XRM Services Dynamics CRM Blog

What I did this summer…

2011-09-26T21:50:00.001-05:00

It has been a busy summer at XRM services, and now that autumn is here, we want to let you know what we have been up to.

Brian has been engaged on a six month project in Omaha, assisting an organization with upgrading their CRM system from 4.0 to 2011. It has been a great experience to work within an Agile project structure. Completing your work in three weeks sprints has been a great way to keep from biting off too much of the apple at a time.

Debbie has been working on a couple of our larger clients in NYC. Adding new features and functionality to an existing CRM 4.0 system has proven to be a bit disheartening, as we see all the benefits that CRM 2011 could bring to the client, but at this point they are not ready to move forward with the upgrade.

In addition we have identified two new resources who will be joining us to ensure that we provide our customers with the high level of support they deserve. One will be an additional Business Analyst with several years of CRM experience. The other will be a .net developer who will assist in the development of plugins, Silverlight controls and custom workflow activities.

On the certification front, we continue to work towards obtaining Silver Certification for Microsoft CRM. We are plugging the few open holes in our certifications – several of our exams were of the 3.0 flavor and are no longer relevant. So it is off to CRM 2011 exams with their new formats. Thanks to Neil Benson for posting this valuable follow-up to Richard Knudson’s blog post of last week. I am planning on taking MB2-867 later this week. In the meantime, Debbie and I have both passed MB5-858 “Managing Microsoft Dynamics Implementations.” That was a tough one, but learning and using Sure Step has increased our client’s satisfaction.

Another certification was earned recently by Debbie – She is now an MCT – a Microsoft Certified Trainer. If you are looking for classroom training on Dynamics CRM, give us a call!

Finally, Brian is attending ExtremeCRM next week in Las Vegas – looking forward to renewing friendships with other CRM Partners.

So it has been a busy, busy summer here. We look forward to the Autumn. More blog posts, more clients and building a better CRM partner to server Nebraska and the rest of the United States!

Independent Study details extensive quantitative savings and efficiencies from implementation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

2011-06-16T09:57:00.003-05:00

The Microsoft News Center is reporting that it has released the results of a Microsoft-commissioned study conducted by Forrester Consulting, “The Total Economic Impact of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011,” which captured and quantified the voice of the customer relative to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Investments. Forrester Consulting identifies several measureable benefits of implementing Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 in areas of personal and process productivity. These benefits include the following:

Multiple deployment options with cloud, on-premises and partner-hosted deployment models.
Increased sales productivity of 5 percent resulting from ease of use of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and interoperability with Microsoft Outlook.
Streamlined processes and operations leading to lower cost of sales, which enables technical consultants to shorten time spent on the proposal process by 10 percent.
Acceleration of sales conversion cycle by 50 percent and corresponding revenue gain as a result of improved collaboration and connections across systems, processes and geographies.
Marketing cost savings of more than $200,000 due to more real-time insights and improved campaign management from better analytics.
Productivity savings of 16 man-hours per month due to the better reporting tools, data consolidation, reporting automation and richer dashboard capabilities.

Forrester Consulting point out in their study notes that “companies looking to implement Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 can anticipate significant productivity gains and cost savings.”
For more information on the study, click here. The Total Economic Impact of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011.

Please email us at getXRM@xrmservices.com for your free 30-day Trial and a complimentary demonstration using your own information to test the system. You can reach us at 480-318-5860. Subscriptions for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 start at just $34 per user.

CRM 2011 Update Rollup 2 is available - Build Number 5.0.9688.1155

2011-06-02T11:09:00.000-05:00

Go Here for the bits:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2466086

Build number and file names for this update rollup

The build number of the update packages for the following components is 5.0.9688.1155.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Server
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Microsoft Office Outlook
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 E-mail Router
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Report Authoring Extension
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Language Pack
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Reporting Extensions

The file names for the 32-bit versions of the update rollup packages are as follows:

CRM2011-Client-KB2466086-LangID-i386.exe
CRM2011-Router-KB2466086-LangID-i386.exe
CRM2011-Bids-KB2466086-LangID-i386.exe
CRM2011-Mui-KB2466086-LangID-i386.exe

The file names for the 64-bit versions of the update packages are as follows:

CRM2011-Server-KB2466086-LangID-amd64.exe
CRM2011-Client-KB2466086-LangID-amd64.exe
CRM2011-Mui-KB2466086-LangID-amd64.exe
CRM2011-Router-KB2466086-LangID-amd64.exe
CRM2011-Srs-KB2466086-LangID-amd64.3exe

Download the 2466086 package now.

Issues that are resolved in Update Rollup 2 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

Update Rollup 2 is a cumulative update rollup that includes all the fixes for the issues that are documented in Update Rollup 1.

For more information about Update Rollup 1 and the issues that it resolves, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

2466084 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2466084/ ) Update Rollup 1 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is available

Update Rollup 2 contains the following additional fixes. None of these fixes are documented in a separate Knowledge Base article.

Assume that you perform a POC migration on a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 organization. A multiple auditing error occurs when one of the following scenarios is true:
- You create a new record for an entity when the auditing setting is enabled.
- You change an existing record for an entity when the auditing setting is enabled.
- You disable the auditing setting.
Assume that you browse to the Accounts page. Then, you click Accounts on the navigation bar. In this situation, an increase in memory usage occurs.
If you create a workflow that has a wait condition, the workflow is delayed incorrectly in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011.
When you upgrade Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 by using a non-English base language, you receive the following error message:
'XPKLocalizedLabel'. Cannot insert duplicate key in object 'MetadataSchema.LocalizedLabel'.
If you open the Resource Group Creation page by using Internet Explorer 9 in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, you cannot close the page as expected.
Assume that you have many custom entities that have relationships to activities in a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 deployment. When you try to set the Regarding field for an activity, you receive the following error message:
Page Not Found.
Additionally, when you click the Regarding lookup button, the Lookup dialog box does not open successfully.
When you install or delete the sample data in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, an unhandled exception error occurs.
Assume that you install Update Rollup 1 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. If the update fails, the version information in the registry is updated incorrectly.
When you use Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for the Japanese language, the Dynamics marketplace is not localized to Japanese language.
No throttling mechanism exists for send requests that are sent from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 clients for Microsoft Office Outlook in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. Therefore, too many background send requests can be sent to the server at the same time. In this situation, you experience reduced server performance.
Consider the following scenario in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011:
- You create a new email message template that has an unsubscribe link.
- You create a new email message in Microsoft Office Outlook.
- You insert the template into the email message.
- You send the email message.
- You click the unsubscribe link in the email message.
In this scenario, the To field and the Subject field are populated incorrectly.
Assume that you customize the Access Mode attribute for the SystemUser to have a default value of Read or of Administrative. When you add a user by using the user invitation wizard, the wizard fails with an exception error.
Assume that you enable Verbose tracing in an organization in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. When you run the UpdateContractStates job, the async service fails with an exception error.
Assume that you create a sync task that reports to you when a job is finished in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. When the job is finished, you receive an email message that contains an incorrect URL. However, the URL should link to your organization.
Assume that you have multiple organizations in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. Each organization has different custom entities. In this situation, if each organization has the same object type codes, an error occurs with the parameter filtering.
Assume that you have multiple entities that have identical display names in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 and that duplicate detection is enabled. In this situation, you cannot open the duplicate detection rule form.
Assume that you have an entity that has duplicate detection rules that are published in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. When you save a record in the entity, you receive some unhandled exception error messages.
After you install Update Rollup 1 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, "Update for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011" instead of "Update Rollup 1 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011" is displayed in the Add or Remove Programs list.
After you install a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 client for the Finnish language, "Microsoft Dynamics CRM 5.0 for Microsoft Office Outlook" and not "Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Microsoft Office Outlook" is displayed in the Add or Remove Programs list.
The French translation of the form preview is incorrect in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for the French language.
There is no batch load mechanism for loading ribbon caches in the caching infrastructure in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011.
The client API cannot access subgrids in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011.
The French translation for the Referential, Restrict Delete type in the Behavior option in the "1:N Relationship" form is incorrect in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for the French language. The type is translated as "delete restriction" instead of "restrict deletion."
Assume that you have some roles that support multiple record types in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. When you create a connection that uses the roles, you receive the following error message:
Record types are not defined for use with the selected connection roles.
After you upgrade to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, some old Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 files are not deleted as expected.
When you add users in a multiple-site domain in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, the save process takes longer than expected.
When you upgrade or import a database whose name contains a hyphen in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, the upgrade or import fails.
Assume that you have a subgrid that has an autoexpand control set in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. Another autoexpand control is set for the subgrid side-by-side. In this situation, the size of the container of the subgrid does not respect the size that is specified in the form editor. A white space is displayed unexpectedly under the data in the subgrid container.
Assume that you create a record that is a duplicate of another record but without accent symbols in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. In this situation, the duplicate record is detected. However, the duplicate record is not displayed.
After you uninstall Update Rollup 1 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, the version number of the product is incorrect.
Assume that you install Update Rollup 1 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. Then, you start the uninstall process for Update Rollup 1 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. When you cancel the uninstall process, an empty dialog box appears unexpectedly.
Assume that you import and update an organization from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. If the length of a system attribute exceeds a value of 100, the import fails.
When you publish a rule in the Duplicate Detection Rules dialog box in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for the Japanese language, the Status Reason field is displayed incorrectly.
The Severitycode field and the Prioritycode field are translated to the same Japanese words in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for the Japanese language.
When you delete the sample data in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, an unhandled exception error occurs.
Assume that you create a new mail merge template in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 by using Internet Explorer 9. Then, you reopen the mail merge template. In this situation, when you save the mail merge template, you receive an error message that states that the name field has to have a value.
If the Data field in a bulk delete async operation is null, the async service crashes.

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Hotfixes and updates that you must enable or configure manually

Update Rollup 2 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 contains the following hotfixes and updates that you must enable or configure manually. To enable or configure these hotfixes or updates on the server that is running Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, follow the instructions in the following Microsoft Knowledge Base article. The article contains steps that you can follow before you install Update Rollup 2 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 if you want to maintain the functionality of the release version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011:

2535245 (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2535245/ ) You experience slow performance when you perform RetrieveMultiple queries on large datasets in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

Do you want to view only the webpage content that was delivered securely?

2011-05-24T13:00:00.001-05:00

Recently several clients have asked for help with this warning window:

While not strictly a CRM Issue, it does affect usage of CRM as it is one more click of the mouse.

The good news is that this warning message can be prevented in three easy steps.

Go to security tab of internet options
Choose Custom level
Change “Display Mixed Content” from Prompt to Enable

Click OK to Restart IE. Problem Solved.

Mark your calendars–ClickDimensions Webinar June 1

2011-05-18T15:19:00.002-05:00

Our friends over at ClickDimensions are hosting a different kind of webinar on June 1. ClickDimensions is our favorite tool for integrating CRM with Web Analytics and E-mail marketing.
This live workshop will include examples of real world campaigns where Microsoft CRM was used to:

Double a newsletter list in two weeks using a unique approach toward email marketing and lead scoring
Develop an easy way to improve web traffic by understanding the quality of visitors by traffic sources
Implement a strategy for creating great content that positions your firm as a leader
Apply simple tips for search engine marketing and search engine optimization
Provide sales with easy to use automated prospecting and marketing tools to make them more effective and efficient
Identify how to best use the right social channels to drive business value

In order to make it easy for anyone in different time zones to attend, the webinar will be offered four different times – 8AM, 11AM 2PM and 7PM (all times ET). So no excuses – sign up today.
Register Here to attend

Microsoft to Acquire Skype

2011-05-10T12:05:00.001-05:00

Exciting news out today regarding Microsoft’s announcement to acquire Skype. For more information, click here for the official Microsoft Press Release.

CRM E-mail Setting Deep Dive

2011-05-09T15:45:00.001-05:00

I was looking for one place to answer several questions about the various email settings within the CRM application. I couldn’t find one blog entry that met all of my needs, so I took it upon myself to put the following together in the hopes that it helps others.

System Settings:

Configure Email Correlation

Tracking Token:

Example = CRM:00010001

This tracking token is appended to the subject line of all emails tracked by MSCRM. The Token has four components, all customizable:

Prefix: This prefix can be changed to something less noticeable – i.e. –“ref” or “YourCompanyInitials” or “Application”

Deployment base tracking number: This value appears to change the initial value of the Initial digit for the user number.

Number of Digits for User Number: Each CRM user is assigned a tracking number. CRM administrators would want to ensure that the number of digits would be more than enough to handle the.

Number of Digits for Incremental Message Counter: Specifies the number of emails that can be tracked per user before duplicate tracking numbers will be created. For example, if the value is set to two digits, the user would be able to create 100 emails before a duplicate tracking number occurs. If the number of digits is set to 5 (00000) The user could send 100,000 emails before a duplicate tracking number would occur.

Risks of Tracking Token

· Recipient may delete tracking token when responding to email

· Tracking token may be off-putting to recipient

· Duplicate Tracking Tokens may cause records to be mis-associated if not used in collaboration with Smart Matching.

Smart Matching:

Smart Matching is an additional method of correlating emails in CRM 2011. Smart Matching relies on the similarity between emails. Two fields are used – the Subject and the recipient field. Hashes for each field are generated, after removing “noise values” such as Re: and FW: These noise values can be customized.

Smart Matching can work in conjunction with tracking tokens to increase the success of correlation.

Smart Matching Options

These options were previously set by creating a registry key at HKLM\Software\Microsoft\MSCRM. With CRM 2011, thee settings are now available to be modified within the application System Settings.

· Filter subject keywords

o This sets additional noise values in incoming emails.

o The default value is ^[\s]*([\w]+\s?:[\s]*)+

§ This means that any word that begins a subject that are followed by “:” i.e. “FW:” will be removed from the hash calculation.

· Maximum number of subject keywords or recipients

o This is the max number of hashes that will be generated for any subject or recipient list. The default value is 20 – therefor if the subject – after previous noise cancellation has more than 20 words, then only the first 20 words are considered.

· Maximum difference between allowed subject keywords

o This is the maximum number of words allowed between subject hash counts of the emails to be correlated.

· Minimum number of recipients required to match

o Minimum hash count matches required on the recipient list for emails to be correlated.

Risks of Smart Matching:

Emails with matching subject lines can cause confusion – i.e. two customers respond to emails with matching subjects – “Your application was approved.” Both emails are addressed to the same recipient at BCBSNE. The incoming emails may be incorrectly tracked against a particular opportunity.

This risk would be mitigated by the use of tracking tokens along with smart matching as this would create unique subject lines for each email.

“Your application was approved CRM:00010002” is different than “Your application was approved CRM:00010003” Each one should be tracked against the proper related opportunity.

Set Tracking options for e-mails between CRM users

If this box is checked all internal emails sent and tracked between CRM Users will create two CRM activities – and outgoing email and an incoming email.

Set Email Form Options

Use secure frames to restrict e-mail content

Generally leave this value set to No. I have searched the internet and can find no user who recommends setting this to Yes

Allow messages with unresolved e-mail recipients to be sent

Setting this value to No will prevent CRM users from sending CRM emails to users who do not already exist in the CRM database. The email can be created but will not be sent until all recipients are created in MSCRM.

Set File Size Limits for attachments

This setting allows the CRM administrator to set the maximum size in kb of email attachments. Emails that exceed the maximum size will not attach into CRM.

Personal Options

These are options that can be set differently for individual users or that can be modified by individual users

User Record

Email Access Configuration

Incoming Options

· None

o No Incoming Email through CRM

· Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook

o Use CRM Outlook Client to receive and process emails into MSCRM. Option does not require Email Router component be installed for user to receive emails

· Email Router

o CRM Email Router is configured with each User’s email address – Increases complexity for larger organizations as new

· Forward Mailbox

o Use CRM Email Router Forward Mailbox (If so configured)>All emails are processed through a single dedicated mailbox. Rule Deployment Wizard is configured

Outgoing Options

· None

o No Outgoing Email from CRM

· Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook

o Use CRM Outlook Client to send and process emails through MSCRM. Option does not require Email Router component be installed for user to receive emails.

· Forward Mailbox

o Use CRM Email Router Forward Mailbox (If so configured)

From User Options (File>>>Options)

Select the email messages to track in Microsoft Dynamics CRM

1. All Email Messages

a. Automatically copies all emails sent and received by the user into CRM.

2. All Email Messages in Response to CRM email

a. Automatically tracks received email if it is in response to an outgoing CRM email.

i. Example – Brian, a CSR, sends an email to Joe, a prospective customer. When Brian created the email, he selects “Track In CRM” and “Set Regarding.” Brian sets the email to be regarding Joe’s Blue Essentials Opportunity. When Joe responds to Brian’s email, a copy of the email is synchronized with CRM, and set regarding Joe’s Blue Essentials Opportunity.

ii. Probably the most common scenario for deployments

3. Email messages from CRM Leads, Contacts, and Accounts

a. Any emails that come into the CRM user’s mailbox are scanned against the email addresses stored in Leads, Contacts or Accounts. If a match is found, a copy of the email is synchronized in CRM against the related Account Contact or Lead. There is no automatic tracking against opportunities or other records

i. Example – Melissa, a prospect, sends Bob, a CSR, an email asking for an update on the underwriting status of her application. As Melissa is in CRM as a Contact, the email is synchronized with CRM against Melissa’s contact record. NO synchronization occurs against the Opportunity record; however Bob can later go back and manually track the email.

4. Email Messages from CRM Records that are email enabled

a. A new option in CRM allows Custom Entities to be email enabled. This allows

When an email is tracked in CRM for the first time, The Regarding field is not set. The email will only be tracked against the related Contact, Account or Lead. It is not automatically set to be regarding a particular opportunity. The user would have to then use the “Set Regarding” button to set the email against a particular record such as an opportunity. Once this Set Regarding option has been set, all future emails on the thread should automatically be added to the Closed Activities for the record.

Automatically Create records in Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Create (Contacts, Prospects) from the sender or organizer of tracked e-mail messages and meetings.

If this option is selected, a new contact or lead will be created in CRM if the email address does not currently exist in CRM.

“Multiply by” Workflow Calculation in Microsoft Dynamics CRM

2011-05-03T13:52:00.003-05:00

Microsoft Dynamics CRM offers the ability to streamline administrative tasks through “Workflows”.   Workflows were originally designed to notify individuals of specific tasks specifically regarding tasks to manage leads, opportunities, accounts, and contacts. Organizations would set up step by step staged tasks to engage with a qualified buyer to close a deal, engage with prospective leads, engage staged dialogs with current customers and contacts. However, “workflows” have allowed organizations to automate processes that would normally be done by administrative support personnel reducing the need for administrative personnel, thus saving companies thousands of dollars in employee costs.

There is a specific workflow feature that I find helpful, but requires a few steps to set up in order for it to function properly. The “Multiply by” feature of a workflow is used when you need to multiply specific fields. It would seem as easy as selecting the field, select the * button, and then selecting the field you want to multiply by. However, not quite that simple. In fact, it requires a couple of steps, at least, to obtain the final calculation.

Your workflow will need at least two steps, maybe more depending on the complexity of your calculation. However, for simplicity sake, let’s take a simple illustration. You workflow must have two operations.   The first workflow operation will update the specific field on the record for the first value to be part of the calculation. The second workflow operation will update the same field on the record by multiplying the value currently in the field (updated during first workflow operation) by the second value to be part of the calculation.

Below is an illustration:

Note: You will need two workflow operations to update the record. The first workflow operation is to update the Total Price Field for the Unit Price. The second workflow operation is to update the Total Price field by multiplying the value (from the first workflow operation) in the Total Price field by the Quantity.

The first workflow operation is to update the Total Price Field for the Unit Price {ListPrice(Parts(Product))}. In this illustration, I am updating the Unit Price and the Total Price with the same CRM Field {ListPrice(Parts(Product))}. The Unit Price will only be updated once, but the Total Price will be updated in the first workflow operation and the second workflow operation.

The second workflow operation is to update the Total Price field by multiply the value (from the first workflow operation) in the Total Price field by the Quantity. The exact steps would be to set the Operator Selection in the right Form Assistant to Multiply By as noted below in the illustration. Select Look for “entity” and “field”. Add it to the form specifically the Total Price field. As you can see, there is a specific notation above the Total Price field that states “Multiply by”.    So the field you selected in the second workflow operation is being used to multiply by the value in the first workflow operation in the same Total Price field.

A third workflow operation was added to stop the workflow and note as Succeeded.

The above example specifically addresses “Multiply by” in a workflow.

There is an option to “Increment by” which can be used to automatically update a field in increments based on value of a field in multiple records. For example, you may want to keep track of time spent (unfortunately this is in minutes only) for each task related to a project.   Of course, you would need a field at the project level to hold the value you will be incrementing.   You would use the “Duration” field under Task to increment the Project field (must create a custom field).   It is done in the same manner as above except you do not need two workflow operations. You only need one workflow operation.   Under Operator, you would select “Increment by” and select the specific field you are using to increment the field in the form.

Remember, in order to do calculations on fields in a workflow, the field must be a field type that is numeric or currency. If not, the Operator will not be able to find the field to do the simple calculations.

Illustration for “Increment by”

Simple workflows give you a wide range of options to enhance productivity of your organization, your employees, and yourself. If you find that you are needing more advanced workflows which you feel you are not able to configure, please let XRM Services LLC do the hard work for you. You will be amazed how just a few hours of configuration will save your company time and money for years to come.   You can reach us at 402-598-0927 or getXRM@xrmservices.com.

Inspiring Free for Kindle book on Productivity

2011-05-01T12:16:00.003-05:00

I don’t often link to products from this blog, but over the weekend I downloaded and read in a sitting Steven Pressfield’s Do the Work. This book for the Kindle Platform (It is also available in hardcover) is a concise guide for writers or anyone looking to complete a project or finish a goal. He discusses the three forces arrayed against us as artists and entrepreneurs:

Resistance
Rational Thought
Friends and Family

Really Excellent book – and did I mention the price? FREE! So even if you do not have a Kindle device, download the Kindle Reader to your PC, Smartphone or Tablet and spend an hour. Don’t procrastinate – Do the Work!

Editing the Sitemap in CRM 2011

2011-04-29T11:24:00.002-05:00

Solutions are a great improvement to managing customizations in CRM 2011. However, if you want to do a simple modification to the site map, you can no longer just export the sitemap and edit it in your favorite tool and reupload.

Here are the steps to edit your sitemap in CRM 2011

create a new solution,
add the sitemap to the solution
export the solution as an unmanaged solution
extract the solution using an unzipping tool
open it in your favorite editor (I use Notepad++)
make your changes and save
zip all of the files in the solution into a new solution file
import the solution back into CRM
publish your changes

Microsoft Dynamics CRM - Data Import Templates . . . File is Corrupt?

2011-04-27T17:47:00.002-05:00

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 has the option to create Data Import Templates for upload. The Data Import Template is a blank “titled by column” template to be used to enter and upload bulk data for a particular “entity” via an XMLSS format. This option can be located on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM ribbon above the “entity” in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 labeled “Import Data”. Select the Drop down arrow on the button and select “Download Template for Import.”

In addition to creating blank templates, you can bulk export the existing data for an “entity” into the XLMSS format from the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Database. Once you export the data, you can make changes and updates to the existing records or add additional records to the file and then import it back into Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Creating Data Import Templates and Importing records into Microsoft Dynamics CRM is easy as 1-2-3 clicks of mouse.

These template files are designed to be open outside of Microsoft Dynamics CRM with Microsoft Excel 2010, however you might receive a “File is Corrupt” error when attempting to open the file. If so, don’t panic as all is not lost. Unfortunately, Microsoft Excel 2010 has some security settings which you may need to change to open the file. Go to the file on your desktop, Right Click on the Data Import Template XML File, GOTO Properties, On the GENERAL TAB of the Properties at the bottom you will need to select “UNBLOCK”. You should be good to go! This is a file based setting so every time you have a new template download you will need to unblock that specific file.

Some additional recommendations for Security Settings so that you do not have to change each file to “Unblock” will require you to add the CRM Organization URL to trusted sites, including the sign-in page if you subscribe to multiple CRM organizations. This can be done in Properties under Security and Trusted Sites. This will allow all files downloaded from these organizations to be trusted and marked as safe.
I was able to find some additional information on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Blog Archives, click here for that link.

XRM Services LLC is your partner in maximizing the benefits of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Email us today at getXRM@xrmservices.com or call us at 402-598-0927.

CRM Rescue Needed STAT!

2011-04-22T10:14:00.005-05:00

Do you need your CRM rescued?   Are you ready to commit to the task of utilizing the vast functionality of the “CRM” and “XRM” capabilities of your Microsoft Dynamics CRM software?   Implementation and maintenance of a software can sometimes stall out in the early stages of the project due to poor vision, lack of resources, time constraints, undefined business processes, and most notably, management and user discipline and adoption.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM is designed to provide you with valuable information to manage the productivity of your Sales Force, Marketing, and Service Personnel. The “XRM” potential of management is exponential as the “x” factor in this acronym means “anything”, thus extending it to all aspects of your organization.

The ultimate success of a CRM implementation weighs heavily on management who will set Business Success Metrics, define and mandate business practices and processes, and will hold individuals accountable for their productivity and contribution to the data tracked and analyzed.   User discipline and adoption of any software must be backed by management discipline, defined Key Success Metrics, and mandatory business practices and processes which support the information exchange into and out of Microsoft Dynamics CRM.    It just doesn’t work any other way.

If your limping along frustrated by your CRM/XRM system, you must take advantage of our CRM Rescue Plan. All information will not be lost in CRM, but we will go back to the beginning mapping out the reasons for your selection of CRM. It will be a step by step “CRM RESCUE” with critical management support, understanding and/or defining key success metrics, and refining business processes to support a successful deployment of your Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

We would love to see you succeed by allowing you to take advantage of the full functionality your CRM system. Get your hands around your processes by getting your hands on Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. Call or email today for your 30 Day free trial and your free demo.   Or call us or email us for a CRM Rescue STAT!

XRM Services LLC
getXRM@xrmservices.com
Phone:402-598-0927 or 480-318-5860

Upgrade your CRM to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

2011-04-21T11:05:00.001-05:00

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 was released in mid-February as an upgrade to the 4.0 version currently being utilized which can be accessed on-line from Internet Explorer or hosted on-premise on either the customer or hosted servers. Many companies have already seen the benefits by upgrading their Microsoft Dynamics CRM from 4.0 to 2011.   Planning for change can be overwhelming to some organizations. The change to Microsoft Dynamics 2011 will be exciting as you take advantage of all the new features to effectively and efficiently enhance the management and productivity of your organization.

Microsoft has gone beyond the original CRM scope which primarily sought to address the needs of Sales, Service, and Marketing departments with the enhanced Xrm features available in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Online and On-Premise releases.    This specific terminology, “Xrm”, basically takes the “X” and breaks it down into a mathematical variable meaning “anything”.   Thus, the official acronym, “Xrm”, means “Anything Relationship Management” with capabilities to support the functions of all different organizations regardless of the industry or business processes. Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is completely customizable and adaptable for the organization, as well as, management and the user.

Enhanced benefits of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 include, but are not limited to,   Rapid Deployment, Intuitive User-Interface, Point-and-Click Customization, and endless scalability to expand your business.   Some of the specific upgrade features which I have found incredibly useful as a consultant, as well as, for my clients, include the following:

Increased customizability of the Forms and Views.

Form tabs are vertically expandable, instead of horizontally stacked.
Sub-Grids of related entities can be placed directly in a form for enhanced views of related information.

Goal Management (New). Entire Entity to track Target Goals by User, Team, and Organization.
CRM Header Ribbon with all the available features visually available for record analysis.

Chart Wizards
Excel Exports
Bulk Record Edits
Workflows

We would love to see your business take advantage of the capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 so that you can attract, retain, and manage your leads opportunities, customers, contacts, and competitors. In addition, your business will be able to tap into the “XRM” benefits of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 to manage “anything”. XRM services provides hands on technical and business coaching to assist you in effective implementation and customization of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. Get your hands around your processes by getting your hands on Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011.

Call or email today for your 30 Day free trial and your free demo.
XRM Services LLC
getXRM@xrmservices.com
Phone: 402-598-0927

Already made an investment in another under performing CRM type solution with higher per user and maintenance costs plus low user adoption? Consider that Microsoft will give you $200 to switch to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 On-Line solution. Check out details of this offer, click here.

Goal Management: Dynamic Worksheet Bug?

2011-04-19T14:14:00.003-05:00

In recent weeks, I have had the opportunity to spend a significant amount of time working with the new Goals Management area of CRM.   It seems mostly straight forward when configuring Goals for tracking, but I did find a very helpful website that will layout the specific configuration in some easy to follow instructions. Why recreate the wheel when Mr. Trickbag has it all laid out for you . . .   For those who need step by step instructions, click here to proceed to Richard Knudsen’s blog post on the Microsoft Dynamics community website.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM does not have the option to “Print” charts directly from CRM to a printer, pdf, or any other reproducible option for presentation outside of CRM. In order to assist a client in providing information and charts for presentation, I have exported data to a Dynamic Worksheet (a worksheet connected to CRM and updates live CRM data upon refreshing) via the Export to Excel Button in the header CRM Ribbon from the Active View. Once the data was exported to either a Dynamic Worksheet or Dynamic Pivot Table, I am able to create a chart for presentation purposes and/or printing.

As I attempted to follow through my normal export excel to a dynamic pivot table and recreate the chart for printing and presentation, I quickly found myself frustrated with the data that had been exported from the “Active Goals” view.   It seem to be a text string with no way of summing the data, specifically Target Revenue, Actual Revenue, and In-Progress Revenue. Of course, in my troubleshooting efforts, I went back to other historical CRM views for Opportunity and exported that data to Excel only to find that the column data for Estimated Revenue was numeric and would sum in total for that specific view.   How could this be that the new Goal Management area would have fields which could not be summed in excel?

After some frustrating minutes of concern, I did find the key to the problem. The default field attribute for export which are selected in the “Active Goal” view, specifically, the fields labeled “Target” and “Actual” and “In-Progress”, are defined as “Single Line of Text”.    This type of field when exported to excel cannot be used to sum the total of all the records in that field.   Annoying!!! Don’t panic, it is definitely fixable.

The answer . . .

In “Goals”, select the view, i.e. Active Goals then select the “Export To Excel” Button in the Top Header Ribbon, once the Webpage Dialog opens, you will have the opportunity to select “Dynamic Pivot” or “Dynamic Worksheet” so chose one or the other depending on your sophistication in excel.   Once you select the “Dynamic Worksheet” or the “Dynamic Pivot”, select the button just to the right “Edit Columns”, remove the “Actual” and “In-Progress” and “Target” columns in the “Edit Columns” webpage Dialog. Then select “Add Columns” and add the following columns “Actual (Money)” and “In-Progress(Money)” and “Target(Money)”. These specific fields with the (money) denoted on the attribute will allow you to sum in the Dynamic Worksheet.

If you need some help configuring your Goals Management area of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, we can assist you with evaluating the types of Goals you would like to track, as well as, configure and set up those goals for you. We can also provide training so that you can can manage your Goals yourself.

XRM Services LLC is your premier partner in successful implementation and management of your CRM environment.

Contact Deborah Burgesser today at dburgesser@xrmservices.com or by phone 480-318-5860.

Do you need Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011?

2011-04-19T10:24:00.000-05:00

On February 16, 2011, Microsoft released Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 with game changers in the world of CRM and XRM cloud based solutions. Many new features enhance this already robust solution for users, managers, and organizations to increase effectiveness and productivity. Besides all the bells and whistles, such as, new Goal Management, enhanced Dashboards, improved Outlook Presentation, and refined user views, Microsoft is offering this solution at an unbeatable off the shelf pricing of $34 per user, per month.

Not sure if Microsoft Dynamics CRM Solution is the right solution for your company? XRM Services, will provide you with a free demo of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. Along with your free demo, we use MindJet software to help map out your current business situation and desired business situation designing a high level road map for effective implementation and user adoption. You get the Mindmap without any obligation to purchase. You also get a no-risk, free 30-day trial to take your new solution for a test run.

Every organization’s needs are different which is why Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is such a beneficial solution since it is adaptable, as well as, customizable to fit your business needs. Originally designed as a Sales Force Automation tool, Microsoft Dynamics CRM has become a solution for automating costly administrative tasks, management of service cases , consultant/service tech scheduling, and imbedded tools for email marketing, web tracking, lead scoring, form capture and social discovery.

So, you have already made an investment in another CRM type solution with higher per user and maintenance costs? Consider that Microsoft will give you $200 per user to switch to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 On-line solution. Check out the details of this offer, click here.

We would love to see your business take advantage of the capabilities of Microsoft Dynamics CRM so that you can attract, retain, and manage your leads, opportunities, customers, and contacts. XRM Services provides hands on business coaching to assist you in defining your processes for effective Sales Force Automation. Get your hands around your process by getting your hands on Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. Call or email today for your 30 Day free trial and your free demo.

XRM Services LLC
getXRM@xrmservices.com

Phone: 402-598-0927

Why doesn’t my new custom entity appear in the navigation pane?

2011-03-15T11:44:00.002-05:00

crm 2011
Timely post by Brandon Simmons over at the CRM Team Blog explaining a new behavior that customizers need to be aware of when creating new customizations. I encountered this when I created my first custom entity in Dynamics CRM 2011.
When I first published the entity, the new entity would not show up in CRM. I would refresh the application, publish again, refresh again, and my new entity would still not show up where I planned for it to. Finally I would “Publish all Customizations” and the new entity would appear.
The missing step was that after creating and publishing a new entity, the customizer must also publish the sitemap. Evidently, changes to the sitemap – including new entities, must now be published in order to show in CRM. Thanks for the tip.
http://blogs.msdn.com/b/crm/archive/2011/03/15/microsoft-dynamics-crm-2011-sitemap-changes.aspx

Tags: custom,navigation,,behavior,Dynamics,Publish,Customizations,entities,Thanks,archive,sitemap

CRM 2011 Online and Internet Explorer 9 – first impressions

2011-03-14T23:07:00.001-05:00

Several months ago I created a VPC image to test CRM compatibility with several of the pre-release versions of IE9 – needless to say I am glad I did not try it on my primary system as the experience was less than optimal. There were many issues and I decided to have some patience and wait on the final release.

I put the idea of using IE9 away, until this evening when MS finally released the final bits of IE9 –I fired up my virtual PC image, visited http://www.beautyoftheweb.com and downloaded. The install took about five minutes. The first page I visited was my corporate CRM Online Instance.

Needless to say, I was happy to say that everything worked correctly on CRM 2011 Online. Records and Activities opened flawlessly. Reports and scripts ran as expected. No bug sightings whatsoever.

So I declare CRM 2011 to be compatible with IE9. I can’t wait for the day that Microsoft makes CRM compatible with Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera. A s soon as MS accomplishes that feat, I will never worry about going up against Salesforce.com again.

Now if you are still using CRM 4, you can download Update Rollup 16. Published last week by Microsoft, one of the primary features is compatibility with CRM 4.0

Technorati Tags: crm 2011,IE9,Internet Explorer 9,CRM 4.0,Dynamics CRM,Microsoft,Update Rollup 16

Ericsson, Convergys Corp., MetraTech Corp., Redknee Inc. and Tech Mahindra Ltd. have all selected Microsoft Dynamics CRM as a customer care component of their existing business support systems solutions.

2011-03-14T13:59:00.001-05:00

More exciting news from the Microsoft News Center as more companies adopt Microsoft Dynamics CRM into their business systems solutions. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is the perfect solution for any organizations in any industry looking to optimize their business and operational support offerings. Enhanced applications such as, Customer Portal and Dashboard Reporting give businesses an advantage to make informed and focused decisions about their customers, suppliers, and employees in order to maximize Sales, Costs, and Productivity.

For more information on this news article, click here.

Wait, once you sign up for your new Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Software, please allow XRM Services to be your exclusive Microsoft Partner to manage your Microsoft Dynamics CRM needs.

For more information on Microsoft Dynamics CRM, you may contact XRM Services today at 402-598-0927 or email us at getXRM@xrmservices.com.

You can take Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for a test run by signing up for their Free 30-Day Trial. GET STARTED NOW!

Need Cash? Do you qualify for $200 cash per license to switch to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online?

2011-03-11T14:35:00.002-06:00

Microsoft is offering qualifying customers the opportunity to receive $200 cash per license for switching to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online.
Who can Qualify? According to the Microsoft Website, Microsoft specifically states that

The Organization must subscribe at least 15 Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Licenses
Organizations must sign a two year licensing agreement for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online
Organizations must currently license a CRM product as outlined in their Terms and Conditions.

For more information and a complete list of Terms and Conditions, please see the Microsoft Website.
http://crm.dynamics.com/en-us/offers/cloud-crm-for-less

Wait, once you sign up for your new Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Software, please allow XRM Services to be your exclusive Microsoft Partner to manage your Microsoft Dynamics CRM needs.
For more information on Microsoft Dynamics CRM, you may contact XRM Services today at 402-598-0927 or email us at getXRM@xrmservices.com.

You can take Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for a test run by signing up for their Free 30-Day Trial. GET STARTED NOW!

Microsoft CRM 4.0 Update Rollup 16 released

2011-03-11T07:48:00.002-06:00

UR 16: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=5ad652f9-d81d-4f12-b9ca-883816806634
Highlights of Update Rollup 16

IE 9 support
Performance improvements for Organization Import
CRM Client synchronization fixes
22 customer escalated issues (see KB for details)

General Information of Update Rollup 16

UR 16 is the 14^th release since moving to the 8-week release schedule. 15 on time releases!
KB is located at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/2477743.

For assistance on applying this update, contact XRM Services today at 402-598-0927 or email us at getXRM@xrmservices.com.

Century Payments Chooses Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Over Salesforce.com

2011-03-10T08:09:00.000-06:00

The Microsoft News Center is reporting as of March 3, 2011, “Century Payments Inc, an emerging leader in the electronics payment industry and recently ranked 11th on the Inc. 500 Fastest-Growing Companies list, has saved more than $300,000 and counting since switching from Salesforce.com to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online in 2009.” In addition, it is noted that Century Payment also helped to improve company productivity, as well as, increased the end-user adoption as a result of the change to Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

For more information about this exciting news from Microsoft Corp., click on the attached link to their website. Microsoft News Center

Microsoft Corp. recently released Microsoft Dynamics CRM for 2011 with many enhanced applications and features, including but not limited to, Customer and Partner Portals, Dashboard Reporting, and Donation Management.

You can take Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for a test run by signing up for their Free 30-Day Trial. GET STARTED NOW!

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is easy to use. If you need an XRM Services Expert to show you how this dynamic, robust software can change your business, please call today at 480-598-0927 for your FREE DEMO.

Already have an unproductive CRM system or need a CRM rescue, your organization may qualify to receive cash to switch to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. DO YOU QUALIFY?

WAIT! Remember, XRM Services is ready to assist you with any Rapid, Standard, Enterprise, Agil, or Upgrade Implementation for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. Please allow us to be your exclusive Microsoft Partner to manage your Microsoft Dynamics CRM needs.

For more information on the Donation Management Application for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 you may contact XRM Services today at 402-598-0927 or email us at getXRM@xrmservices.com.

Donation Management for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

2011-03-09T12:06:00.001-06:00

Another dynamic Application for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 is the Donation Management Application. The following is a summary of the Application Description from the Microsoft Dynamics Website.

[Note, this solutions works with both Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online as well as Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 On-Premises.]

Microsoft Dynamics CRM combines everyday Microsoft Office applications with powerful customer relationship management (CRM) software to rapidly improve relationships with donors, volunteers and clients. Microsoft Community Affairs has worked with the Dynamics product team to create Donation Management, a solution that turns a powerful sales and marketing tool into a robust CRM tailored to non-profit needs.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides a powerful yet easy-to-use CRM solution delivered over the Internet or installed in your datacenter, so that organizations can get up and running quickly and cost-effectively with the flexibility to meet the unique needs of any business.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM equips nonprofit professionals with access to constituent information through a full suite of marketing, sales, and customer service capabilities with a familiar Microsoft Office Outlook experience to help ensure rapid user adoption and fast results.

Microsoft Community Affairs and the Dynamics CRM product team have developed Microsoft Dynamics CRM Donation Management as a starting point for non-profit organizations. The accelerator has modified the corporate version of CRM to include objects such as “Donations” and relationships to “Members”. The Solution can be modified to suit most non-profit business needs through customization.

You can navigate straight to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Website for a full description of the Donation Management Application and a free 30 day Trial. Click on link below.

Donation Management for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

XRM Services is ready to assist you with any Rapid, Standard, Enterprise, Agil, or Upgrade Implementation for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. Please allow us to be your exclusive Microsoft Partner to manage your Microsoft Dynamics CRM needs.

For more information on the Donation Management Application for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 you may contact XRM Services today at 402-598-0927 or email us at getXRM@xrmservices.com.

Dashboard Reporting Control for Microsoft Dynamics 2011

2011-03-08T11:47:00.001-06:00

Dashboard Reporting Control for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 offers Dashboard Reporting Control. The Microsoft Dynamics CRM Dashboard is one of the powerful and highly demanded features introduced in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. You can add Charts, Lists, Web resources, and IFrames to a dashboard to provide high level analytical view of CRM data. Having web resources on dashboard enriches the dashboard capabilities and take the dashboard to a whole new level.

To learn more about dashboards, see this blog article: Tracking Your Data using Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011.

Contact XRM Services today at 402-598-0927

or email us at getXRM@xrmservices.com.

Customer Portal for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

2011-03-07T11:43:00.001-06:00

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 has become a game changer for the CRM industry with it’s low cost subscription to it’s dynamic new features. You can’t go wrong.

Microsoft Dynamic CRM 2011 has added a Customer Portal. As stated on the Microsoft website, “Customer Portal for Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides businesses the ability to deliver portal capabilities to their customers while tracking and managing these interactions in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Functionality includes lead generation, service scheduling, case management, event calendar, product registration, self-help knowledge base and content management. Customers can turn this functionality on or off depending on their specific requirements. Note, this solution includes all functionality from the Portal Integration, eService and Event Management accelerators that were released for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0. The installation package contains all source code, customizations, workflows and documentation. The Customer Portal for Microsoft Dynamics CRM will work with all deployment models for Microsoft Dynamics CRM including on-premise, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online and partner-hosted.”

For more information about the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Customer Portal, please click on the link below.

Customer Portal for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

Contact XRM Services today at 402-598-0927

or email us at getXRM@xrmservices.com.

Where can I download CRM 2011 Server?

2011-03-02T21:54:00.001-06:00

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2011
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=C3F82C6F-C123-4E80-B9B2-EE422A16B91D
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 E-mail Router
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=A995F6AD-0099-42FD-9B22-CF7B3D40A2BF
Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Implementation Guide
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/en/details.aspx?FamilyID=9886AB96-3571-420F-83AD-246899482FB4
90-day trial keys for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server 2011 (no CAL limit):
MQM2H-JYYRB-RRD6J-8WBBC-CVBD3