Today in the forums the discussion has been surrounding the installation of MS CRM on Microsoft SBS 2003. The frustration arises from diligent efforts to follow documentation. There is basically a ton of confusion around which documentation to use which started with the hard fact that the included documentation on the CD for SBS installation (chapter 15) is :( flawed. This has since been improved and fixed and as such a document exists on MBS.Microsoft.COM that is workable (yet not perfect). If we then add into the formula that one of the diligent and passionate MVP-SBS'ers has come out with a white paper to help solve the problem we also hit a bit of a bump. You see none of the above is exactly correct.

We can't be too surprised. Writing technical/accurate and detailed documentation is a gift and can be as hard as rolling out software. There is a writing step, a review step, a testing step and layers of editing steps and then you have to do ALL of THIS before the software changes!!

Keep this in mind. The default installation of SBS Premium (<- notice the word premium) does not install by default SQL 2000 (it includes it but doesn't install it) and yet you do need SQL to run MS CRM. Additionally there are very specific decisions to be made around the baseline installation of SBS with SQL and also the instances of MSDE. The troubles seem to be arising around this SQL Instance as opposed to anything else.

A big thanks to Scott Colson, MVP-CRM for his field experience and sharing on this issue!

I had a very interesting call yesterday from a Microsoft person with the Partner Resource Team. Turns out Microsoft is proactively calling on their database of partners who have registered for the CSA program.

If you are a partner interested in or currerntly reselling Microsoft CRM then you want to dig deep into the available resources. They seem to be continually changing and improving. Remember that Microsoft Business Solutions is in charge of MS CRM as well as products such as Great Plains, Axapta, Navision and other Business solution oriented software. This is a different model then your traditional infrastructure software such as Windows Server, Microsoft Office, Windows XP, etc.

Notes that might possibly be of value from my call yesterday.

1) For licensing questions one of the best sources of information are the big third party vendors such as Ingram and Tech Data. They have different SKU numbers than Corporate.

2) There is a Partner Resource Team program which includes key phone numbers and the teams are actively working on connecting with you! Resources exsist and you might want to meet in the middle.

3) MS CRM is a different beast and requires AN INVESTMENT in mastering and a change in the tradtional infrastructure sale. It is a great solution and an awesome add on to any SBS clients, but make time to be a committed partner if this niche is for you. 

Kudos to Microsoft for having an Implementation Methodology in their Microsoft CRM Installation and Configuration Guide. The book 8018A: CRM Installation and Configuration is almost three inches thick and in large 8 1/2 x 11 format. Just a bit of light reading ;~) 

The point I really want to make in mentioning this is that you always want to create an Implementation and a CRM Roll Out Project plan or map. The Microsoft Project software can be used to help with the process, but even if you are not familiar or do not own MS Project you can use MS Excel to create a step by step, phased approach. Realize that installing the software is a very small part of the master plan.

Somethings to consider..

1) If you want to create custom fields and then who can do this? How will the fields change and grow? How will the data be controlled? Will the fields appear on reports? and if so which ones?

2) Who will be the small team of "first adopters"? Are their current processes documented or understood? Are they tolerant of change? Are they good at documenting? Will they report and then help track down any problems encountered? Are they decision makers who can pull the plug at the first little bump in the road?

3) Who and what are your support resources? and what kinds of support will you need? Software troubles? Infrastructure needs? Database Administration? Adoption? Customization? Can it do this type questions? How will the cost of such services impact your project, will you hesitate to use them?

Many of the technical Consultant's have long used the training approach to applications that I like to call "Install, Tackle and Master". The reason this is so popular is that it generally works. You might have a test system or a live environment to play in and you can generally install a new software package and teach yourself how it works simply by entering some data, doing a bit of reading and playing with the features. The trouble with this approach in the world of CRM Software is that it doesn't work that well. You want to incorporate a CRM solution into the culture of a business and it ties into business process much more than most other applicaitons. Additionally the ground work and decisions you make in the beginning do and can come back as big headaches later down the line. My suggestion: Have a very detailed plan, understand how the data going in is going to be information coming out and be cautious of custom fields that offer too many choices. Add into the plan the expected need to change things six months down the line and definitely be VERY aware of everyone's expectations. EACH of the individual contacts within the customer site and your points of contacts.

Why a small business might want to run MS CRM! One of the amazing things about Microsoft is that their web pages are full of information, in fact many times TOO MUCH information. It is almost like wanting a fish and having the ocean to search through. Needless to say one thing this blog tries to do is pick a few fish to share out of that ocean.

Benefits of rolling out MS CRM to a Company using Small Business Server

http://www.microsoft.com/BusinessSolutions/CRM/crm_sbs_benefits.aspx

Microsoft Business Solutions MS CRM Home Page

Microsoft CRM Demonstrations - A lick of the ice cream

Microsoft CRM Forum - General Questions and Answers (you can filter on just answered questions!

Microsoft CRM Developer - Customizing the product? Have questions?

Microsoft CRM Deployment - Implementation Questions from Domain names to Import issues.

Microsoft has a ton of material kicking around in cyberspace so for starters I am going to continue to include some of that here.

Reading Materials: TechNet and MS CRM