Friday, September 10, 2010

Power of Productivity : Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Beta Released

No more Waiting!

The Dynamics CRM 2011 Global beta is released!

Today, the Microsoft Dynamics CRM team releases the beta of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, for both cloud-based and on-premises deployments. The beta of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for on-premises and partner-hosted deployments will be available in all 40 markets in eight languages.

There is more goodness at the CRM Resource Center ‘What’s New’ articles:

What's New in CRM Online?

What's new in CRM On-Premise?

To try out the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 beta or sign up for the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online beta visit www.crm2011beta.com.

Videos here.

Get, Set.... Explore!!!

Monday, May 10, 2010

Exciting Developer Experience with MS CRM SDK 4.0.12

Advanced Developer Extensions

Advanced Developer Extensions for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, also referred to as Microsoft xRM, is a new set of tools included in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM SDK that simplifies the development of Internet-enabled applications that interact with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0. It uses well known ADO.NET technologies. This new toolkit makes it easy for you to build an agile, integrated Web solution!

Advanced Developer Extensions for Microsoft Dynamics CRM supports all Microsoft Dynamics CRM deployment models: On-Premises, Internet-facing deployments (IFDs), and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. The SDK download contains everything you need to get started: binaries, tools, samples and documentation.

Authentication for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online

Newly added authentication documentation and sample code for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online that does not require using certificates, making it easier for you to write code for your online solutions.

There are quite a few other updates in this version of the SDK package. Refer to the release history on the first page of the CHM for a complete list.

The latest verion of SDK 4.0.12 is available for download. Download it.

Take a 10 Minute Quick Start Walkthrough here.

Enjoy!

Customer Care Accelerator available for Microsoft Dynamics CRM in Codeplex

Customer Care Accelerator for Microsoft Dynamics CRM is available for download on the CRM Accelerators codeplex site.

The Customer Care Accelerator focuses on delivering contact center enabling functionality, such as the ability to create a unified desktop by combining data elements from disparate line of business applications and displaying it in a single user interface. The core Customer Care
business scenarios highlighted by this accelerator include the following:

 Integrated desktop: Customers can aggregate information from diverse business applications into an integrated desktop providing employees with a 360° view of the customer interactions. Customer service representatives have immediate access to business critical information to serve customers quickly and efficiently, increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty.
 Duplicate Data Entry: Organizations can streamline business processes by creating desktop automation workflows. Process automation eliminates the need for agents to re-enter the same data in multiple applications. Minimizing duplication helps to reduce human error and ensures a consistent customer service experience.
 Computer Telephony Integration (CTI): Organizations are provided with a consistent framework to connect CTI systems with key lines of business.
 Activity Reporting: Contact center managers have swift access to agent desktop transaction reporting, helping them to identify process bottlenecks. This capability is currently addressed by ICC Accelerator AIF component.

CCA is available as permissive shared source and is a reference example that can be adapted to fit the needs of a customer as well as additional business scenarios.

Happy CRMing

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Microsoft CRM 4.0: Deployments vs Features

On-premise

Hosted (IFD)

Online

Customization and Configuration Tools

Customization:

· Entities

· Attributes

· Forms and views

· Relationships

· Mappings

· Workflows

Yes

Yes

Yes

Configuration:

· Business units, Teams, Roles

· Administration

· Business Management

· Product Catalog

· Relationship Roles

Yes

Yes

Yes

Scripting

Form and Field event scripts (Jscript)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Client Extensions

Navigation (SiteMap)

Yes

Yes

Yes

UI Control and customization (ISV.Config)

Yes

Yes

Yes

IFRAMEs

Yes

Yes

Yes

Custom Reports

Run existing reports

Yes

Yes

Yes

Create new reports using the report wizard

Yes

Yes

Yes

Upload and run file reports (Excel worksheets, text files, and so on.)

Yes

Yes

Yes

Upload custom SRS reports using SDK methods

Yes

Yes

No

Access filtered views

Yes

Yes

No

Import/Export/Publish Customizations

Customizations

Yes

Yes

Yes

Workflows

Yes

Yes

Yes

Data Migration & Import

Data Migration

Yes

Yes

Yes

Data Import

Yes

Yes

Yes

Plug-ins

Workflows

Declarative workflows using workflow tools in Web application

Yes

Yes

Yes

Custom workflow activities (.NET Assemblies)

Yes

Partner specific

No

Web Services

Discovery Web service

Yes

Yes

Yes

CrmService Web service

Yes

Yes

Yes

MetadataService Web service

Yes

Yes

Yes

Deployment Web service

Yes

Yes

No

Supported Authentication Mechanisms

Integrated Active Directory authentication

Yes

No

No

Forms based authentication

Yes

Yes

No

Windows Live ID authentication

No

No

Yes