Microsoft CRM 3.0 - Call-Outs in CRM to create new SharePoint Sites

This article was kept in my draft stash for quite some time now, and I found it really useful and relevant to another post, which I published not long ago.

This article is a technical tutorial on developing call-outs for Microsoft CRM to create new SharePoint sites. Call-outs are custom "logic" that is executed as a result of a CRM workflow reponse.

The article is listed below:
The purpose of the integration is to create collaboration sites on SharePoint 2007 as new accounts or opportunities are created in Microsoft CRM
http://www.codeproject.com/useritems/MOSS_2007-CRM_Integration.asp

Microsoft SharePoint 2007 - SharePoint Configured as a CRM Tool (DIY tutorial)

This is an interesting flash movie that teaches on how to customise a SharePoint Site as a CRM application.
http://www.sharepointhosting.com/tutorials/sharepoint-sales-crm/sharepoint-sales-crm.html

Microsoft CRM 3.0 - Third Party Tool to extend Document Management capabilities of CRM using SharePoint

In a previous post, I've discussed about hosting a SharePoint Site as a tab within an iframe in a CRM entity UI. Many people are not developers, and so would need to rely on third party products. KWizCom have always been creating some very good SharePoint add-on products and this time they've created something for just that purpose I mentioned. They created a product which they call the "CRM Connector to SharePoint".

This product not only places a SharePoint site into an entity, but it also creates a new SharePoint site for every entity you create (for the more technical, it comes with a call-out/plug-in for CRM). It supports MOSS 2007, SPS 2003, WSSv3 and WSSv2.

For more information, see the following extract from http://www.kwizcom.com/ProductPage.asp?ProductID=186&ProductSubNodeID=192:

KWizCom CRM Connecor to SharePoint, now supports MOSS 2007 - enables users to better manage documents linked to any CRM entity (Account, Lead, Product etc.).
These document management capabilities are based on Microsoft SharePoint Services, and provide CRM users with the ability to:

• Create document libraries and folders
• Link documents to any CRM entity
• Search for documents from within MS CRM interface
• Expose documents to users who are NOT CRM users
  (and do not have CRM client license)
• Enables sharing applications beyond a single team-site scope

Microsoft CRM 3.0 - Integrating the CRM UI into SharePoint (Page Links)

CRM UI in SharePoint? Easy as 123!
I've been thinking of ways to directly integrate the CRM interface into another web application or web page, such as SharePoint. As a result, I've compiled a list of CRM links for various datagrids used for showing sets of records from CRM. These URL's can be embeded into a SharePoint 2007 page using either a "Site Aggregator" or "Page Viewer" Web Part.



If the page was to be embedded into an iframe within a web page, it is important to note that Internet Explorer may restrict access to it for security purposes. These security settings, however, can be disabled/enabled within Internet Explorer. Otherise a simple frame could be used.

Almost anything can be displayed using these URLs giving the situation satisfies the following:
1) The user account used to log into the client machine has the permissions to access Microsoft CRM records.
2) Integrated Security is enabled, so that credentials are passed
3) The user has access to a particular entity

And finally... the list of links for Microsoft CRM 3.0:

DataGrid Lists
Accounts - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=1
Contacts - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=2
Opportunities - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=3
Leads - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=4
Marketing List - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=4300
Reports - http://crm/CRMReports/home_reports.aspx
Activities - http://crm/workplace/home_activities.aspx
Calendar - http://crm/workplace/home_calendar.aspx
Articles - http://crm/workplace/home_answers.aspx
Queues - http://crm/workplace/home_workplace.aspx
Competitors - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=123
Products - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=1024
Sales Literature - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=1038
Quotes - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=1084
Orders - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=1088
Invoices - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=1090
Quick Campaigns - http://crm/MA/home_minicamps.aspx
Campaigns - http://crm/MA/home_camps.aspx
Cases - http://crm/CS/home_cases.aspx
Contracts - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=1010
Services - http://crm/_root/homepage.aspx?etc=4001

Miscellaneous
Advanced Find - http://crm/AdvancedFind/AdvFind.aspx
CRM Help - http://crm/help/default.aspx

For convenience during customisation, I've also posted the following links for settings and customisations in the following article:
http://sharepointsix.blogspot.com/2007/06/ms-crm-30-crm-settings-pages.html

Microsoft CRM 3.0 - Useful SharePoint Integration Links

The following are links from the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 site, which contain tutorials and elements useful for integrating Microsoft CRM data/functionality into SharePoint. Have fun!

* The List Web Part for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 (Installed on any SharePoint Web Part Page)
http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/crm/using/deploy/crmwebpart.mspx#EWB

* Create a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 dashboard with SharePoint Portal Server
http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/crm/using/deploy/integratesharept.mspx

* Displaying Microsoft CRM Business Data in SharePoint Web Parts
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms913709.aspx

* Display a SharePoint document library in a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 form
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms913709.aspx

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