TIDBITS on Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Rollup 5 Released

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Rollup 5 (v4.0 R5) has been released can be downloaded here.

"The build number of the update rollup packages for the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 server, for the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 client for Microsoft Office Outlook, and for the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 E-mail Router is 4.00.7333.1644."

Key items within this rollup include tweeks to performance such as fixes for the following

956527  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/956527/ ) The Microsoft Dynamics CRM client for Outlook consumes three times as much memory in version 4.0 as in version 3.0

and

959072  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/959072/ ) An entity form loads slowly after you add many fields of several different attribute types in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0

A Fun v4.0 VPC Month - but

Note that the CRM VPC on MS downloads will expire tomorrow (June 11th 2009).

More Details on Girish Raja's Blog 

Windows Server 2008 Changes

In follow-up to my post yesterday, the key change I was hinting at was the removal of POP3

"POP3 has been depreciated and will no longer be supplied as part of the Windows OS. Although POP3 was introduced with Windows Server 2003, Microsoft removed it after including it in just one generation of the OS."

Various people are starting to bubble up some work arounds. One that I found is listed below.

http://weblogs.asp.net/hpreishuber/archive/2008/04/30/visendo-smtp-pop3-extender-for-windows-2008-server.aspx

What does this really have to do with Microsoft Dynamics CRM? Well it impacts the design of the testing and development worlds. Yet, it is not only Microsoft Dynamics CRM that has a tiny hit. There are also hits to the world of Microsoft Small Business Server and and the new world of Microsoft Essential Business Server (EBS) and add in Microsoft SharePoint.

Oh I am not saying we need pop back, just that it would be nice to have a solution to the change.

Convergence 2009

SQL Server data mining toolkit for Excel might be an interesting tool to add to the CRM Toolkit. 

The CRM SDK has some new hidden gems to explore such as a new dynamic picklist creator 

The CRM Demonstration toolkit has some hidden gems including    

• The schema builder – customize without going through the CRM UI (great for many entity xRM projects.

• More advanced editor for sitemap.xlm that prevents typos which often happen in Notepad

The Developer Ramp up Toolkit is a must have for the experienced developers

Performance Point will be released free to all Enterprise MOSS accounts in April.

The Statement of Direction for Dynamics CRM v5.0 has been updated

Are you a Developer?

This is a note to those partners interested in doing more with Microsoft Dynamics CRM. One of the key features of Microsoft Dynamics CRM is that it is as much a development framework as it is an offered product.

The key here is the strengths of Microsoft Dynamics CRM is in the partner that develops within the framework.

Are you ready to be a software development company?

Here are some thoughts on the world of software development

1.       Will there be quarterly updates to the product? How will these be released? Who will document the changes? Will you or the client offer training?

2.       Will there be a continued development effort to stay on top of daily hot fixes and problems? How will these be released?

3.       Will there be major upgrades? What is the schedule for these? Yearly, Every Two years, etc.

4.       How will long term quality control be handled? What about testing and software assurance?

5.       How does the change to all the other software variables impact your application? (Vista Service Packs, Office Service Packs, Anti-virus changes, etc.)

6.       Is there a manual? Who writes the manual? Who updates the manual?

7.       Is there online help? Who updates?

8.       How do clients get trained?

9.       How are prospects shown the application? Are their demonstration bundles? Such as a VPC image?

10.   Who creates the demonstration bundles?

11.   How is the product marketed? What is the timing on this?

12.   How is it sold? Are the sales focused on the current features?> or the most common problem in software sales - on the features coming out in the next release?

13.   What is the DR plan around the development team of the product?

14.   Is the SDK available for independent addon design? How is that managed? How is it updated?

15.   Is the software code in Escrow in case your company is sold or merged or not around in 25 years?

16.   What is the long term life of the software at the client site?

17.   How many versions are supported?

18.   Is there a help desk?

19.   Is there a Consulting team that can go onsite and offer onsite training and educational services? (if applicable)

Are you running Microsoft Dynamics CRM SBE v3.0?

When it comes to the world of Microsoft Dynamics CRM SBE licensing and Microsoft Small Business Server there is a major change

"There is no version of CRM Small Business available in the current version (4.0). Small Business transitioned to CRM Workgroup for anyone with 5 users or less and CRM Pro for anyone with more than 5 users. For anyone still running the CRM Small Business product that needs additional CALs, they must purchase the CRM Pro CAL and use the downgrade rights to install that on the 3.0 product (be it Pro or Small Business). They are considerably more expensive that the old Small Business CALs were, but unfortunately, that is the only option MS has left with that product."

From the CRM Support Team

A new partner resource has been updated with some hot topics on Microsoft Dynamics CRM. The Microsoft CRM Support team has created the Dynamics CRM 4.0 Solution Center 

http://support.microsoft.com/ph/12976

Even more from Microsoft

Other key Announcements on Microsoft Dynamics CRM!

New Support Incidents for Clients on every CRM sale

Access to Community through Dynamics CRM

Access to Community through Dynamics CRM ! I am listening to Kirill speak at WWPC and as this presentation started I was thinking that Microsoft would jump into the Microsoft Resource Center.

The Microsoft Resource Center is part of Dynamics CRM and it includes a Sales  Community and Marketing Community and other role based communities.  Instead Microsoft showed some new third party additions to Dynamics CRM really showing how third party addin solutions are party of the wide choices available when working with Microsoft CRM.

Key take away: Reach out and talk with peers when it comes to using Microsoft CRM!

On the Tail End as I blog live from session ....

Announcement

If you are  a Microsoft Partner, Log into the PARTNER portal and sign up for Microsoft Dynamics CRM online. As a Microsoft Partner you can now use Microsoft CRM Online for a price offering that is "significantly" discounted.

The Microsoft Dynamics team wants to empower the sales teams of all Microsoft partners and they are offering Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online to do this. (no infrastructure learning needed)  If you want to be up and running tomorrow - Just Do It! :)

Performance

Given that we have now moved through numerous version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM (1.0, 1.2, 2.0 beta, 3.0, 3.0R1, 3.0R2 and now v4.0) you might want to take a good look at doing a bit of Performance Optimization on your CRM SQL databases particularly just after upgrading to Dynamics CRM v4.0

In fact the buzz from the field is that if you don't plan on a little bit of database analysis and consideration then you might end up unhappy.

Here are some places to get started:

Optimizing and Maintaining CRM v4.0

The Microsoft CRM Developers Team Blog keyword Performance

The Performance Toolkit

Lastly a TON of resources on Dynamics CRM v4.0 to dig your teeth into can be found!