TIDBITS on the Microsoft Power Platform

Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 (#mscrm2013)

One of the often forgotten goodies in the world of Microsoft Dynamics CRM is the wealth of available options in the CodePlex Library.

This library also has Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 goodies such as the

CRM 2013 Quick View Menu

https://crm2013quickviewmenu.codeplex.com/ 

"The Quick View Menu helps you navigate to any location in Dynamics CRM quickly and seamlessly by taking your existing Sitemap and presenting it in an easy to navigate interface"

 

Visitors, The Globe, Perspectives

I just reset my Globe so as the days of 2014 accumulate, and people continue to read this blog the touch pinpoints will grow again. 

To date I have had ~237,000 visitors and it is a thrill to know that I can keep helping the world to master Microsoft Dynamics CRM. The release of v2013 KEEPS the great and adds more! A framework, a product, a solution set and a platform for integrating to so many other solutions. Make 2014 the year you eliminate all those random Access Databases, and reduce all those way too sophisticated and often redundant Excel Spreadsheets.

"Think Microsoft CRM"

 

Welcome 2014

A big welcome to 2014. In my world there are two key phrases that are bubbling up as big picture goals this year.

1) Building and Leveraging Bridges

2) Cross Product Technical Solutions

Bridges of connection have long been a wonderful resource. I find that listening to needs and then connecting two people who can click two needs into some awesome solution(s) has been a whole lot of fun and I don't plan to stop leveraging that awesomeness now that I work within the world of Microsoft.

Cross Product Technical Solutions have also always been my focus, but unlike the days when Small Business Server combined products to meet all the needs of small businesses, we now have combined products to meet complex needs within Enterprise. Take for instance the current version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013. It is not just CRM or xRM, now it also has Social Insights, Yammer, SharePoint and soon to come Social Listening and Dynamic Marketing. Sprinkle in some ISV love and you get Portals, Community, Complex Ordering, Graphical Analytics, Integration bridges and so much more!

It really is a world of frameworks, integration, social and the new features of v2013 process and automated business rules and the toolsets just keep expanding.

So reach out and put on that learning hat, open your mind for some right shift perspective changing and dive in. Oh and don't forget to park egos, negative attitude, doubt and frustration from change at the door. They will just get in your way as you learn to surf on the changing waters of this new world.

Why I use Yammer (#yammer)

My Top 5 Yammer Value Adds

1) Bridges to so many people all within the corporate world in which I work. People who I would never meet, talk to or get to know without the tool.

2) Realtime discussions and debates on issues being faced today, segmented by subjects that I care about.

3) Answers to any question I can think of from a global perspective (if you work in a global company)

4) Access to a large library of already created work - Don't reinvent just improve

5) Opportunities to meet my goals and to help others meet theirs

Dynamics CRM v2013 Rollup 1 has been released #mscrm2013

I have recently changed my daily process to include Yammer and the value add has been significant. Take for instance the release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 Rollup 1, Yammer post with link and discussions letting me know it was available.

If your company currently has YAMMER and you are not using it, you might want to reconsider. Timing is everything when it comes to accepting new and sometimes you just need to re-evaluate on an ongoing basis.

 

Jump Start your MS CRM 2013 Understanding #crm2013

Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 has so much to offer and one of the best ways to start getting your head around what is being offered is to regularly attend some great either 100 or 300 level webinars.

Luckily Microsoft is offering such webinars for partners, customers and prospects.

You can find the whole series here: http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/offers/crm2013demos/

Or if you want to just sign up for tomorrow's session, here is the link: https://msevents.microsoft.com/CUI/EventDetail.aspx?EventID=1032569331&Culture=en-US&community=0

Promote via LinkedIn/Twitter as well!  Thanks!

Purchasing CRM? Style considerations

Thinking on CRM : The last time you purchased a TV, did you purchase it because of the new features? The better picture quality, the smaller form factor, perhaps even a new connection or cutting edge bling?

OK so that is how you buy a new TV, but this mindset does not work as well for the purchase of a new CRM System. A CRM System is not the solution to your business process problems, it is the empowerment of your decided upon business process. Perhaps even new business processes. It is a new road with growth possibilities and potenial. It is a new culture.

You might be limited today by technology, but the technology that you buy for tomorrow should not limit you and your business processes.

Needless to say why I am a big fan of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is as much a development framework (xRM) as it is a product. Those who are masters understand not only the features they get out of the box, but also the strengths, weaknesses and when to use which feature. They also understand the age and maturity of each feature. Knowing if the feature can easily be used outside it's designed purpose or if it needs to stay in it's comfort zone. They understand when to configure,  when to customize and when to extend using standard Microsoft Development methodologies.

 As a business owner stepping into the world of implementing and incorporating technologies into the heart beat of your company you need to think flexibility. Change is constant, but the change of technology is so fast that you need a product and a partner that offers you choice. Constant choice. Microsoft Dynamics CRM has a long history (10 years and counting) of not only offering you choice , but of also staying current with the latest technologies and not removing all that has been an incredbly solid framework since 2003.

Choose carefully your product

Choose carefully your partner

and you will have an engine behind your business processes that helps keep you consistent, organized, empowered and current.

Are you ready for some Dynamics CRM v2013 Videos from YouTube?

• The New User Experience Overview of Dynamics CRM 2013
• Getting Started with Dynamics CRM v2013
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM for the Tablet 2013
• Support, Readiness and Change Management and Dynamics CRM v2013
• Navigating v2013 for Beginners
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 for End Users
• Multi-Entity Search within 2013
• Common Tasks in CRM v2013
• Inline Grids in v2013

Are you ready for some CRM v2013 reading?

 Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 Implementations Guide

Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 Software Developer Kit (SDK)

Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 Performance Counters

Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 Connectivity and Port Requirements

Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013 Server

Scalable Security Modeling for Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013

Using multi-tenancy in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 to address challenges in enterprise business environments

 

The word of the day is: Composite Control

Within the world of millions of pieces of data, relating certain data to other data can create a new piece of data. Take for instance a Full Name.  

A full name can be considered one piece of data or it can be broken down into two, three, four or more pieces of data. Take the full name : Mr. John Jay Smith III and broken down we see the following:

• Salute: Mr.
• First Name: John
• Middle Name: Jay
• Last Name: Smith
• Prefix: III

and these pieces can be data or can be combined to create a number of different data names. John, John Smtih, John Jay Smith, John Jay Smith III, Mr. John Jay Smith III

Why does this even concern anyone? Well these are details that are important within the world of development and coding.

So welcome to Composite Control! A development choice for grouping the need to enter like data through a smooth user friendly interface.

In Dynamics CRM v2013 Composite Control is offered on Name and Address and via the SDK even more can be done.

To read more on Composite Control in the world of Dynamics CRM, CLICK HERE.

CRMOnline 2011 User? Are you ready for 2013?

Make sure you take the time to check out these resources before your updated.

 

Microsoft Dynamics CRM v2013

Look out! It is a whole new and old CRM world!

Take a huge amount of depth and years of development (Dynamics CRM v2011) and add onto it a whole new way of working. Shake out a few of the old features, park a couple of items for just a bit and add some much very cool new. Now mix well, test and release.

Oh and hold onto your hat, because although change is constant it always has an impact.