Video: Introduction to the Outlook Client for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0
CRM 4.0, General Users, Links, Salespeople, Support, Videos June 10th, 2010
Check out my latest demonstration video on the CRM 4.0 Outlook Client! It’s an outline of the general navigation and features of the client, so it’s really nothing new for the seasoned CRM Consultants out there. Rather, this video is targeted for new and prospective clients who don’t live and breathe the CRM world everyday.
Hope you enjoy it… I’d appreciate your feedback!
Tags: CRM, CRM 4.0, Demonstration, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Outlook, Video
Lucky Seven! Update Rollup 7 for Dynamics CRM improves the Outlook Client experience
Administrator, Cool tips, CRM 4.0, Downloads, General Users, Salespeople October 28th, 2009
My favorite number
Some exciting news lately in the Dynamics CRM world, and all are related to lucky numero seven!
First off, the latest Update Rollup 7 was released to the world. The most noteworthy changes were made to the CRM Outlook Client, and by itself would make this update HIGHLY recommended. After starting up Outlook, the CRM functionality now loads quietly in the background, allowing you to immediately access your e-mails without any slow down. There are other additional improvements that make this update a must-have, all outlined in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Team Blog. Get your Update Rollup 7 links below!
- Download: KB Article #971782: Update Rollup 7 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 [microsoft.com]
- Change Log: KB Article #971782: Update Rollup 7 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 [microsoft.com]
- Update Rollup 7 [Microsoft Dynamics CRM Team Blog]
Last, but certainly not least: Microsoft announced that Dynamics CRM 4.0 is now supported on the new Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. There’s no excuse now not to upgrade to Windows 7; this latest OS has been shown to be quite an improvement over previous releases.
Be sure to relate your experiences with CRM and this latest update in the comments section below.
Spotlight: CRM Notifications Accelerator
Accelerators, Administrator, CRM 4.0, Customizations, Developer, Downloads, General Users, Links, Salespeople, Support November 3rd, 2008
The CRM Notifications Accelerator is essentially a fancy name for adding RSS feeds to your Views in CRM. It provides a simple way of alerting new CRM records across your organization, without directly accessing CRM. This Accelerator adds key functionality that should be essential for Sales and Customer Service departments.
CRM Notifications Accelerator - context menu
A CRM user can now subscribe to an RSS Feed of their favorite View, as long as their security privileges allow it. For salespeople, this can be “My Open Opportunities” or “Hot Opportunities”. A CSR on the other hand would be more interested in a “My Open Services Cases” type of view. Marketing staff can also get into the game with an “Event Registration List” RSS Feed.
I downloaded and installed the small zip executable file at the link below. The install process was instant and pain-free. There are additional instructions for CRM in other languages, but it’s all spelled out nicely.
VPC Demo Image Note: if you install the Accelerator on the CRM VPC demo image that Microsoft provided, it will use the default messy ISV config file that was loaded with pre-configured test buttons and menu items. This was included to assist the developers who are experimenting with the Microsoft CRM SDK Kit.
This Accelerator installs a context menu on the Application Window. A CRM user can “Subscribe to the Current View”, or manually choose the RSS Feed subscription. Once the user subscribes to a particular view, the RSS Feed will display in another browser window. If the user that this point clicks on the “Subscribe to this Feed” link, it would be added automatically to Outlook! Great for the CRM-phobic types who prefer to never leave Outlook (here’s looking at you, Mr. Old School Salesguy).
CRM RSS Feed in Outlook
In conclusion, I would highly recommend installing this Accelerator. It adds useful bonus functionality to your existing CRM 4.0 system that every user would appreciate.
Tags: CRM 4.0, CRM Accelerators, Outlook
Xobni: an intelligent filter for your Outlook Contacts (free beta download)
Downloads, General Users, Interesting Links, Salespeople, Uncategorized May 6th, 2008
Having Xobni in Outlook, I’ve noticed it’s starting to fundamentally change the way I view my Outlook contacts. It’s like a dynamic mini-dashboard for your e-mail contact history and metrics.
The easy way to remember Xobni’s name is that it’s an anagram of the word Inbox. After installation, Xobni takes a few minutes to index your Outlook messages. Once this Outlook plug-in is up and running it feels lightweight, without significantly dragging down your Outlook performance.
Here’s an excerpt from a great review article in The NY Times:
Other programs, like Google Desktop, perform that same basic index-and-search function. But Xobni, which its creators call an “intelligent filter,” adds a few more features. When it scours the inbox, it extracts phone numbers it thinks are associated with the sender. So when a user searches for a person, Xobni presents the number in a side panel to Outlook.
The software also interprets the social relationships between people who are sending messages to each other. For example Xobni recognizes that if an executive sends a copy to someone else on each message he or she sends, it might be to an assistant or another colleague. When someone using Xobni searches for that executive in Outlook, the second person is listed as well.
Relevant Links
- Xobni: homepage
- Xobni: download now
- NYTimes.com article: If You Use Outlook E-Mail, Meet Xobni
- Lifehacker.com: Xobni articles
Tags: beta, contacts, download, email, free software, metrics, Microsoft, Outlook, Xobni
New in CRM 4.0: using the CRM Outlook Client without a VPN connection
Administrator, CRM 4.0, Salespeople, Support April 11th, 2008
This is one of the neatest improvements to Microsoft Dynamics CRM, especially for all remote users. With the Internet Facing Deployment (IFD) mode configured on a CRM server, remote users can now access CRM within their Outlook without the requirement of a VPN connection back to the office.
Navin at the Microsoft CRM Team Blog did a great job fully explaining the configuration of the CRM Outlook Client for Internet Facing Deployment mode in CRM 4.0. The full except can be found below, or you can go directly to the article here.
Tags: CRM 4.0, IFD, Internet Facing Deployment, Outlook, VPN
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