Analytics Accelerator R2 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 available – now for SQL Server 2008
Microsoft recently released the Analytics Accelerator R2 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 on CodePlex. This version adds reporting for SQL Server 2008, as well as enhancements to the older SQL 2005 reports.
Analytics R2 Accelerator - Sales Manager Dashboard Report
The future R3 version will add cubes, data mining applications, PerformancePoint scorecards and other great analytical tools.
Be sure to download this release and give it a trial run on the April 2009 VPC. Let me know if you like it!
Download Link:
- Analytics Accelerator for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 [CodePlex.com, 5MB]
- Sample Sales Manager Dashboard Report [PDF]
Excerpt from the Whitepaper:
The Analytics Accelerator for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 will be delivered in three releases – each release will build on the capabilities of its predecessor. Here is a summary of what each release will include:
Release 1 (December 2008):
• SQL Server 2005 Dashboard reports
• Simple SQL Server 2005 Analysis Services (SSAS) cube
Release 2 (THIS RELEASE):
• SQL Server 2008 Dashboard reports
• Fixes and enhancements to the SQL Server 2005 dashboard reports
Release 3:
• Simple SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services (SSAS) cube
• Sales Pipeline trending analysis example (SQL Server 2005 AND 2008)
• Enhanced SQL Server Analysis Services (SSAS) cube (SQL Server 2005 AND 2008)
• Embedded data mining applications
• Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server scorecards
• Security synchronization plugin (and source code) to replicate the Microsoft Dynamics CRM security model to the SSAS cubes
MSCRM 4.0 Documentation Generator (Excel Add-in), perfect for the CRM Consultant’s Toolbox
Once in a blue moon you’ll find the perfect tool for the job, and this is one of them. On Microsoft’s open source CodePlex site is the MSCRM 4.0 Documentation Generator, an Excel 2007 add-in that will automatically generate documentation for the CRM 4.0 entities, fields, picklist values and JavaScripts you’ve developed.
This tool will save countless hours of documentation time, and will keep you focused on the real creative development and customization efforts that directly benefit your clients.
The resources you’ll need to get going:
- Download the MSCRM 4.0 Documentation Generator (link to CodePlex download site).
- Export the Customizations file (either ZIP or XML) from your Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 deployment.
- Microsoft Office Excel 2007
- Microsoft Visual Studio Tools for the Microsoft Office system (version 3.0 Runtime)
- This installation is provided in the setup of this tool, but you can also download it directly at this link.
- This installation is provided in the setup of this tool, but you can also download it directly at this link.
As an alternative tool for generating CRM 4.0 Documentation, be sure to check out the CRM 4.o Form Reporter (direct link to the CodePlex site).
Full instructions from the CodePlex site below.
Installation
The add-in will run on Office 2007 Excel (with Visual Studio Tools for Office (3.0)).
Extract the installation files and run Setup.exe – it will attempt to install any prerequisites.
Once the setup completes, Start Excel.
The first time Excel runs with the add-in, you will be presented with a customization installation message – choose “Install.”
Usage
Open the Add-Ins ribbon, press the load button to load your XML, then press the “Forms” button.
Once you’ve created a “Forms” documentation spreadsheet, open a new blank spreadsheet and click the “Scripts” button, and then repeat with the “Picklists” button.
Many thanks to CustomerEffective’s Scott Sewell (and Merijn van Mourik) for sharing this thing of beauty.
New Microsoft CRM Discussion Groups are ready and able to answer your questions
There are new discussion group resources available in your quest for answers regarding Microsoft Dynamics CRM, most notably a CRM Online forum. Engage with the MVP Experts and discover a solution to that one support or development issue that’s been gnawing at your patience all week.
¡Socorro!
The other new international discussion groups will be excellent support resources for our Spanish, Italian, German, Russian and Chinese brethren.
See all Dynamics CRM discussion group links below, and be sure to bookmark the ones you’ll need!
Link to all Dynamics discussion groups, including Dynamics GP:
http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/dynamics/
CRM
Forum for discussions with Microsoft CRM experts, MVPs, and Partners.
CRM Deployment
Forum for discussing Microsoft CRM deployment questions.
CRM Development
Forum for discussing customization, add-ins, and integration with Microsoft CRM.
CRM Online
Forum for discussing Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online specific questions.
CRM Chinese
CRM community space for an international audience, these new forums will be monitored by the CRM MVP team.
CRM Italian
CRM community space for an international audience, these new forums will be monitored by the CRM MVP team.
CRM Spanish
CRM community space for an international audience, these new forums will be monitored by the CRM MVP team.
Microsoft Dynamics AX/NAV/CRM
Microsoft Dynamics AX, NAV and CRM Russian Discussion Group.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM (German)
Mit Microsoft Dynamics CRM optimieren Sie all Ihre kundenorientierten Geschäftsprozesse. Diskutieren Sie mit anderen Anwendern oder stellen Sie ihre Frage rund um die Installation, Anpassung und Entwicklung von Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
Recommended download: Update Rollup 4 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 (KB 968176)
Update Rollup (Fantastic) 4 ready to download!
It’s bug clobberin’ time for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0! I’m a little late posting this, but Update Rollup 4 is now available for download. This update includes bug fixes and performance improvements, so it’s well worth the bandwidth and time to deploy.
Download:
Update Rollup 4 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 (KB 968176)
KB Article:
Microsoft Knowledge Base article 986176: Update Rollup 4 is available for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0
Once again, as in all the previous Update Rollup versions, be aware that your old XML customization backups may be incompatible after upgrading to UR4. This fourth version is a cumulative update, so you can safely bypass installing the previous versions.
Microsoft is planning on releasing new Update Rollups every two months, so check back regularly!
The Business Productivity Workflow Tools Accelerator is now available for download
The Business Productivity Workflow Tools Accelerator may be a mouthful, but it might have the extra options you’ve been needing for workflow customization. Note: this release is only intended for On-Premise deployments of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0.
This accelerator was just released today, so I’ll be sure to post some feedback once I get a chance to install it and play around. If you beat me to the punch and have already reviewed it, let me know your thoughts in the comments section below!
Download Link
Release Notes
The Business Productivity Workflow Tools Accelerator provides additional workflow step actions for customers to configure their workflow processes. Each custom action provides additional capabilities around string handling, mathematical functions and HTML hyperlink creation. Once this accelerator is installed workflow designers within Microsoft Dynamics CRM have more flexibility in terms of the processes they can manage through workflows.
Documentation Excerpt
Once installed, the Workflow Tools Accelerator provides the following new step actions in your workflow designer:
1. Retrieve the record ID (Guid) of the record that is driving the workflow.
2. Generate an HTML Hyperlink for a link to the CRM record which can then be used in outbound emails. The hyperlink can display a user-friendly label rather than a long complex url, e.g. Click Here to Open CRM Contact rather than http://server:port/organization/sfa/conts/edit.aspx?id=20f89e5c-4833-de11-bd89-0003ffc4b483
3. Generate an HTML Hyperlink for a link to any URL which can then be used in outbound emails. The hyperlink can display a user-friendly label rather than a long complex url, e.g. Click Here to Register for this Event rather than http://server/register.aspx?campainid=20f89e5c-4833-de11-bd89-0003ffc4b483&firstname=Reuben&lastname=Krippner
4. Generate an HTML Hyperlink for an Email link which can then be used in outbound emails. The hyperlink can display a user-friendly label rather than a long complex url, e.g. Email Us! rather than mailto:your@email.address?subject=Sales Enquiry
5. Join (concatenate) two strings together for use elsewhere in your workflow.
6. Use mathematical functions on two numeric values in crm in your workflows, e.g. calculate a weighted revenue amount on a sales opportunity. You have the following math functions at your disposal:
a. Add (Use the “+” symbol for the Math Operator parameter )
b. Subtract (Use the “-“ symbol for the Math Operator parameter )
c. Multiply (Use the “*” symbol for the Math Operator parameter )
d. Divide (Use the “/” symbol for the Math Operator parameter )
e. Mod (remainder) (Use “MOD” for the Math Operator parameter )