Microsoft CRM Implementations
By Sam Walker on 2/14/2012 5:02 PM

Often times it makes sense to have a development CRM environment where you can make changes without affecting users.

Here is an excellent resource that tells step-by-step how to backup and restore a CRM Organization:

http://msdynamics2011.blogspot.com/2011/10/how-to-copy-microsoft-crm-2011.html

image

By Sam Walker on 2/9/2012 10:58 AM

I had the task of seeing which entities in an on-premise CRM 2011 system were being used.  Here’s a SQL script to run against your CRM database to get the entity, the table name, and the count of records.

This can also be used to troubleshoot disk space issues.

DECLARE @Table TABLE (Table_Name VARCHAR(100), Record_Count INT) DECLARE @Table_Name VARCHAR(100) DECLARE CUR CURSOR FOR SELECT name FROM SYSOBJECTS WHERE xtype='U' and name like '%base' OPEN CUR FETCH NEXT FROM CUR INTO @Table_Name WHILE @@FETCH_STATUS=0 BEGIN INSERT INTO @Table EXEC('SELECT '''+@Table_Name+''',(SELECT COUNT(*) FROM ['+@Table_Name+'])') FETCH NEXT FROM CUR INTO @Table_Name END CLOSE CUR DEALLOCATE CUR SELECT ev.DisplayName, T.* FROM @Table T join (SELECT DISTINCT EntityView.Name, EntityView.LogicalName, LocalizedLabelView_1.Label AS DisplayName FROM LocalizedLabelView AS LocalizedLabelView_2 INNER JOIN AttributeView ON LocalizedLabelView_2.ObjectId = AttributeView.AttributeId RIGHT OUTER JOIN EntityView INNER JOIN LocalizedLabelView AS LocalizedLabelView_1 ON EntityView.EntityId = LocalizedLabelView_1.ObjectId ON AttributeView.EntityId = EntityView.EntityId WHERE (LocalizedLabelView_1.ObjectColumnName = 'LocalizedName') AND (LocalizedLabelView_2.ObjectColumnName = 'DisplayName') AND (LocalizedLabelView_1.LanguageId = '1033') AND (LocalizedLabelView_2.LanguageId = '1033')) as ev on T.Table_Name like cast(ev.LogicalName + '%' as nvarchar(30)) order by Record_Count desc
By rhaden on 2/8/2012 1:43 PM
Microsoft is getting ready to roll out platform-native apps for Blackberry, Android, and iPhone, as well as its own Windows mobile.

While MS Dynamics isn't the first CRM to offer phone apps, it's the first one to go native with all the major mobile options. Word is they're also considering an HTML5 version that will work equally well on all phones. The next update of MSDynamics CRM will also work on iPads -- and for the first time on Macs. It's expected to support IE, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari.

What difference will it make?
By rhaden on 2/1/2012 2:22 PM
The choice between desktop software and keeping your office in the cloud is one more businesses face every day. More applications are available in the cloud, including MS Dynamics CRM, and the benefits can be significant: lower up-front costs, easier remote access, and improved security are just a few of the reasons to use cloud-based solutions.

As those choices increase, businesses also have to choose which provider they want to use for cloud-based services.

Microsoft got together with Wired Magazine to ask Wired readers, a particularly tech-savvy bunch, what they wanted in a cloud-based office solution.
By rhaden on 1/25/2012 3:44 PM
Once you get started, MS Dynamics CRM is comfortable and intuitive -- just like using Outlook. How do you get started? Dave shows you how to log on to the CRM system, how to bookmark for future access, and how to allow pop-ups so you don't have error messages.
By rhaden on 1/18/2012 2:06 PM
Picking the right tech solutions can make you feel like Goldilocks. This one is too big, this one is too small. This one doesn't have the one thing you really need, while that one turns out to have the one thing you wanted -- plus thirteen other things you don't want and can't use.

It's hard to find the solution that's just right. Free trials help -- but are they just right?
By Dave Espenschied on 1/13/2012 3:32 PM
In some cases you may need CRM users to update their personal settings. For example, if you are using an e-mail router to send outgoing e-mails, users are required to enable a personal setting which allows others to send e-mails in their behalf. Getting all users to edit their settings can become an arduous and unpleasant process.

I recently became aware of an open-source tool, CRM2011 User Settings Utility, that allows you to bulk edit users’ personal settings. Installation of the CRM solution is quick and making changes to personal settings is simple and straightforward. The CRM 2011 User Settings Utility can be downloaded at http://crm2011usersettings.codeplex.com/.

image

By Ryan Redmond on 1/11/2012 11:58 AM
For a Manufacturing company, attending Tradeshows can be a great source of new leads. New, qualified leads can result in new orders and additional revenue. Are you maximizing your tradeshow investment? Are you able to track your tradeshow expenses, resulting leads and track them directly to revenue?

Attending different industry tradeshows can be expensive. Some companies spend their tradeshow budgets with the idea that they will just go to the show and see what happens . Or another approach is to invest time and money in planning, designing and producing new marketing collateral, booth rental, travel expenses but when the tradeshow is over, the new leads don’t make it into your system. You do have a system for tracking your tradeshow leads don’t you?

To effectively utilize your tradeshow budget and maximize your return on investment, you should be doing the following:

Create a Tradeshow marketing plan that includes pre-show, at-show and post-show marketing activities. Have a "lead...
By Ryan Redmond on 1/10/2012 2:34 PM
Our approach to managing and running CRM implementation for multiple clients at the same time involve some very basic “Agile” principles of doing first things first, keeping iterations small, and running sprints.  An overview of CRM philosophy can be found on our CRM Success page at http://www.customerdynamics.com/CRMSuccess.aspx.

Our approach with our support and maintenance customers uses a simple backlog type approach as shown below:

CRM Backlog

This diagram shows the overall flow of work items (user stories and tasks) from initial inception, onto the Backlog, then onto the appropriate Sprint.

...

Get Started!

Free Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online 30 Day Trial