Microsoft Dynamics CRM UK Reseller: CRM Daily

Microsoft Dynamics Customer Connection Programme

Tue, 25 Apr 2006 14:21:19 GMT

Microsoft have a programme aimed at existing Dynamics CRM customers which aims to involve customers more and provide them with information through events and online briefings.

Customers should be receiving a letter from Microsoft any time now. I have not heard from any of our customers receiving a letter as yet so would be interested if anyone else has had a missive from Microsoft.

For information there are two Microsoft CRM product update events to be held at Microsoft in Reading on 9th May and 7th June.

More information at www.microsoft.com/uk/partner/dynamicsconnected

CRM Blog List OPML Files

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 12:01:14 GMT

I have had a request for the OPML files for the blog lists which I mentioned on Monday. I have uploaded two OPML files, one for each of the blog lists:

Microsoft Blogs

MSCRM Blogs

CRM Blog List

Mon, 10 Apr 2006 02:48:07 GMT

Since January the number of blogs on CRM 3.0 has mushroomed especially from within Microsoft. I use SharpReader to pull the RSS feeds from all the blogs as otherwise reading all the blogs individually would take all day. I have separated the blogs list; one for Microsoft staff and one for third party resellers and users of CRM and added the CRM blogs I read to these lists.

I have also added two RSS feeds in the left hand column; one from the Microsoft CRM Sandbox and the other from the Microsoft official CRM user site which has guides and hints and tips on using Microsoft CRM.

Busy

Sun, 09 Apr 2006 16:54:32 GMT

Since I returned back to work in February we have been extremely busy which is why posts have been few and far between recently.

With the availability of CRM 3.0 many customers who held back last year are now implementing CRM or are looking more seriously. In addition we have been brought in as specialist in CRM by a couple of large companies to assist them with CRM for their customers.

Below is a selection of work we have undertaken in February and March:

creating a solution for managing appeals, donations and events for a Charity
installing and configuring CRM 3.0 for Telesales for an ERP reseller
training US office of one of our CRM 1.2 customers
upgrade to 3.0 for a local authority
configuration and customisation of CRM for a government organisation
configuring CRM 3.0 for a wealth management company
upgrading one of our earliest customers to 3.0 including upgrade of our add-on solutions
installing and configuring CRM 3.0 for a property management organisation
review of CRM for a public body and planning to upgrade to 3.0 and rolling out

Plus lots of demos and quotes.

There is no substitute for actually creating solutions for customers. Despite working with 3.0 through Alpha and TAP releases you only really get to know the ins and outs of a product when using it for real.

A few common themes have arisen over the past couple of months and I will expand on these separately including:

How CRM 3.0 allows you to spend more face time with customers
Integration with third party applications both front end and back end
Integration with Sharepoint Services and Sharepoint Portal Server
Creating new entities
The power of relationships
Reporting in 3.0
Upgrading to 3.0 - problems and solutions
SQL Server 2005
Clustered SQL Servers
Clustered Exchange Servers
Creating and Executing Campaigns
Service Management and why it doesn't work for most customers
How to develop with CRM 3.0

April is looking even busier.....

I'm back

Wed, 22 Feb 2006 02:06:51 GMT

Sorry for the absence and I am going to have a hard time catching up with everything that has been released by Microsoft and all the various MSCRM blogs.

However, we have never been so busy with everyone who has been waiting for CRM 3.0 now wanting to look and the demand seems to be increasing. We are completing the implementations of CRM for customers who took advantage of the pre 3.0 offer (we had a very successful last quarter of 2005) and are booking work through March and April already.

I tend to use this blog for my own purposes to list useful fixes and information that I can refer back to i.e. it's my own knowledgebase. Looking back, however, over the past couple of months I have just been linking to information as it has been posted, which is understandable with 3.0 being released, but I hope to include some more insights of upgrading and implementing 3.0 as well as issues surrounding our business which is centred on MSCRM and how that is changing.

An example of this is while I have been absent I have been looking at various MSCRM related issue such how to develop using the SDK both in terms of what hardware and software is needed and also how to code using the SDK. An in depth post is planned.

More CRM Blogs

Tue, 06 Dec 2005 00:28:21 GMT

I have added some more blogs to the list on the right. There is an increase in technical blogs covering how to make use of CRM 3.0 so if you are into that sort of thing take a look.

Microsoft CRM Hosting

Mon, 24 Oct 2005 23:46:12 GMT

The argument over hosted CRM vs on-premise has been thrown around a lot given the success of Salesforce.com, although in the UK I have rarely come across Salesforce. Sage has a hosted CRM offering based on the recently acquired ACCPAC product. Sage like Microsoft are hedging their bets allowing both hosted and on-premise usage. I think allowing both options with the ability to transfer from hosted on on-premise provides the flexibility needed and allows us to be able to support more customers with CRM.

Below is the line from Microsoft

Microsoft strongly believes that the market wants choice, and the company will provide that flexibility through a:

Deployment model: Microsoft partners can deliver Microsoft CRM either as an on-premise solution or as a hosted solution (with the option to move between the two).
Business model: With different licensing and pricing models such as perpetual licensing, financing, and/or subscription licensing, Microsoft partners and customers can choose the option that best fits their business licensing and pricing models.
Broad Microsoft offerings: According to their business needs, customers can leverage Microsoft’s integrated innovation and selectively expand Microsoft Dynamics CRM with other Microsoft products such as Exchange Server, SharePoint Portal Server, and Live Communications Server.
Rich partner ecosystem: Customers can select from VARs, SI, ISVs, and hosters to combine the best of breed and tailor the solution to their specific needs

Now, we have been working with a hosting partner to be able to offer Microsoft CRM 3.0 on a monthly per user fee to our UK customers as an alternative to installing Microsoft CRM on their own infrastructure so the recognition that hosting Microsoft CRM is being mentioned by Microsoft is a good thing.

However, there a report on CRN that Microsoft are going to offer hosted Microsoft CRM themselves. I will keep and eye on this and see what develops as this is the first I have heard.

New Microsoft CRM Blog

Mon, 24 Oct 2005 23:34:07 GMT

The US product manager for Microsoft CRM has started a blog. Check it out at http://blogs.technet.com/microsoftcrm

Survey Wizard

Tue, 20 Sep 2005 11:35:40 GMT

Microsoft have developed a CRM Survery Assessment Wizard which capture information which can be imported as the base of your Microsoft CRM Implementation

You can download the Assessment Wizard from our website. If you complete the assessment you can send the result file to us for review.

Windows Workflow Foundation

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 00:22:13 GMT

Microsoft has announced a new workflow engine which will be used in a number of Microsoft products including at some point, Microsoft CRM. Given the variety of workflow systems Microsoft has across its product range a single engine which can be used to integrate solutions can only be a good thing.

The Press Release is here

RSS Feeds

Thu, 15 Sep 2005 00:15:37 GMT

Stories are circulating about CRM being RSS enabled. This will be used to publish data from CRM such as quotes, products, supplier etc.

More at

Infoworld

El Reg

Update: Bill Gates talked about RSS Feeds from CRM at his keynote at the PDC

Today RSS is mostly used to connect to Web sites, to read blogs, to subscribe to news sites like this, but we really believe that RSS is going to be transformed into more of a platform that also embraces business applications, and let's customers, suppliers, and vendors subscribe to RSS feeds through corporate Web sites. So we see RSS as a great way to publish information not just to end users, but also to customers, and partners, and perhaps employees.

The Microsoft Dynamics CRM team is doing just this with the next version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM version 3.0. What you're seeing here is a Web page that lets you access Microsoft CRM from the Internet, you can almost think of it as Outlook Web access, or Microsoft CRM, this is just running in the browser. You can see it's actually a very rich user interface, but at the top you'll notice an XML feeds button. When I click on this XML feeds button Microsoft CRM will actually show all the different Web feeds, or RSS feeds that it publishes to customers, suppliers.

In this case I'd like to subscribe to the quote feed for this particular product, the Touring 3000 product. I drill into that, and you'll actually see we're taking that RSS information and presenting it in a very nice way. If I drill down into the Touring 3000 quote, sure enough you'll see that MS CRM is taking the richness of that XML and presenting it a very, very rich way. And that's it. I've subscribed to this RSS feed, and now I don't have to run a query every day to see the latest quotes on this product.

Microsoft CRM Blogs

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 23:53:19 GMT

I have updated the list of Microsoft CRM related blogs. I think this is pretty definitive but if there are any that I have missed please let me know

Another Implementation Guide Update

Mon, 12 Sep 2005 15:06:22 GMT

Microsoft have released another update to the CRM 1.2 Implementation Guide here.

As before there are no indications as to the changes made.

Implementation Guide Update

Mon, 04 Jul 2005 12:29:52 GMT

Microsoft have published an updated Implementation Guide. It can be downloaded here.

There is no statement as to what has changed but it would be best to use this version from now on

Great New Blog

Sun, 05 Jun 2005 23:01:26 GMT

Another CRM reseller, this time in the US, is now blogging. Check out the Sonoma Partners blog

CRM Database Profile Wizard

Tue, 31 May 2005 13:26:40 GMT

Microsoft have released a profiling wizard which collects data on how you use Microsoft CRM and sends this information to Microsoft to help improve V.Next, the next version of Microsoft CRM due later this year.

You can download it here but be aware it only works on US English versions of Microsoft CRM which is pretty useless for us here in the UK.

Microsoft CRM Needs Assessment Wizard

Thu, 26 May 2005 15:59:41 GMT

Microsoft have created a tool that guides you through the planning of a Microsoft CRM implementation. This is the first step in making Microsoft CRM easier to install. You can download the beta from the Microsoft Downloads site

PS. Microsoft have fixed the strong name bug that prevented the tool from running.

Customer Strategy & Management 2005

Thu, 26 May 2005 11:20:58 GMT

My company, Vigence, are exhibiting at the Customer Strategy & Management 2005 show at the NEC near Birmingham on 28th-29th June.

We are on stand 90 just on the right by the entrance so please come and visit and let my colleagues and I show you what we have done with Microsoft CRM.

We shall also be launching our Add Ons for Microsoft CRM at the show so come along and get a first viewing.

To add these dates to your Outlook Calendar click here

Books

Wed, 25 May 2005 17:21:06 GMT

There are a couple of books on Microsoft CRM; John Gravely's Special Edition Using Microsoft CRM and Microsoft CRM for Dummies. Neither is perfect and I think time is ripe for a new book explaining how to implement MSCRM for your business - if only I had the time.

The book I am currently reading is by John Seddon Freedom From Command and Control: A Better Way to Make Work Work. This book looks how work is done and why much of current management practise does not get the desired results. BUY IT!

Microsoft Business Solutions Community

Wed, 25 May 2005 16:42:19 GMT

This blog is now linked from the Microsoft Business Solutions Community page.

The number of visits has jumped massively since this link was added so welcome to new readers and your comments and questions are welcome.

I have been busy with implementing MSCRM a lot recently with many of the leads we had last year now taking the plunge with CRM so I apologise for the lack of postings. However, it has given me lots to write about so check in regularly or use the RSS feed.

Finally look out for podcasts on MSCRM I am planning with Ian Dixon when I get some spare time.

Microsoft CRM UK Partner Channel Event 25th April

Tue, 05 Apr 2005 23:16:30 GMT

Microsoft are holding a CRM Channel Builder event for partners and ISVs at Microsoft Campus Thames Valley Park on Monday 25th April.

The purpose of the event is to get various partners together to be more successful in selling CRM. So if you are interested in CRM you should strongly consider coming along

To register click here

Once registered there is a website where you can fill in your details and then choose which other partners you want to meet based on their profiles. Sort of like speed dating. See you there.

New CRM Web Resource

Mon, 04 Apr 2005 13:37:41 GMT

Thanks to Jason Hartman for spotting a new CRM Web Resource at http://www.mtccrm.com.

Lots of information for resellers and users of MSCRM. Recommended.

Microsoft CMS and CRM

Mon, 04 Apr 2005 13:12:56 GMT

Mark Harrison is looking to integrate CRM with MCMS.Rapid which accelerates deployment of Microsoft Content Management Server and has a number of pre-packaged enhancements to CMS.

Looks very interesting and I will be following this up.

Project Green

Fri, 25 Mar 2005 19:14:06 GMT

Microsoft Business Solutions has a number of different products apart from CRM which can all be considered ERP solutions:

Great Plains
Navision
Axapta
Solomon

There are also some other products some of which extend the ERP solutions above

Microsoft Business Network
Enterprise Reporting
Retail Management System
C5 (Denmark Only)
Small Business Financials (North America only)
Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager (more on BCM in another post)

Microsoft acquired these products when buying Great Plains in the US and Navision in Denmark in 2002. Navision had previously acquired Axapta.

ERP like CRM is a much misused term but in essence ERP is about integrating your internal organisation and as such covers a wide range of functions such as manufacturing, accounting, warehouse, shipping, purchasing, order processing, field service etc.

Each of the four MBS ERP products has different strengths in the functional areas and as such is targeted at different segments of the market. There is some overlap between the MBS ERP products and normally this isn't a problem given their geographical heritage except in the UK where Great Plains, Navision and Axapta have been sold successfully by a strong set of MBS partners.

Axapta is aimed at larger organisations who perhaps have discrete or complex manufacturing processes. Navision is aimed at medium sized businesses and is highly customisable and is particularly strong in supply chain management. Great Plains is aimed at medium sized businesses and is particularly strong in financial management and field service.

Project Green was created to create a single code base and eventually one ERP solution. However, this has caused problems with customers unsure of the current ERP products' future (Microsoft has stated they they will be enhanced and supported to 2013) and this month Microsoft has changed from a Big Bang approach to an evolutionary approach.

This can be seen in the common role based menus in the latest versions of Navision and Great Plains. Common roles along with the use of Sharepoint Portals, common workflow engine and SQL based analytics/business intelligence form Wave 1 of Project Green which will last until 2007.

Wave 2 of Project Green will bring a more commonality between the products and has a time frame of 2008 onwards. Wave 2 will also see tighter integration with the next versions of Windows and Office.

More details on Project Green at http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/mar05/03-07Convergence05UmbrellaPR.asp and http://www.microsoft-watch.com/article2/0,1995,1773425,00.asp

So is this re-orientating of Project Green a good thing. In my opinion, yes it is as it remove the confusion over the current products in the minds of prospects and competitors. Changing an ERP system is not something you do very often and when a step-change occurs e.g. one product replacing another it is likely to open the customer up to a change of supplier.

From a Microsoft CRM perspective it should mean the integrations with the ERP products will be here quicker rather than waiting for the new big bang product. Microsoft CRM already integrates with Great Plains and Navision support is due with the next version of CRM.

SQL Reporting Services

Tue, 08 Mar 2005 00:52:31 GMT

Microsoft CRM comes uses Crystal Reports for its reporting engine. Now I have always hated Crystal, I just never got my head around it and felt it was always constraining me.

So when Microsoft announced SQL Reporting Services and that one of the Report Packs was for MSCRM I was intrigued. When I found out SQL Reporting Services comes with SQL at no additional cost I thought there is something more to this.

SQL Reporting Services consists of a series of web services and management tools running on your SQL Server to provide reports. You use Visual Studio to develop reports - there is a Visual Studio addin for this. You can also develop the reports in XML if you so desire although Visual Studio is far easier and cheaper than Crystal Reports Developer which you need to amend or create new Crystal Reports for CRM.

Microsoft has further stated that future versions of MSCRM will use SQL Reporting Services for reporting so it really is no decision and all new reporting requirements we are doing use SQL rather than Crystal. We use both the URL and SOAP interfaces to meet different needs and apart from printing (which I am told in coming soon in SP2) it is the ideal reporting solution for us.

More details of SQL Reporting Services can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/sql/reporting/

Make sure you get Service Pack 1 http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=580FEBF7-2972-40E7-BCCF-6CD90AC2F464&displaylang=en

The Reports Pack for CRM which contains six example reports for CRM can be found at http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=619EEF04-DDDA-4811-A8E9-A7147A446624&displaylang=en

Give it a try and check back later to find out what I have been doing with SQL Analyticsm SQL Reporting and Sharepoint.

Customer Day

Wed, 16 Feb 2005 00:04:24 GMT

Want to find out what Microsoft are planning for CRM and want to tell them what you think and want then read on. Microsoft is having a Microsoft CRM Customer Day tomorrow at Microsoft Campus in Reading.

More details at https://msevents-eu.microsoft.com/cui/EventDetail.aspx?culture=en-GB&eventid=118753326

This is for Microsoft CRM customers only and if you are a customer and haven't heard about it don't blame your reseller. If you want to go you need to call 0870 166 6680 x 439

Welcome

Mon, 14 Feb 2005 13:26:49 GMT

Welcome to my first post. This blog is intended to document our progress with Microsoft CRM and I hope to update it regularly. First a little history.

I work for Vigence which I formed with colleagues in early 2000 to focus on services surrounding customer service, call centres and CRM such as project management, systems integration and software development. In 2002 we were looking to focus around a product and despite having a deep knowledge of CRM products there wasn't one that fitted our company and skills. About this time Microsoft announced a new CRM product based on .NET. This excited us as we had already invested in .NET as a platform and thus Microsoft CRM seemed to bring together our business and technical skills perfectly.

We then waited and waited for Microsoft to release CRM in the UK. MSCRM 1.0 was released in the US in January 2003. The International English v1.1 release which was scheduled for summer 2003 was merged into the v1.2 release in January 2004 to include a number of performance fixes and more international support. We were one of the first companies in the UK to become certified in Microsoft CRM. Finally, in February 2004 we were able to offer Microsoft CRM to our customers.

It took a while (more on this later) to make our first sale but since summer 2004 we have been adding at least one new customer per month.

Topics I plan to cover in future posts are below. They cover a mixture of business and technical issues.

Microsoft's marketing of CRM
Getting your first sale
The ordering process
Vertical or not?
Sales for Outlook
Customisation options
Workflow
Post Callouts
Small Business Server and MSCRM
Data Migration
FetchXML
Add ons for Microsoft CRM

If you have anything else you want me to talk about please feel free to contact me.

Julian