Webfortis Blog

CRM 2013 Field Notifications

blog@webfortis.com — Mon, 23 Jun 2014 07:15:00 -0800

In an earlier blog post, we wrote about Form Notifications in CRM 2013. In addition to form notifications, CRM 2013 has also introduced notifications on the field level. Field notifications are very useful when performing custom data validation on a specific field that goes beyond the normal requirements. When your custom data validation logic fails, it will show that the field is invalid and display the error when the mouse hovers over the error icon.

To set notification on a field:
Xrm.Page.getControl(fieldName).setNotification(message);

To clear notification on a field:
Xrm.Page.getControl(fieldName).clearNotification();

As an example, let's assume you want to do phone number formatting on the phone number field, and that number is always going to be in the US standard of 10 digits. We will create the function listed below, add it to the Account form, and an an onChange event to the Phone Number field on the Account.

function formatPhone()
{
    var phone = Xrm.Page.getAttribute("telephone1").getValue();
    phone = phone.replace(/[^0-9]/g, '');
    if (phone.length === 10)
    {
        phone = phone.replace(/(\d{3})(\d{3})(\d{4})/, "($1) $2-$3");
        Xrm.Page.getAttribute("telephone1").setValue(phone);
        Xrm.Page.getControl("telephone1").clearNotification();
    }
    else
    {
        Xrm.Page.getControl("telephone1").setNotification("Phone number does not appear to be valid.");
    }
}

This function will get the value of the telephone1 field (Phone Number) check if the number of digits in the phone number is 10. If it isn't, it is not likely to be a valid phone number, and will alert the user using the field notification. When the phone number is valid, the notification set to the field is cleared. The screenshot below shows what the error looks like.

Using field level notifications in conjunction with the form level notifications in CRM 2013 is a powerful new way to perform data validation when fields change and when trying to save the form. Prior to this, you would have to display numerous alert messages or use unsupported customizations to return errors to the users. Now, you can do so using the built-in notification features of CRM 2013.

4-Step Troubleshooting Procedure for the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Outlook Client

blog@webfortis.com — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 08:20:00 -0800

The Dynamics CRM "Outlook Client" add in can deliver business critical functions to some users, and some great nice-to-have options for others. But it can be tricky to set up and support in a large organization, simply because of the massive number of variables we find amongst operating systems, workstation settings, configuration options, and other software installed on the client computers.

Here is a troubleshooting procedure we've found helpful. Please note that the first three procedures will usually resolve 99% of all setup issues with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Outlook Client... so, while "call support" is always an option... this document should empower most teams to help themselves.

These steps should be followed any time the Outlook Client for Dynamics crashes for one of your users. Procedures 1 and 2 are specific to re-configuring the Outlook plugin; Procedure 3 focuses on browser settings for Internet Explorer to improve stability and performance. Try the procedures, in order, one at a time. If you complete all the procedures and the crash issue persists, please escalate directly to Webfortis Support (support@webfortis.com) and we will engage a Webfortis engineer to resolve the issue.

Procedure 1: Disable/Re-Enable the CRM Outlook Add In

In Outlook… disable the Microsoft Outlook Social Connector Add-in (if present… this is a known conflict) – Go to File… Options… Add Ins…
In Outlook… disable the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Add-in
Restart the workstation
Open the Dynamics CRM Diagnostics Wizard application…

Select the Advanced Troubleshooting tab…

Delete Temporary Microsoft Dynamics CRM Client Files…
Enable the Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook Add In

Click Save to close

Start Outlook and test
Repeat, and disable all Outlook Add-In’s… then re-enable ONLY the Dynamics CRM Add-In… restart Outlook and test

Procedure 2: Reinstall the proper version of the Dynamics CRM Add In for Outlook

Close Outlook
Use Control Panel… Remove Programs… to uninstall the CRM Add In for Outlook
Use Windows Updates to ensure all Microsoft Office applications are up to date (enable updates for “other Microsoft products” under Settings)
Restart workstation
Download and install the Dynamics CRM Add In for Outlook with the proper Rollup Update (the Rollup Update on the client must match the Rollup Update on the server, PLUS match the installed version of Outlook e.g., 32-bit vs. 64-bit.)
Start Outlook and test

Procedure 3: Troubleshoot additional settings, authentication, etc.

Ensure the CRM URL is listed among the Trusted Sites in the workstation’s Internet Explorer settings for the user
Ensure the browser cache allows >350mb disk use (In IE… Tools… Internet Options… General… Browsing History… Settings… Disk Space to Use = 350)
Ensure the browser cache is NOT deleted each time the browser closes
Ensure the user can sign into the CRM via web browser… without using the CRM Add-In for Outlook (testing for multiple/extraneous authentication prompts, VPN and/or IFD configuration issues, etc.)
Ensure the workstation is on the same domain as the CRM server
Ensure antivirus, firewall, proxy, pop up blockers, and other workstation security settings (whitelists) permit web traffic to CRM server
Ensure the workstation’s clock is in sync (within 5 minutes – accommodating for time zones) with the CRM server’s clock… (using NET TIME) – Instructions here: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-US;2502671
Remove/rename the OST file for Outlook and restart to allow Exchange to re-create it on the client (a corrupted PST or OST file could cause errors in the CRM Add In)
Increase Simultaneous Download Sessions setting on workstation – Instructions here: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/282402
Disable offline syncing with the CRM Add-In for Outlook (or limit syncing with Outlook Sync Filters)
Verify the LoadBehavior value in the registry: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Outlook\Addins\crmaddin.Addin (In most cases, this value should be set to 3, see Microsoft documentation.)
Test the CRM Add-In with Outlook in cached Exchange mode, then without cached Exchange mode (restart when testing)
Review additional specific troubleshooting options from Microsoft: http://rc.crm.dynamics.com/rc/2011/en-us/online/5.1_OSDP/outlook-troubleshooting.aspx

Procedure 4: Escalate to Webfortis Support for troubleshooting

Zip up log files on client workstation

Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook logs: %Userprofile% \Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\MSCRM\Logs
Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook Trace files: %Userprofile% \Local Settings\Application Data\Microsoft\MSCRM\Traces

Email log files to support@webfortis.com with a summary of the specific issue or problem, including a copy of the exact error message or screenshot of the errant behavior, and all the steps you've attempted to resolve the issue.

Webfortis (www.webfortis.com) offers subject matter expertise in developing and deploying Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions for companies of all sizes. Constructing CRM ecosystems is all we do, so you can trust us with your business critical applications. Having authored four top-selling books for both the deployment and integration of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Webfortis is a nationally recognized thought leader in system integration and an expert in deploying software applications across the Microsoft product line. Webfortis is a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner headquartered in California with offices and clients across the USA.

What's new for developers with CRM 2013

blog@webfortis.com — Mon, 02 Jun 2014 14:45:00 -0800

What’s new for CRM Online Spring '14 and CRM 2013 Service Pack 1

This information is taken from the MSDN posting located here: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/gg309589.aspx

Detect duplicates when you create or update records

We listened to your feedback! The capability to detect duplicates when you create or update records using forms or grid views in the web application for the updated user interface (UI) entities has been restored in this release! New in this release is the ability to detect duplicates when you use CRM for tablets. More information: Detect duplicate data

Export a solution for specific release

Target solutions you export to the proper release. New capabilities added for CRM Online Spring ‘14 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 Service Pack 1 (version 6.1) won’t work for organizations that haven’t upgraded to that version. When you export a solution using version 6.1 you have the option to target the solution to version 6.0. If your solution includes any solution components that aren’t compatible for version 6.0 they won’t be included in the solution that you export. More information: Export a solution for a specific CRM version.

Enhanced service capabilities

New enhanced service capabilities are available for new organizations or organizations that apply product updates after they are upgraded. More information: Detect enhanced service capabilities available with product updates

Incident (case) entities can be merged

Incident joins Account, Contact, and Lead as entities that you can use the MergeRequest message with. More information: Incident (case) entity messages and methods

Incident (case) hierarchies

Incidents now support hierarchical linking in the web application. See Incident (case) hierarchies to understand the impact for developers.

State model transitions

For the Incident (Case) entity and custom entities you can define custom status transitions that provide additional conditions over the default mapping between State and Status attributes for an entity. More information:Define custom state model transitions

Updated Plug-in Registration tool

The Plug-in Registration tool has been updated with a modern user interface and a standard logon control. The Plug-in Registration and the Plug-in Profiler tools have been moved out of the SDK\Bin folder into the SDK\Tools\PluginRegistration folder. More information: Walkthrough: Register a plug-in using the plug-in registration tool and Walkthrough: Register an Azure-aware plug-in with the CRM plug-in registration tool.

Social care framework

Use the Microsoft Dynamics CRM social care generic framework to route the social data that you obtain from various social channels into your CRM system. Social care framework provides the general interface, data model, and necessary APIs for integrating social listening applications like Facebook or Twitter with Microsoft Dynamics CRM to track social messages and profile data. Using social care framework you can pull social data feed containing post directly from the social channels and can associate a social post with an existing Microsoft Dynamics CRM record. More information: Social entities

Create packages for the Package Deployer tool

Use the CRM SDK package deployment template in Visual Studio to create a package that can contain multiple solutions and data files, and then use the new Package Deployer tool to deploy the package to CRM servers. More information: Create packages for the CRM Package Deployer.

New types of calendars

The calendar entity has a new Type picklist attribute to define different types of calendars to support both service scheduling calendars and new calendars to support customer service capabilities. More information:Types of calendars

Enhancements to queues

The Queue entity has a new QueueViewType picklist attribute to define queues as either public or private. Private queues are visible only to the owner of the queue and to any other users or teams added as members to the queue. Public queues are visible by everyone. While you can still share and assign queues, the recommended way to control access to queues is to use these properties. More information: Queue entities

Discover the OAuth endpoint

The organization web service endpoint has been enhanced with the addition of an authority discovery feature. This enables your code to determine the authorization endpoint URL at run time instead of using a hardcoded URL value that could change in a future release. More information: Discover the OAuth endpoint URL.

New messages

The following messages are new in this release.

Request class name	More information
AddPrincipalToQueueRequest	Adds the specified principal to the list of queue members. If the principal is a team, add each team member to the queue.
ApplyRoutingRuleRequest	Applies the active routing rule to an incident.
GenerateSocialProfileRequest	Returns an existing social profile record if one exists, otherwise generates a new one and returns it.
PickFromQueueRequest	Assigns a queue item to a user and optionally remove the queue item from the queue.
ReleaseToQueueRequest	Assigns a queue item back to the queue owner so others can pick it.
RemoveFromQueueRequest	Removes a queue item from a queue.
RenewEntitlementRequest	Renews an entitlement.
RetrieveUserQueuesRequest	Retrieves all private queues of a specified user and optionally all public queues.
RouteToRequest	Routes a queue item to a queue, a user, or a team.

New entities

New entities can be detected by querying the entity metadata IntroducedVersion property. Entities added in this release have the value “6.1.0.0”. To view the entity metadata for your organization, install the Metadata Browser solution described in Browse the metadata for your organization. You can also view the metadata for an uncustomized organization in the Excel file called EntityMetadata.xlsx included in the tools folder of the SDK download.

The following non-intersect entities are new in this release:

Schema name	More information
ChildIncidentCount	For internal use only.
ConvertRule	For internal use only. Case Creation Rule defines the settings for automatic case creation
ConvertRuleItem	For internal use only. Case Creation Rule Item defines the individual conditions required for creating case automatically.
DependencyFeature	For internal use only.
Entitlement	Entitlement defines the amount and type of support a customer should receive. More information: Entitlement entity messages and methods
EntitlementChannel	Entitlement Channel defines the amount and type of support for a channel. More information: EntitlementChannel entity messages and methods
EntitlementTemplate	Entitlement Template contains predefined customer support terms that can be used to created entitlements for customers. More information: EntitlementTemplate entity messages and methods
EntitlementTemplateChannel	Entitlement Template Channel contains predefined support terms for a channel to create entitlements for customers. More information: EntitlementTemplateChannel entity messages and methods
MailboxStatistics	For internal use only. Mailbox Statistics stores data regarding Mailbox processing cycles
MetadataDifference	For internal use only.
QueueItemCount	For internal use only.
QueueMemberCount	For internal use only.
RoutingRule	For internal use only. Routing Rule Set defines routing rules to route cases to the right people at the right time
RoutingRuleItem	For internal use only. Rule Item defines conditions to apply rules.
SharePointData	For internal use only. SharePoint Data SharePoint's data corresponding to a user , record , location and page.
SharePointDocument	For internal use only. Document documents on a SharePoint server that can be managed in Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
SLA	For internal use only. SLA contains information about the tracked service-level KPIs for cases that belong to different customers.
SLAItem	For internal use only. SLA Item contains information about a tracked support KPI for a specific customer.
SocialActivity	Social Activity is an activity that is delivered using social protocols. More information: SocialActivity entity messages and methods
SocialInsightsConfiguration	For internal use only.
SocialProfile	Social Profile is used to store social profile information of its associated account and contacts on different social channels. More information: SocialProfile entity messages and methods

Query String parameter to control navigation bar or command bar

When you open a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 application form or view in your application by setting a URL, there are new query string parameters that control whether or how the navigation pane or command bar are displayed. More information: URL Addressable Forms and Views

XRM Tooling: New APIs to build Windows client applications for CRM

XRM Tooling is a set of new APIs for building Windows client applications that provide a host of benefits such as thread-safe calls to CRM, Windows PowerShell support for connecting to CRM, a common login control for a consistent sign-in experience, and built-in diagnostic tracing support. More information: Build Windows client applications using the XRM tools

Webfortis Announces 2014 Live Roadshow/Training Events Featuring the Latest in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013

blog@webfortis.com — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 08:06:00 -0800

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, April 17, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Webfortis, LLC, (www.webfortis.com) the thought leaders in Microsoft Dynamics CRM innovation, best practices, and social strategy, announced the calendar for the 2014 Roadshow series highlighting the latest features in the Spring Release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013. The events are to be hosted in San Francisco, CA on Tuesday May 23, 2014; in Irvine, CA on Wednesday May 14, 2014; in Tempe, AZ on Monday, May 19, 2014; and in Denver, CO on Friday, May 23, 2014. Participants who attend the event will hear from product experts about the latest features and the future roadmap of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and its leading add-on solutions. Participants will also have the option to attend an in-depth CRM discounted training session to better leverage CRM in their operations.

The featured speaker will be Marc Wolenik, a CRM industry thought leader and author of four top-selling books on Microsoft Dynamics CRM. He will guide attendees through the newest version of Dynamics CRM and the features it has to offer. "The Spring Release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 is one of the biggest in the product's history. The 2013 rollout to the online user base and the availability of on-premise deployments allows the Dynamics community to take advantage of Microsoft's recent acquisitions in social media, marketing, and customer service", said Wolenik. With a new user interface, advanced marketing features, and newly added customer service capabilities, Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 has the tools to give businesses a competitive edge, and the 2013 version brings powerful functionality that takes businesses to the next level.

Representatives from Adxstudio, Dun & Bradstreet, Insideview, Experlogix, and Scribe will also be in attendance to teach participants how to get more value out of the CRM 2013 versions of their solutions. Participants will learn about Adxstudio portal technology which has the power to transform Microsoft Dynamics CRM into a powerful, web-based sales, services, support and social engagement platform. Dun & Bradstreet and Insideview will also deliver information about their CRM add-on solutions that deliver company and industry specific information directly into CRM. These add-on solutions will keep customer and prospect data current while giving sales, marketing, and customer service departments the insight they need to make important business decisions. Participants will also gain knowledge about how to improve complex quote and order accuracy and efficiency with Experlogix's product configurator. Lastly, joining the panel of experts will be Scribe, who will be giving insight into their cloud-based integration solutions.

The event is ideal for executives and department managers, whose companies are looking to improve productivity particularly in areas related to sales, marketing, and customer service, or for organizations who have deployed, or are interested in a live training course on Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013.

To register for one of the roadshows, go to: http://www.webfortis.com/RoadShow

About Webfortis

Webfortis, a Microsoft Gold Competency Partner, is a leader in developing and deploying Microsoft Dynamics CRM solutions for companies of all sizes. CRM is all we do, so you can trust us with your business critical application. Having authored four top-selling books for both the deployment and integration of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Webfortis is a nationally recognized thought leader in system integration and an expert in deploying software applications across the Microsoft product line. Webfortis is dedicated to helping companies connect with customers resulting in more closed deals and increased profitability. Webfortis is headquartered in the San Francisco Bay Area, with additional offices in Los Angeles, Sacramento, Santa Rosa, Portland, Seattle and Washington D.C.

http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2014/04/17/627877/10077133/en/Webfortis-Announces-2014-Live-Roadshow-Training-Events-Featuring-the-Latest-in-Microsoft-Dynamics-CRM-2013.html

Passing Input Parameters to Dynamics CRM Plug-ins Using Unsecure Configuration

blog@webfortis.com — Fri, 21 Mar 2014 08:26:00 -0800

The Dynamics CRM Plug-in Development process often requires configuration prior to execution. Ideally, configuration data (or input parameters) should be easily accessible and updated. Altering code for simple string value changes can be quite cumbersome if re-compilation is required and re-registering the plug-in using the Microsoft Plug-in Registration Tool is required.

During the Plug-in Registration process, the user must register Plug-in Steps (see Figure 1) that will trigger the registered Plug-in Assembly execution. While registering a Plug-in Step there are three text boxes located on the right half of the Plug-in Step window (see Figure 2). The middle field, labeled “Unsecure Configuration”, can be used to hold configuration data necessary for the execution of the current plug-in. In this example, we will use XML (see Figure 3) to structure the data that will be parsed by the plug-in:

Figure 1 -- Plug-in Steps show in the Plug-in Registration Tool.

Figure 2 -- The Plug-in Step Edit screen.

<Settings>
   <setting name="KeyValueName">
      <value>ValueOfKey</value>
   </setting>
</Settings>

Figure 3 -- XML Code snippet from Figure 2.

After the Plug-in Step has been updated, the plug-in code must include a Constructor for the plug-in class as seen in the code snippet below:

Things to remember:

The Plug-in Registration Tool is required to update the Step Configuration Data.
Plug-in Step Configuration Data is solution-aware and will be automatically transported with the Plug-in Step.
Plug-in Step Configuration Data is step specific.

EVERY step (even same value steps) must be updated individually.

Plug-in Step Configuration Data is an attribute of the Plug-in Step.

Privileges of the Configuration Data cannot be controlled from privileges on Plug-in Step Target Entity.

CRM 2013 Form Notifications

blog@webfortis.com — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 09:20:00 -0800

Along with all of the exciting new features and visualizations in CRM 2013, Form Notifications cannot go unnoticed (pun intended). CRM 2013 has essentially streamlined the ribbon into a simpler, sleeker navigation. When you open or create a record, you can do so without any worries. Suppose you open an account record and on that record you have custom fields that are used for tracking a client. As an example, imagine the following scenario:

Your company, Clean Waste, is a waste service company located in a business district. Local business owners need your services and have the option of signing a 6-month, 1-year, or 3-year contract. They are billed monthly and if the amount is not paid, services are put on hold.

How do you keep track of these custom fields? Easy – you don’t. Let CRM do that for you! Form Notifications save time by visually displaying custom information as an alert on the forefront of the form. There are three types of form notifications available: error, warning, and info. They display an icon representing the type of notification and the message to the right of the icon (see image below).

Continuing from the given scenario, let us say a client signed a 1-year contract and forgot to pay last month’s services. You can set up a notification alerting you when the client has not paid by adding a “Hold Alert” checkbox and a text field that has a “hold” message. When the checkbox is checked, the script runs and the notification appears with the message from the text field. Where is the code to implement this feature? Here.

First, get the values of the checkbox and text fields.

var holdAlert = Xrm.Page.getAttribute("new_holdalert");

var errorMessage = Xrm.Page.getAttribute("new_errormessage").getValue();

Next, add a condition. In this case, if the checkbox is true, or checked, the line in the “if” statement runs.

if (holdAlert.getValue())

Now remember the three options we have: error, warning, and info. I used an error notification but any of the three work.

Form notifications take three parameters: message, level, and GUID. The message is the message you want to display. I chose to make this parameter dynamic based on the “Error Message” text field on the form, represented by the “errorMessage” variable. The level is expressed in one of three ways and is case sensitive; include the quotation marks:

· “ERROR”: Error icon

· “WARNING”: Warning icon

· “INFO”: Info icon

The GUID is the globally unique identifier that identifies this specific form notification. You can name this anything you like but make sure to surround the name with quotation marks.

Xrm.Page.ui.setFormNotification(errorMessage, "ERROR", "holdErrorMessage");

In contrast, if you want to hide the notification when the client has paid their bill and you have unchecked the checkbox, you can simply add an “else” statement.

else

Xrm.Page.ui.clearFormNotification("holdErrorMessage");

That is all. Form notifications are easy to implement, easy to use, and easy to notice. Word of caution: too many notifications can make your form look messy. Use them with care and they will add a helpful, colorful elegance to the form of your choice!

Webfortis Releases New Solutions for Federal, State, and Local Government Agencies

blog@webfortis.com — Mon, 10 Mar 2014 11:12:00 -0800

Webfortis and Microsoft introduce new technology solutions that enable government program oversight and management, bringing innovation that leverages Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Washington DC, March 10, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Webfortis LLC., a Gold Certified Microsoft Partner specializing in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, has released 5 (five) new solutions leveraging Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 for federal, state, and local government agencies. As part of their "Unleash Your CRM" initiative, these solutions are specifically designed to help government agencies enhance and improve business processes and productivity, taking advantage of new government mandates to increase agency efficiency, time to market, and to address budgetary concerns.

"Because these solutions are pre-built and run on Microsoft applications, they are delivered at a very low cost for agencies," said Marc Wolenik, CEO of Webfortis. "We specifically designed them to be highly functional out of the box, yet extendible to meet specific business requirements easily."

The solutions available as of March 1 are:

. Investigative Case Management (ICM)

. Legal Case Tracking (LCT)

. IT Help Desk and Infrastructure Management (ITIM)

. Employee Complaint Management (ECM)

. Building Permit Management (BPM)

Additionally, Webfortis announces Public Records Tracker (PRT) 2.0, which significantly enhances FOIA tracking capabilities, adds new features for its public facing portal, and improves support for integrated document management and collaboration.

"We are dedicated to exceeding our customers' desired business outcomes by leveraging technology to help solve complex business problems. Our new products provide our customers baseline functionality that can easily accommodate unique requirements quickly and efficiently, providing them with what they need, while minimizing risk associated with traditional products. "Sam Thepvongs, Webfortis Practice Manager, Public Sector.

To learn more about the solutions or to receive a trial, contact Webfortis at pubsols@webfortis.com

About Webfortis:

Webfortis,(http://www.webfortis.com) serves federal, state, and local governments, public safety and justice agencies, education, and non-profit organizations. With offices in Sacramento, Washington DC, San Francisco and Los Angeles, and with inclusion into the prestigious Presidents Club for Microsoft Dynamics, Webfortis is a recognized leader in public sector solutions. Having authored four top-selling books for both the deployment and integration of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Webfortis is a nationally recognized thought leader in system integration and an expert in deploying software applications across the Microsoft product line.

Contact:

Sam Thepvongs, Practice Manager
Webfortis Public Sector Dynamics CRM
(703) 272-4957

A Decade of Dynamics Consulting

blog@webfortis.com — Tue, 25 Feb 2014 14:43:00 -0800

Curious about the caliber of Webfortis staff, take a look at this...

The important stuff...

Let's not forget...

That includes...

That was easy.

Scalable Security Modeling Whitepaper available for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013

blog@webfortis.com — Mon, 24 Feb 2014 11:47:00 -0800

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 offers a wide range of security modeling features, and it is important to choose the most appropriate approach to implementing a particular solution. Each feature offers a combination of characteristics that provide a balance between granularity of access control, administrative ease, and impact on scalability. Having an understanding of the underlying mechanisms supporting each security modeling feature can be useful when selecting the best approach to solving a particular challenge, especially when planning to develop a large volume system.

Granting a user access to the system can be broken out into:

· Authentication: Determining who the user is and confirming that they are who they say they are

· Authorization: Determining whether the authenticated user is entitled to access the system and what within the system they are permitted to see or do

Authentication in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 is handled using platform features such as Integrated Windows Authentication or Claims Based Authentication with an identity provider such as Active Directory Federation Services. These all determine the user identity requesting access to the system. The deployment and scalability of the technologies supporting authentication is best described by resources focused specifically on those technologies and is therefore out of the scope of this document.

After a user has been identified, information recorded about the user within the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 system itself, such as the associated security roles and team memberships, is used to determine whether that user is allowed to use the system and what that user is allowed to see and act on within the system, or what that user is authorized to do.

This paper describes how these security modeling features in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 for authorization work at scale, the implications associated with these features functioning at high volumes, and guidance on common and recommended usage patterns for modeling Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 security at scale, incorporating teams as appropriate.

Scalable security modeling is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center here.

Merging Entries in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

blog@webfortis.com — Tue, 18 Feb 2014 08:35:00 -0800

Have you ever typed in an Account name into CRM only to find the account in the system twice but spelled slightly differently? When you have more than one person entering data into your CRM, it is possible to make duplicate entries. Microsoft Dynamics CRM makes it easy to merge duplicates quickly and painlessly. In this example I am going to merge duplicate accounts, but you can also merge many other entities in your CRM Workplace.

Often, we will find that duplicate records are not identical; sometimes one record will have some information that the other record is missing and vice versa.

You may want to merge these two records together while maintaining all the important information that both have to offer. In order to do this, simply check the boxes next to both account names and click on the Merge button located on the Ribbon menu.

This will bring up a new pop-up window where you can choose which items you wish to keep from each record.

You must choose a Master Record. Whichever account you choose for the Master Record will default to initially have all the bubbles filled out for that section. Then, simply click the bubble next to the information you would like to keep for each field.

Please note: If you re-click the Master Record bubble after choosing from both sections, it will undo your progress and auto-fill all the bubbles to that record.

Once you click OK, you will receive a popup that states your records successfully merged and the subordinate record has been automatically deactivated.

After clicking OK on this message, you will see that only one record now shows in your CRM, and it will have all of the information in it that you chose as important to keep.

This feature allows users to keep their CRM systems accurate and allows for organizations to quickly and easily find information.

Adding Global Ribbon Buttons for All Entities in Dynamics CRM

blog@webfortis.com — Tue, 11 Feb 2014 09:55:00 -0800

The Ribbon is the menu located at the top of the CRM Page. The Ribbon includes buttons that are organized in tabs and perform special tasks (see Figure 1). Global Ribbon buttons will appear in the same position on the Ribbon for every Entity. They are useful because they extend the functionality of Dynamics CRM. Adding Ribbon buttons gives the user quick access to built-in functionality of CRM or custom functionality that is not already provided by CRM.

Figure 1 – The Application Ribbon

The Ribbon can only be edited using XML (Extensible Markup Language). The Application Ribbons’ XML can be exported from CRM as a Default Solution in the Customizations section located in Settings. After the solution is exported, open the XML file in your favorite text editor and locate the <RibbonDiffXml> tag.

Figure 2 – Adding Existing Application Ribbons to a Solution.

Figure 3 – Export Solution after adding Application Ribbons.

After the <RibbonDiffXml> tags there will be a <CustomActions> tag, which is where the global button will be added. The body of the <CustomAction> tag that will be added into the <CustomActions> to create the button (see Figure 2). The <CustomAction> tag contains a <CommandUIDefinition> tag which contains a <Button> tag. After the button is added, the Command attribute of <Button> can be modified to include any command from the <CommandDefinition> tag (also located in <RibbonDiffXml>). When all edits are complete, save the file, re-zip and import the solution into your CRM implementation.

NOTE: There may be many RibbonDiffXML tags if any Entities were exported along with the Application Ribbons. The Global Ribbon tags are outside of any Entity tags.

Figure 3 – Custom Action XML used to add a button.

Figure 4 – Command Definition XML used to add a button command.

Figure 5 – The new global Ribbon Button appearing at the end of the Data group.

Ribbon buttons are a useful method of adding additional functionality to Dynamics CRM. They add the capability to modify and improve the user interface to better fit the needs of the user. Ribbon buttons can be linked to Web Resources within a solution and can even hold JavaScript functions (as seen above in Figure 4) which further extends the possibilities of Ribbon buttons and what tasks they perform. The XML editing can become a slightly tedious process but with time and patience, the benefits of editing the Ribbon will become clear.

Happy Coding!

Start Your Selling Week with a Call Down List

blog@webfortis.com — Tue, 28 Jan 2014 08:37:00 -0800

Increase your sales by setting up a customer Call Down list in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Once you've set up a To Do list, you're more than halfway towards reaching your goal. Organize your customer records into segmented Marketing Lists so that you can easily create a group of Phone Call Activities by customer type. Create a Quick Campaign of Phone Call Activity Records for the week's call down.

Segment your customer contacts into Marketing Lists:

In the Microsoft CRM Marketing List section, click New on the tool bar.

Give your Marketing List a unique name and select the record type for list (Account, Contact, Lead).

Click Marketing List Members, then Manage Members in the tool bar to add Contacts to you list.

Use a Contact Lookup (or Advanced Find) to select the Contact List.

Save your lost of Contacts, then click on the Add Tab on the toolbar to create a Quick Campaign.

Fill in the Quick Campaign information using the Quick Campaign Wizard.

Select the Phone Call Activity to add to the Marketing List Contacts. Identify the Phone Call Activities with a Subject and then select a Due Date for the call.

Click Next, then click Create to build the Phone Call Activities.

Open your Call Activities View to see the new items on your To Do List.

You are ready to start your selling week with a results-oriented To Do List. Go Get 'em!

Using the Adxstudio ALM Toolkit for Exporting and Importing Data

blog@webfortis.com — Tue, 21 Jan 2014 06:35:00 -0800

The ALM Toolkit is a suite of tools that can assist in automated change management of a CRM organization. One of the core components of the ALM Toolkit is its library of Powershell Scriplets that perform CRM Solution and Data management functions, allowing you to manage change, create backup versions, isolate development environments, and deploy CRM solutions to multiple environments.

The following tutorial will show you how to set up your development workstation to get your first ALM Toolkit Powershell script running. The example scripts will be utilizing the ImportCrmContent and ExportCrmContent cmdlets to demonstrate how to synchronize the entity data between two Out-of-the-Box Online CRM organizations.

Tools needed: Windows Powershell, Adxstudio ALM Toolkit, Text Editor (Notepad, Notepad++, etc.)

Follow the proceeding steps:

1. Download the ALM Toolkit, which can be found here: http://community.adxstudio.com/products/adxstudio-alm-toolkit/

2. Install the ALM Toolkit with the default settings and let the wizard complete.

3. Once the installation is done, open Windows Powershell in Administrator mode. If you do not have Windows Powershell, you can install it here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-US/scriptcenter/dd742419.aspx

4. The scripts will need to run in an elevated Powershell execution policy. Type Get-ExecutionPolicy to check your current settings. This value should be set to RemoteSigned. If it isn't, simply type:

Set-ExecutionPolicy RemoteSigned

NOTE: If Powershell is not launched in Administrator mode, this command will generate an error.

5. Create a Workstation Folder. To create it, type the following:

cd $home\Desktop

mkdir AlmToolkitSample

cd AlmToolkitSample

6. Navigate to the folder where the ALM Toolkit was installed. Generally it should be located in:

Local Disk (C:) -> Program Files (x86) -> Adxstudio -> ALM Toolkit -> 1.0.00xx (depending on the latest version)

Copy the Adxstudio.Xrm.Powershell folder and paste it into your workstation folder.

7. In your workstation folder, create the following script in a text editor of your choosing (notepad, notepad++, etc.). We will create one script to perform the correct Cmdlet function and another script to establish the CRM connection.

Copy and paste this into a text editor and save it as ExportDemoData.ps1 in the workstation folder:

$scriptDir = Split-Path $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path
Import-Module $scriptDir\Adxstudio.Xrm.PowerShell\Adxstudio.Xrm.PowerShell.dll
 
. $scriptDir\GetDemoExportConnection.ps1
 
$org
 
Write-Host $org
 
$exportPath = Join-Path $scriptDir "Data"
 
Write-Host $exportPath
 
Import-Module ./Adxstudio.Xrm.PowerShell/Adxstudio.Xrm.PowerShell.dll
Export-CrmContent -Connection $connection -OutputPath $exportPath -Uncompressed -Generalized

8. Create a second script titled GetDemoExportConnection.ps1. Copy and paste the following code into the file:

Write-Host "In GetDemoExportConnection"
 
# Connection String for organizations using LiveID account login
  
$orgConnection = Get-CrmConnection -ConnectionString   "Url=https://adxblogdemo1.crm.dynamics.com; 
                                                        Username=eli@AdxBlogDemo1.onmicrosoft.com; 
                                                        Password=Password1; 
                                                        DeviceID=11i6ujqb2skov6vmogxvgc5ctt; 
                                                        DevicePassword=_O3^x3uCY+_HYqoMhyx4UNEQ;"
                                                          
 
# import the ALM Toolkit module
 
$scriptDir = Split-Path $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path
$modulePath = Join-Path $scriptDir "Adxstudio.Xrm.PowerShell\Adxstudio.Xrm.PowerShell.dll"
 
# display the loaded modules
 
Get-Module

# establish the connection
 
$global:connection = $orgConnection # LiveID Connection

The connection string in this particular sample of code is targeting my personal trial organization. For your own organization, you will have to change those values to the proper credentials.

9. Once the scripts have been created, simply type:

.\ExportDemoData.ps1

to launch the script.

You will be prompted by the system that it is Unable to locate license key. Since this is a trial download, a license key will not be required for you to simply use the Toolkit. Press enter to continue.

NOTE: If you encounter an "Invalid Device Credentials" error, it means that you will have to input your own DeviceID and DevicePassword into the connection string. If you do not know what your DeviceID or DevicePassword is, you will have to use the Device Registration Tool in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 SDK to generate it. The following link will direct you to a great blog that explains how to show or register your DeviceID and DevicePassword: http://mscrmshop.blogspot.com/2012/08/how-to-create-meaningful-device.html

When the script is done running, it will display how long it took for the export job to complete.

The exported data will then be stored into a folder named "Data".

To import the organization data, you will have to create two more scripts for the import job. These import scripts would be similar to the previous two export scripts, but they will be slightly modified to execute the Import-CrmContent cmdlet.

Create the first script in a text editor and title it ImportDemoData.ps1. This script will invoke the Import-CrmContent command. Paste this code into the script:

# initialize the $connection

$scriptDir = Split-Path $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path
Import-Module $scriptDir\Adxstudio.Xrm.PowerShell\Adxstudio.Xrm.PowerShell.dll
. $scriptDir\GetDemoImportConnection.ps1


$sourcePath = Join-Path $scriptDir "Data"

Write-Host "Importing Data"
Import-CrmContent -Connection $connection -InputPath $sourcePath -Force

Create the second script and title it GetDemoImportConnection.ps1. This script is responsible for establishing the connection with the target organization. This script is very similar to GetDemoExportConnection.ps1, but instead it holds the credentials of the organization you are targeting with the import.

Write-Host "In GetDemoExportConnection"
 
# Connection String for organizations using LiveID account login
  
$orgConnection = Get-CrmConnection -ConnectionString   "Url=https://adxblogdemo2.crm.dynamics.com; 
                                                        Username=eli@AdxBlogDemo2.onmicrosoft.com; 
                                                        Password=Password1; 
                                                        DeviceID=11i6ujqb2skov6vmogxvgc5ctt; 
                                                        DevicePassword=_O3^x3uCY+_HYqoMhyx4UNEQ;"

														
# import the ALM Toolkit module
 
$scriptDir = Split-Path $MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path
$modulePath = Join-Path $scriptDir "Adxstudio.Xrm.PowerShell\Adxstudio.Xrm.PowerShell.dll"
 
# display the loaded modules
 
Get-Module
 
# establish the connection
 
$global:connection = $orgConnection # LiveID Connection

Once these two scripts have been created with the proper credentials filled in simply type:

.\ImportDemoData.ps1

to execute the import job. Press enter to continue when you are prompted to.

When the script is done running, it will display how long it took the import job to complete.

The target organization should now be updated with the data you've previously exported.

This is only a simple demonstration of what the ALM Toolkit is capable of. From here on out, you can reference the cmdlet documentation to determine what functions you will need to implement your own source control techniques.

http://community.adxstudio.com/products/adxstudio-alm-toolkit/documentation/cmdlet-reference/

Reinstalling the Outlook Client to Restore Functionality

blog@webfortis.com — Tue, 07 Jan 2014 09:10:00 -0800

When it comes to convenience in the CRM software world, Microsoft Dynamics really has the upper hand. The interface is user friendly and simple, the fields are intuitive and of course, nothing beats the convenience of being able to access your CRM database from within Outlook. Outlook is a program that is not only familiar to most business users, but is also a program that we call up frequently throughout the day as a general rule. What could be better than being able to pair it with the ability to allow a user to access another vital program with ease?

The downside is that when a program that we use so often begins to get the hiccups it can upset the productivity of our day in a big way. Suddenly the well behaved program that you use all day and everyday, may begin acting slow, throwing errors and crashing. The good news is that if your Outlook plugin is starting to misbehave there are often a few small steps that you can take to set everything right once again.

The first thing to look for is whether or not your Outlook plugin is up-to-date. If you have been logging in to the Online Client and have begun to notice the yellow bar at the top of your screen asking about Outlook for CRM, even though you already have it installed on your computer, it’s a good indicator that an upgrade is ready for download.

You can begin the upgrade by simply clicking on the Get CRM for Outlook button and it will begin downloading the client for you. What happens if after you download and install the repair, your Outlook client is still not working as it normally does?

The next step is to completely remove the plugin and start from scratch. This will ensure that all parts of the plug in are up-to-date. Start by going to your control panel and navigating to your computers programs. Scroll down until you see Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Microsoft Office Outlook and click on it. Select Uninstall/Change button from the top of the screen and go through the Uninstall Wizard.

Now that we have a nice blank slate to work with we can download the newest version of the plugin. The most current update for the Outlook client is the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 for Microsoft Office Outlook, which was designed to act in conjunction with the newest Dynamics upgrade.

In order for the program to run at its peak performance, the Outlook client needs to be installed on computers that are running Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows Vista. It also requires that you are running Microsoft Office 2007, 2010 or 2013. Last but not least you should have Internet Explorer 8, 9 or 10 installed on your computer.

Head to the following website to obtain your download:

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=40344

Make sure to pick the file that corresponds to the type of Outlook you have installed, i.e. do you have a 32 bit installation or a 64 bit installation? If you have a 64 bit machine but have installed a 32 bit Office installation, or vise versa, and you choose the wrong file, you will receive an error.

If you don’t know if you have a 32 bit or 64 bit installed, you can quickly find out. If you have Office 2010 click on File and then go to Help. Click on the About Microsoft Program button and it will display the information about your version of Outlook. If you are using Office 2013, click on File and then go to Office Account. Once there you can click on the About Outlook button and it will display the needed information.

Now that we know which file we need, close Outlook. Select the appropriate file from the list of options and click download.

Once it’s done downloading, you will need to re-open Outlook. When the program is open the configuration wizard will begin automatically. Enter your credentials and it will bring up the Configure Organization Window.

If your company uses the CRM Online client, then in the Server URL box select CRM Online. Hit the test Connection button. Give it a moment and it should bring up your Organization and Display Name automatically, as you have already typed in your credentials. Hit OK and you’re done. Head back to Outlook and you should find that the Outlook client is back up and running!

Why Agile?

blog@webfortis.com — Mon, 30 Dec 2013 05:27:00 -0800

What is Agile?

As defined by Wikipedia, "Agile software development is a group of software development methods based on iterative and incremental development, where requirements and solutions evolve through collaboration between self-organizing, cross-functional teams. It promotes adaptive planning, evolutionary development and delivery, a time-boxed iterative approach, and encourages rapid and flexible response to change."

Why Agile?

With years of experience working with clients deploying Microsoft solutions I am now a convert. Agile methodology needs to become mainstream for organizations deploying Microsoft CRM. Historically, substantial portions of the beginning of a large deployment have been dedicated to the development of a Solution Design Document. This document can routinely become unwieldy and difficult to follow, which is problematic as its whole purpose is to drive success. Once the Solution Design Document was handed over to the development team, they would typically start developing in a hybrid Water Fall approach. This means that the team would start at the top of the document, commence coding, moving from item to item; typically with little stake holder exposure until they are well underway. The Solution Design Document normally has defined milestones and phases that would require agreed upon sign-off and acceptance. The milestones could be weeks or months from the hand-off of the Solution Design Document and in many cases the result is features that need to be reworked and clarified. “It was what we documented but it isn’t what we need?” This can be solved using an Agile deployment and development process.

Scrum?

Scrum is one of the most popular methods of implementing Agile development. It has been adopted by many organizations as the standard process for controlling the direction of Agile development efforts.

The term Scrum comes from to the sport Rugby, which they use to restart a play in the game. Using this as a base to develop a productive team that can push the development process forward. The Scrum Team is comprised of a number of key members including a Product Owner, a Scrum Master, development team members and of course stake holders. The team agrees on a predetermined length of time in which they focus on a given set of tasks, which is called a Sprint. Normally a Sprint lasts between two and four weeks but should not be any longer. When working with Microsoft CRM it seems that two weeks is ideal for configuration and custom development.

It is the Product Owner’s responsibility to maintain what is referred to as the Product Backlog, which is a list of identified prioritized tasks. The team gets to select which tasks will be included in a given Sprint, overtime the team will develop a velocity. This helps the team understand exactly how many tasks they can take on in a given Sprint. There are any number of tools that can be used to prioritize the Product Backlog. At Webfortis we use Microsoft TFS 2012 to track our progress and manage Agile and Sprints.

Recently, I was certified as a Certified ScrumMaster®. My role as a ScrumMaster is to ensure that the development team does not have anything in their way that might prevent them from reaching their end goals. As the ScrumMaster, you would facilitate the Daily Scrum meeting to ensure that a constant dialog is maintained between the development team and the Product Owner. This ensures that the effort being made by the team is communicated and transparent. This daily meeting is in a very tight 15 minute time-box and the following questions are asked:

1. What things have I done since yesterday's meeting?

2. What things am I going to get done today?

3. What are some obstacles that I need someone to remove?

The Product Backlog is driven by the collection of User Stories, which are prioritized by the Product Owner based on the input of the stakeholders. At first most User Stories are large and don’t contain much detail but as a User Stories advances to the top of the backlog, the Product Owner adds detail and maybe breaks out a User Story in multiple User Stories. The Scrum Alliance® recommends that User Stories are based upon the “INVEST” model.

·Independent. Reduced dependencies = easier planning.

·Negotiable. Details added via collaboration.

·Valuable. Provides value to the customer.

·Estimable. Too big or too vague = not estimable.

·Small. Can be done in less than a week by the team.

·Testable. Good acceptance criteria.

When writing a User Story it is a good idea to format the story with this template - As a <user role> I want to <goal> so I can <reason>. Once the User Stories are prioritized they are present during the Sprint Planning Meeting at which time tasks to perform a given User Story are added. Several methods can be used to help estimate the level of effort of a given User Story, but it is the development team’s collective responsibility to select the number of User Stories that they can complete in the scheduled Sprint. This ensures ownership of the select items and helps with them being self-organized.

At the end of every Sprint, a Sprint Review meeting is held to review the delivery of the features developed during the preceding Sprint. During this meeting, if additional work is discovered it is presented as a new User Story and is prioritized when added to the Product Backlog. If at the end of a Sprint certain goals were not met during the Sprint they can be added as additional User Stories and should be added to the Product Backlog. Keep in mind that the result of a Sprint is to deliver shippable features and code.

This process is a departure from this historical method used during the deployment MS CRM and will required a leap of faith on the customer’s part. Customer’s will have to establish a level of trust to allow their selected MS CRM partner to start coding a project with nothing more than a set of 3x5 cards. Studies show, however, that using these methods of software development and process management are increasing their success rate. Some information indicates that Agile projects are as much as three times more successful than traditional methods.

Webfortis is so committed to adopting the Agile method that we have developed an internal methodology that is designed specifically around the deployment and customization of MS CRM. By using an Agile method with a Scrum process management, we will ensure even more successful deployment and customization for our clients. I will have to defer to a future blog to describe our new process, but for now my advice to customers is to make that leap.