Microsoft CRM 3.0 - Mobile Clients

I was surfing around and found some very interesting CRM Client products for the mobile device! Check them out below...

CRM Client for the BlackBerry:
http://www.tendigits.com/

CRM Mobile Express for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0:
http://www.gotdotnet.com/codegallery/codegallery.aspx?id=8e65fc13-4073-406c-879c-442faf78f2c8

Note: The 2nd link (GotDotNet) is due to be phased out on 24/Apr/2007 - if you want to download the client, do it quick!

Microsoft CRM 3.0 - New CRM 3.0.6 SDK

Microsoft Released a MS CRM 3.0.6 SDK on the 29th of March 2007.

To read more about the SDK and download the SDK follow this link:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=9C178B68-3A06-4898-BC83-BD14B74308C5&displaylang=en

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Live - Sneak Peaks...

I was looking around the web looking for Microsoft Dymanics Live news... and found this EXCITING site with screen shots:

http://www.microsoftdynamicslive.com/default.htm

The web site is all about Microsoft Dynamics Live CRM, CRM as an online service. It mentions that "The first set of processes that will be available online are the marketing, sales and service capabilities offered within Microsoft Dynamics Live CRM."

Process: AdCentre Integration
This screen shot shows the AdCentre Integration, which is really a central location to access all online marketing campaigns. It integrates with Microsoft AdCenter (https://adcenter.microsoft.com/Default.aspx).



Source:
http://www.microsoftdynamicslive.com/adcenter_screenshot.htm

Collaboration: Collaboration Screen
This screen shows how you accounts in your CRM can be setup to become partners whom can collaborate with your organisation!

Note that this Microsoft Dynamics Live service also allows for "both structured information from ERP and CRM systems and unstructured information in the form of documents to be connected via SharePoint technology."

Pretty neat! It even allows you to control access to certain Web Parts (Campaign Activities, Campaign Art, Campaign Budget, Campaign Documents, Contacts and Planning Tasks)!


Source:
http://www.microsoftdynamicslive.com/collaboration_screenshot.htm

I can't wait to get my hands on it!

SharePoint 2003 & 2007: SharePoint 2003 to 2007 CSS Style sheets

I was having a look at the differences in the Styles used in SharePoint 2003 and SharePoint 2007. I discovered that whilst most of the CSS styles are available, many have been rewritten in SharePoint 2007. In addition to that, these styles have now been placed in different CSS files!

The 2003 Generation:
In WSSv2, all SharePoint styles are defined in OWS.CSS in the folder on the SharePoint host Server:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\60\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\1033\STYLES\OWS.CSS


In SharePoint Portal 2003, in addition to the styles in WSSv2, extra styles are defined in SPS.CSS in:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\60\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\1033\STYLES\SPS.CSS


The 2007 Generation:
In WSSv3, all SharePoint styles are defined in CORE.CSS in the folder on the SharePoint host Server:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\1033\STYLES\CORE.CSS


In MOSS 2007, in addition to the styles in WSSv3, extra styles are defined in PORTAL.CSS in:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\LAYOUTS\1033\STYLES\PORTAL.CSS

I also found in the folder, a group of other CSS files...

* Calendar.CSS
* Control.CSS
* Core.CSS
* datepicker.CSS
* EWRDefault.CSS
* Help.CSS
* HtmlEditorCustomStyles.CSS
* HtmlEditorTableFormats.CSS
* Menu.CSS
* OWSNOCR.CSS
* PORTAL.CSS
* RCA.CSS
* SiteManagerCustomStyles.CSS

Where else could CSS call a home?
In SharePoint 2007, theres an ability to package your page layouts, site templates, etc as a Feature. In the following folder, you may find the CSS style sheets to such Features:
C:\Program Files\Common Files\Microsoft Shared\web server extensions\12\TEMPLATE\FEATURES\PublishingLayouts\en-us

CSS Styles...
Wondering what styles are for, and how they look like? Heather Solomon's written some references for these styles for both SharePoint 2003 and SharePoint 2007.

SharePoint 2003 CSS Reference Chart
http://www.heathersolomon.com/content/sp03cssreference.htm

SharePoint 2007 CSS Reference Chart
http://www.heathersolomon.com/content/sp07cssreference.htm

Microsoft CRM 3.0 - Updated Addon for CRM

About 2 weeks ago, Mscrm-addons.com released a new version of the WordMailMerge add-on.

The new features are rather "Powerful" as it integrates with SharePoint. Using MSCRM-Addons.com's WordMailMerge, you can now generate documents with CRM data, and save it directly to your SharePoint Sites! Wonderful, if you are using Sharepoint to store and share your documents.

And the goodness doesn't just stop there! You can now even store the WordMailMerge Document templates in Sharepoint! So no more of those shared-folder days... Links to your generated documents can be attached to your CRM letter activities. SWEET!

The following is a screenshot of their customisation:


And two links to demo videos from MSCRM-Addons:
1. Create letter and save it into Sharepoint
2 . Send a created letter as PDF and save it into Sharepoint

Source MSCRM-ADDONS.com: http://www.mscrm-addons.com/Default.aspx?tabid=82

Microsoft CRM 3.0 - What updates should you install?

We should always install the latest patches on the CRM server and clients... Here are some useful links to these updates.

MS CRM 3.0 Update Rollup 1 (Released 11/30/2006):
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=08BADB01-4984-458E-96E6-4F08622CFE63&displaylang=en

For a list of the fixes in the Update Rollup 1 (Last Reviewed: 26/02/2007):
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?kbid=922815

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 clients for Microsoft Office Outlook Compatibility Update (If Using Vista and Office 2007)
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=740E1B3B-11C3-4AEF-B2E3-8309E0CF1BB0&displaylang=en

Microsoft CRM 3.0 - Using MS CRM 3.0 without Microsoft Exchange

In a previous post, I mentioned that Microsoft CRM 3.0 could be used without Microsoft Exchange. The following table is an extract from a Microsoft White Paper regarding the options available for MS CRM 3.0 when MS Exchange is not available:

For the full White Paper, refer to:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=2417E918-2E30-41DB-A3B2-2F800BF76FFE&displaylang=en