For those looking to enforce Field Level Security for a CRM deployment, Microsoft has come up with a whitepaper that will assist you in coming up with a workable solution. Understanding the architecture, Access Channel's & Access Method's available to users coupled with the introduction of plug-ins may help you in deploying FLS.

 

There is also a couple of handy code snippets!

 

To download the whitepaper click on the link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=471f8670-47b3-4525-b25d-c11a6774615c 

It appears that the team at Microsoft have released an update to the Outlook client, not exactly sure what has been addressed here so stay tuned!

 

For those that want to download it click here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=60c4a6cc-59d7-416e-9f44-0ae8ff249768 I'm tipping this will be an improvement!

Trying to explain xRM can tend to get a little confusing to some, the fact that pic's are supposed to say a 1000 words then check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yru5CkANOKA

Some interesting news on release dates for CRM 5.0.

 

I was lucky enough to have spoken with Brad Wilson (GM MBS) today; I was particularly interested in finding out about release dates etc for CRM version 5.0 as well as what functionality has been adopted by Microsoft. It appears as though the TAP (Technology Adoption Program) for CRM 5.0 will be open for partners in about 6 months time around Oct, Nov 09. With release for version 5.0 in the second half of 2010. This will give partners 12 months to get up to speed with the new features.

 

As far as features to be adopted in the new release its always hard to pin point so far out from the release date but after having a little look around I found that Simon Hutson seems to have a good handle and a great blog, so if you need to see some screen shots and a great explanation of things to come check it out here: http://blogs.msdn.com/ukcrm/archive/2008/11/10/what-s-new-in-crm5.aspx

You can download the latest rollup for MS CRM 4.0 here: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=0DDF8E83-5D9C-4FE7-9AE6-F2713A024071&displaylang=en seems like yesterday that rollup 1 was released... ;)

 

Notes about exporting and importing customisations

 

You can export customisations from a server that has Update Rollup 2 or Update Rollup 3 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 installed and import those customisations to a server that has Update Rollup 4 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 installed. You can also export customizations from a server that has Update Rollup 4 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 installed and import those customizations to a server that has Update Rollup 2 or Update Rollup 3 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 installed.


If you export customisations from a server that is running Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 server, do not import the customisations to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 server in the following scenarios:

• The server from which you are exporting the customisations has no updates installed or has Update Rollup 1 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 installed. However, the server to which you are importing the customisations has Update Rollup 4 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 installed
• The server from which you are exporting the customisations has Update Rollup 4 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 installed. However, the server to which you are importing the customisations has no updates installed or has Update Rollup 1 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 installed.

 

C&P from the codeplex site. When I have a little more time I hope to add to this but for the time being click on the link at the bottom to find out more: http://www.codeplex.com/crmaccelerators/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=21449 

I will be adding more content about Microsoft CRM 5 as it becomes available, but if you want to have a look at what come out at PDC this year check out the Microsoft team site http://blogs.msdn.com/crm/archive/2008/12/18/an-early-look-at-crm-5.aspx 

I feel compelled to write about other things but when you’re on a roll and good things keep coming out why change... 

 

The first of three accelerators (Analytics R1 for Microsoft CRM 4.0) was released on Codeplex on Monday, the dashboards and SQL server Analysis Services (SSAS) cube are for 2005. As usual the Microsoft team have inculded all of the relevant documentation at which I have taken the liberty of using a few screen shots.

 

            

 

Future releaseas look to be very exciting in particular the more advanced features coming out in R3

Release 2 (R2) includes:

·         SQL Server 2008 Dashboard reports

·         Simple SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services (SSAS) cube

·         Sales Pipeline trending analysis example (SQL 2005 & 2008)

Release 3 (R3) includes:

·         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 enhanced SSAS cubes

 

Its a welcome site to see SP1 for MS CRM being released. You can download it here http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=57c6267b-3b13-49dd-bfed-3cc83633aea7&displaylang=en&tm it contains a roll up of the following hot fixes http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/949256 

I suppose seeing it was the last thing that I looked at before starting this blog, Accelerators for Dynamics CRM seems like a sensible starting point.

 

Whether you are a partner or a customer these add-ons can be of great benefit, mainly because they are FREE.

 

As the MS CRM community expands so do the extra's that are available. If you are like me even the best thought out plans to provide aditional functionality for MS CRM can tend to take a while due to the fact that customers come along and of course they come first and the R&D get set aside.

 

Enter Microsoft (MS), the guys at MS are doing a great job in assisting the MS CRM community. Released in October and November this year were the following accelerators:

Have a look and try downloading them, code and documentation are available. I find that loading them up into a VPC image to demo they work a treat as a POC. There are a number of other accelerators due for release and it is worth noting that they all follow the SDK therefore all supported by Microsoft.

 

Other accelerators due for release are:

       Analytics

       Extends business intelligence for Microsoft Dynamics CRM by delivering sales, service and operations dashboards.

       E-Service Portal

       A configurable self-service portal for enhanced customer service through Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

       Enterprise Search

       Rapidly configure portal views of CRM data within SharePoint (MOSS) and expose this data to MOSS enterprise search.

       Business Productivity

       A collection of time-saving productivity customizations for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0

       Sales Methodologies

       Practical Guidance for adoption of third-party sales methodologies such as SPI Solution Selling, Target Account Selling (TAS)

       and Miller Heiman)