to capture, track and manage customer information.  In addition to similar functional capabilities these software programs also [...]

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Microsoft Dynamics CRM Q4 2011 Service Update – “Ask the Experts” Webcasts - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

Attend one of the upcoming sessions to learn more about the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Q4 2011 Service Update!  We are offering 2 sessions for this. 

Session Agenda for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Q4 2011 Service Update - "Ask the Experts" webcast will include:

• Presentation and Q&A via chat with Microsoft team.  Team members can include Sales, Support and Product Team expertise
• Enhancements for CRM Outlook Client, Dialogs, Charts, Auditing, Duplication Detection, Activity Feeds and updates to the service.

We will offer 2 sessions:

12/15 @ 9am PST

12/20 @ 1pm PST

You can register here: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Q4 2011 Service Update Webcast Registration

Enjoy!

Patrick

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Video: Connector for Microsoft Dynamics AX - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

Ray Schloss did a great job with this PartnerSource/CustomerSource posted video. The video gives a look at the features and mechanics of the Connector for Microsoft Dynamics AX, demonstrates the ease of transferring data between Dynamics AX and Dynamics CRM, and outlines value messaging regarding the Connector.

Discover how combining relational data from Dynamics CRM/xRM solutions and transactional data from Dynamics ERP can empower our customers to get more value from their business applications.

Now available
on Partnersource
and Customersource!

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A Quick Analysis of Level One, Level Two and Level Three CRM Software Providers - Story From: Commence CRM Blog

While some CRM solution providers try to be all things to all people most of the popular CRM programs are designed and targeted at a specific market segment. I have labeled these by Tier. See below: Tier 1 – Enterprise Level CRM Providers While targeted primarily at the Fortune 1000 companies, CRM software providers in this category [...]

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CRM Online Activity Feeds - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

The latest R7 release for CRM  2011 was deployed on Oct. 25th, 2011.  One of the features available from this release is Activity Feeds.   The new feature will allow you to start building your internal Social CRM which can help increase user collaboration and communication.  If you are in existing CRM Online customer or created a trial instance prior to the release date, you can import the solution from the Dynamics Marketplace: http://dynamics.pinpoint.microsoft.com/en-US/applications/microsoft-dynamics-crm-activity-feeds-12884926310.  All new instances post Oct. 25th will have the new feature out of the box.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Activity Feeds provide real time notifications and quick sharing of information that the team cares about via quick and short updates. Activity Feeds enable a user to follow and listen in on important activities that take place around the people, accounts, contacts, leads, opportunities or anything else that they care about.

Feed status updates can be posted manually by users or automatically based on pre-defined system rules through workflow. Activity Feeds can also be posted to by external applications through the Microsoft Dynamics CRM web services API. Activity Feeds expose Microsoft Office Lync real-time presence functionality so that users can initiate communication activities such as IM, phone calls and emails.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Activity Feeds will work with all deployment models for Microsoft Dynamics CRM including on-premise, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online and partner-hosted.

How to setup and configure Activity Feeds
https://rc.crm.dynamics.com/rc/2011/en-us/online/5.0/help/source_sf_setup_activity_feeds.htm

How to use Activity Feeds
https://rc.crm.dynamics.com/rc/2011/en-us/online/5.0/help/source_sf_use_activity_Feeds.htm

How to follow colleagues and records with Activity Feeds
https://rc.crm.dynamics.com/rc/2011/en-us/online/5.0/help/source_sf_follow_with_activity_Feeds.htm

*Activity Feeds are also available for CRM On Premise as well.

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Dynamics CRM webcasts - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

Be sure to check the new “Ask the Experts” webcasts coming to  www.democrmonline.com

Session format will include a presentation and Q&A via Chat with Microsoft team.  Team will include resources from various groups including: Sales, Support and Product Team.

Next session for “Ask the Experts” session will cover:  new features in Update Rollup 5.

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Best CRM Software for Small to Mid-Size Businesses - Story From: Commence CRM Blog

Small to mid-size businesses are turning to CRM software to help them capture and distribute leads, manage the sales process, and take advantage of cost effective bulk e-mail marketing to promote their products and services.

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The Connector for Microsoft Dynamics ERP – Features & Functions - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

Combining relational and transactional data in a meaningful way has long been one of the most daunting challenges companies face in providing relevant data to their users and customers alike. Now the Dynamics CRM Connector for AX, NAV and GP is opening new doors for combing relational and transactional information in a simple, effective way.

The attached product paper describes the features, functions and technical requirements for the Dynamics CRM Connector for AX, GP & NAV.

Technical Highlights Include:

• Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online & On-Premises Support
• Alerts & Notifications
• Data Transformation
• Exception Logging
• Multi-Currency support for Microsoft Dynamics AX & NAV
• Custom Map Creation

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Three CRM Online Special Offers You Can’t Ignore - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

Hello out there.  Usually our blog posts are not so salesy, so forgive us but we have some really great offers to tell you about to help you get started faster with CRM Online.  You can’t ignore this kind of money on the table.  These offers start this week.  Here are the offer summaries with links to details and T&C’s:

CRM Cloud for Less

Until March 31, 2012, Microsoft will send qualified organizations USD $150 for each Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Subscription license. Buy 50 seats, get USD $7,500. Buy 500 seats, get USD $75,000.

Qualifications:

• Organizations located in the United States or Canada.
• Organizations that subscribe at least 50 Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online licenses.
• Organizations that sign a two year licensing subscription for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online.

Details and full terms and conditions.

Make the Move to CRM Online

For existing Microsoft Dynamics CRM customers with on-premise deployments who are looking to migrate to the cloud, CRM Online is offered at a discounted price of $39.00 per user per month.  Can be combined with The Big Easy Offer 8!  Through March 30, 2012.

Partner details.

Details and full terms and conditions.

Big Easy 8

The Big Easy Offer 8 is back until June 30, 2012 by poplular demand.  The offer allows US customers who make a qualifying license purchase to earn a partner subsidy. Similar to previous Big Easy Offers, you can benefit from subsequent purchases of Microsoft software licenses and/or associated services by customers cashing in their subsidy checks.

What’s new about The Big Easy Offer 8?

1. Includes Online Services – earn payout percentages on Microsoft Office 365, Microsoft Windows Intune and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online in a single subsidy offer
2. 2x payout on Open annuity – helping our partners drive the annuity focus through Open Value and Open Value Subscription licensing programs
3. Relatively higher payouts on growth and emerging solutions – enabling you to catalyze small and mid-sized business adoption of Virtualization and server management, and Security and Identity solutions

Details and full terms and conditions.

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CRM 2011 User Guide - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

Here is the official User Guide from Microsoft for Dynamics CRM 2011.

http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/confirmation.aspx?id=27134

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Customers Applaud Commence CRM’s Full Featured Dashboard - Story From: Commence CRM Blog

The highly competitive nature of the CRM software sector has software providers searching for ways to differentiate their product from the myriad of options available. While many focus their attention on adding wiz-bang features that often provide little value, one CRM software provider has focused their attention on the product’s usability and access to customer [...]

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CRM 2011 Online Test Drive Guide - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

The CRM 2011 Online Test Drive Guide is a high level guided tour of the application to try and help you get the most out of your 30-day trial experience.   This guide will take you through key steps in a methodology that leads to a successful experience which starts from initial setup, to using Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Online (CRM 2011) with your data.  Within this guide “Helpful Links” have been put in place to quickly take you to resources that will demonstrate the “how to” while using CRM 2011. 

Helpful Links:

• Video:  these links represent videos created by the Microsoft CRM Online team
• Download:  these links represent downloadable material for your use
• Web:  these links represent informative content from the CRM 2011 Resource Center web pages

Best Practices: Many of the “Helpful Links” links have been selected directly from the Resource Center module in CRM 2011.  There are many more links in the Resource Center that give additional guidance on topics, it is always recommended to search on a topic in the Resource Center for additional help.

In this document we will cover the following topics:

• Installing the Outlook Client for CRM 2011 Online
• Streamlining CRM 2011 Online
• Configuring Business Units and Security Roles
• Creating Workflows
• Data Import
• Extending CRM 2011
 

Installing the Outlook Client for CRM 2011 Online
When using the Outlook client, Outlook users can manage CRM 2011 directly within Outlook.  Users can save time and effort by tracking emails, contacts, appointments, and tasks for both CRM 2011 and Outlook all from a single user interface.  The user interface for Outlook users will be more familiar, resulting in less training and higher adoption.  Because of this rich integration users will no longer have to open multiple applications to complete a process and or track information, and rather spend more time on business rather than “where to click”.  The end goal is to provide a seamless experience to increase your business productivity.   There are two different methods to installing the Outlook Client through the web client and manual download.

Key Functions:

•  Email Tracking
•  Appointment Tracking/Calendar Sharing
•  Converting emails to Leads, Opportunities, and Cases
•  Manage Outlook and CRM Contacts from one area
•  Manage Outlook tasks and CRM Activities from one area
•  Ability to take CRM Offline

Note: Administrator rights will be needed for install on each user’s machine.

Web Client Install:

• Use the Get CRM for Outlook button from the Web Client

Manual Install:

• Manually download the client here and install

Note: both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Outlook are supported with its own unique client.  This is also referenced in the Installation Guide for Outlook Client for CRM 2011 pgs. 6 - 10

• amd64 for 64-bit
• i386 for 32-bit

Helpful Links:

• Video:  Installing the CRM 2011 Outlook Client
• Download:  Installation Guide for Outlook Client for CRM 2011
• Download:  Download CRM 2011 Online Outlook Client
• Web:  Key steps to get started with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook

 
Streamlining CRM 2011 Online
CRM 2011 out-of-the-box will provide pre-defined entities, fields, and demo data that are most commonly used in businesses today.  In order to streamline CRM 2011 for your end users to help increase efficiency and productivity, CRM 2011 provides a user interface that allows you to easily create, edit, and delete entities and fields.  With point and click functionality, you can configure the forms so that when end users views a record they only view the fields that are associated to their daily work.  This makes it easy for users to quickly enter in the information needed and move on to other work items.   Not only will it make your end users more productive, it will also increase adoption of the solution.  By only displaying what users will need and use, they will easily adopt the solution and soon increase CRM 2011 to be streamlined into their rhythm of business in day to day work experience.  The flexible design truly allows CRM 2011 to fit into your organization structure and processes and not the other way around.

Best Practice: It is recommended to look at your existing data and to see what will need to be migrated into CRM 2011 if you are moving from an existing system.  Based on the fields that you are currently using, this will give you a head start on what fields you can use that are provided out-of-the-box  or which ones need to be created prior to data import.  This will be discussed in more detail later in this document.

Helpful Links:

• Video:  Configure Fields and Forms in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011
• Web:  Configuring Fields
• Web:  Create or Edit Entity Fields

Configuring Business Units and Security Roles
CRM 2011 provides out-of-the-box security features and functionality by providing flexible business units and security roles.  Business units can be used to setup a hierarchy structure or simply split departments within CRM 2011.  Security roles can be configured for a specific role within CRM 2011, based on these roles you can manage what records users can view and what functions they can take against those records.   This flexible design allows you to control how much of CRM 2011 to open up across different business units and or individual users.

Note: When removing all privileges for an entity in a security role, CRM 2011 will hide that entity from that users form when logged into CRM 2011.  Also, after creating a custom entity ensure that privileges are turned on for the security roles that will need to access that entity.  Be default the privileges will remain blank except for the System Administrator role.

Helpful Links:

• Video:  Create Users, Configure Business Units, Security Roles and Teams
• Web:  Create or Edit a Security Role

Creating Workflows
Workflows can be created in order to automate processes in CRM 2011.  You have the ability to create a powerful workflow using the interface provided within the application.  No code is needed to create workflows, it is simply a point and click functionality.

Best Practice: It is recommended to create a flow chart of your processes prior to creating the workflows in CRM 2011.

Helpful Links:

• Video:  Create a Basic Workflow
• Web:  Configuring Fields
• Web:  Create or Edit Entity Fields
  

Data Import
Now that you have configured CRM 2011, you are ready to import your data.  CRM 2011 provides an out-of-the-box Data Import Wizard.  Users have the ability to flat file their data into a .CSV file, create data maps, and import their data.  For a more automated import that has a direct connection to your local file and or data source, CRM 2011 recommend using ISV tools in order to migrate the data over. 

Note: Our Microsoft CRM Partners may have their own built solutions to help with data migration.  Also there are many ISV partners that have 3rd party tools for data migration.  You can do a search for these tools in the Dynamics Marketplace: http://dynamics.pinpoint.microsoft.com/en-US/default.aspx

Helpful Links:

• Video:  Data Imports Using Templates 
• Video:  Using the Import Data Wizard
• Web:  Getting Started With Importing
• Web:  Work with Imports

Extending CRM 2011
Now that you’ve configured CRM 2011 as much as possible out-of-the-box, you may be thinking about extending CRM 2011 with the use of Jscript, plug-ins, Iframes, API, and CRM 2011 SDK.  If you have a developer resource, you may be able to leverage them to create these extended functionalities.   CRM 2011 is built on a robust platform that allows developers to create functionalities that are normally not provided out-of-the-box.  However, we recommend evaluating one of our CRM partners who provide such services and expertise.

Helpful Links:

• Video:  Solutions Management in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011
• Video:  Declarative Programming Model in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011
• Video:  Connector for Microsoft Dynamics ERP
• Download:  CRM 2011 SDK
• Web:  Download Web Services Description Language Files
• Web:  Edit Ribbons

Additional Resources
Lastly we want to leave you with some additional resources for you and your organization. 

Democrmonline Site:
www.democrmonline.com – this site was created and maintained by the Microsoft CRM Online Team.  This site provides many additional videos to help you work in CRM 2011.  Also, users can register for one hour weekly webcasts hosted by the team every Wed and Thurs.  These webcasts will cover both Sales Overview and System Administration.

Microsoft CRM Online Support Site:
http://crm.dynamics.com/en-us/support-overview

Microsoft CRM Team Blogs:
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/crm
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/dynamicscrmonline

CRM 2011 Books:
Bing: CRM Online Books Search Results

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CRM Stickiness–Increase User Adoption with Images - Story From: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Team Blog

Taking a cue from Moonwalking with Einstein by Joshua Foer - which is a book that I’ve barely begun but has already sparked some ah-ha moments – it occurred to me how much easier it is to remember images rather than words.  While words can do wonders to illustrate a point, images stick with us.  It’s just how our brains work.  Read the first 20 pages of Foer’s book and you’ll get what I mean. 

Why am I blogging about this on our CRM team blog?  Because, fortunately, for us humans who use CRM, CRM 2011 is chock-full of potential areas to imbed images.  We’ve got dashboards.  We’ve got inline charts.  Sub-grid charts within record forms.  IFrames everywhere.  Web resources.  Partner solutions that allow us to embed contact photos.  We have many of these tools at our fingertips that allow us to incorporate images into our daily use of CRM.  So why take the time to do this?

Simply: your users will thank you because they will be happier to look at pictures rather than data.  And happy users are more likely to use CRM, which makes you really good at your job, Mr. or Ms. Administrator.

Consider this side-by-side comparison of an Account.  Which Account form do you find more appealing, and which one stays with you after you walk away from this blog post?

Chances are, it’s gonna be the one on the right.  And you can provide this option by creating a new form that’s chock-full of chart images, in addition to the regular old form where you capture data (here’s how – scroll halfway down) .  So the next time your sales manager asks you in the elevator, “How’s the Litware account doing?”, not only will you be able to pull this summary quickly and easily if you were in front of CRM, but it’s more likely that the image on the right will stick in your memory.  You can say with a good degree of confidence that things are going great because you’ve got an opportunity in the final phase of the sales process (image top left), which you’ll need because last month’s sales took a dip (image top right).

Here are some more examples (click for the links):

What are some of your favorite images you’ve created within CRM to make CRM more sticky?  Do share.

Cheers,

Laura

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