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Customizing Microsoft CRM Mobile Express

May 30th, 2011 by

Customizing Mobile Express

After you have properly installed Mobile Express, there are a few tasks you need to perform to properly customize Mobile Express for your users. Make sure you are signed on to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM application with a user account that has the System Customizer or System Administrator security role.

The Go Mobile privilege allows you to access Mobile Express. This privilege is enabled by default for each security role. To prevent users from accessing Mobile Express, you need to disable Go Mobile in all security roles assigned to that user.

If a user’s security role gives him access to an entity in MS CRM, they will have the same permissions in Mobile Express.

How you can Customize Mobile Express

In your main Dynamics CRM application, in the Settings area, select Customization, and then click Customize Mobile Express.

  1. Select the set of entities you want to enable in Mobile Express from the Available Entities list.

Note: Not all Microsoft Dynamics CRM entities are available in Mobile Express.

Tip: As you evaluate which entities and attributes you want to make available to mobile devices, consider the screen size and usage goals for your users.

  1. Select Add.
  2. For each entity you selected, customize the attributes that will be available on the Mobile Express form:
  3. In the Selected Entities list, double-click the entity.
  4. Select the attributes you want to be visible on the Mobile Express form from the Available Attributes list, and then click Add.

Required attributes are automatically listed in the Selected Attributes list; they cannot be removed.

  1. (Optional) Change the order in which the entities are listed by using the Move Up and Move Down buttons.

Tip: When you define and organize Mobile Express attributes, consider which are expected to be used most frequently and place them at the top.

  1. Select Save and Close.
  2. To publish all entities, click Publish All, or to publish selected entities, select specific entities in the Selected Attributes list, and then click Publish.

Crucial Detail for Customizing Mobile Express

When users publish customizations, remember that there is only one “master” publishing mechanism that always publishes Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Mobile Express together. Using the Publish All button in Mobile Express will publish all changes to not only Mobile Express entities, but will also publish any pending changes to the same entities in the main Microsoft Dynamics CRM environment. The reverse is also true: publishing in Microsoft Dynamics CRM will also publish entities in Mobile Express.

  1. Note: After you have customized Mobile Express, you need to provide the following access information to your users:
  2. Access Mobile Express by using a mobile Web browser to navigate to https://<CRM_server>/m where <CRM_server> is the path to your Microsoft Dynamics CRM server.
  3. Sign in using a valid Microsoft Dynamics CRM account.

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Topics addressed include:

  1. Salesforce.com vs Microsoft CRM
  2. Pros and Cons of SaaS vs On-premise CRM
  3. Crucial User Adoption Factors
  4. Total Cost of Ownership of Microsoft CRM

Free CRM Tool to Compare Systems

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With this tool, you will be able to identify the key similarilites and differences between 9 of the top CRM systems, including Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Sage SalesLogix, GoldMine, Sage ACT!, Pivotal and more.

Comparison Topics include:

  1. Key CRM Features
  2. Pricing (Licensing, etc..)
  3. Available Modules (e.g. SFA, Marketing, Service, etc)
  4. Feature Details (Sync, Call Center, Quoting, E-commerce, Lead Management, Security, Workflow, and much more.
  5. Hardware and Network support (Microsoft, Linux, etc…)
  6. Industry/NAICS

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Posted in Microsoft CRM, Mobile |

Planning and Deploying Microsoft CRM Mobile

May 27th, 2011 by

Planning Your Mobile Express Deployment

You can deploy and use Mobile Express without specialized management hardware or software. The primary deployment consideration when you implement Mobile Express is where in your network to install it. There are two choices:

  • Install Mobile Express on a Microsoft Dynamics CRM server that is configured to allow connections from outside the corporate firewall. This installation is based on an Internet-facing deployment (IFD), which enables Mobile Express users to access their Microsoft Dynamics CRM environment through the Internet.
  • Install Mobile Express on a Microsoft Dynamics CRM server that resides within your corporate network. Updating an internal Microsoft Dynamics CRM server with the Mobile Express feature will give Mobile Express users access to their CRM data only when their mobile Web browsers are connected to the corporate network.

Internet-facing Deployment Considerations

When the Mobile Express feature is added to an IFD Microsoft Dynamics CRM environment, users can securely access their CRM information anywhere their mobile Web browsers have an Internet connection.

An IFD enables a Microsoft Dynamics CRM implementation to maintain a secure connection to the Internet while being deployed within a private corporate network. The IFD option can be used entirely within a private network, but it is primarily designed to enable access to Microsoft Dynamics CRM from across a public network. There is no risk of data being stored on an unsecure mobile device because Mobile Express does not support offline access.

Internet-facing deployments of Microsoft Dynamics CRM support authentication via Active Directory as well as through forms-based authentication. Because Mobile Express is a feature of the main Microsoft Dynamics CRM system, whichever authentication technology you are using for Microsoft Dynamics CRM will be used by Mobile Express.

Note:  If you are using Active Directory for authentication, you will need to confirm that the mobile devices you want to use Mobile Express can support Windows Authentication.

Internal-facing Deployment Considerations

When Mobile Express is added to an internal Microsoft Dynamics CRM server, access to the CRM data is available only through the corporate network, as shown in the following figure. Because this type of installation restricts Mobile Express access to those users connected to the corporate network, it should be used only for deployments where Mobile Express users will not need access through the Internet.

Understanding Data Security in Internet-facing Deployments

Mobile Express leverages all the Microsoft Dynamics CRM security tools to help ensure secure data transmission in an IFD.The IFD authentication process uses the following steps:

  1. Creates an instance of the CrmDiscoveryService Web service proxy: Obtains a list of available organizations from the CrmDiscoveryService Web service.
  2. (Optional) Finds the target organization in the list.
  3. Obtains a ticket from the CrmDiscoveryService Web service: Creates a CrmAuthenticationToken instance and sets its AuthenticationType, OrganizationName, and CrmTicket property values.
  4. Creates an instance of the CrmService Web service proxy and calls Web service methods.

Considerations for Importing and Exporting Customizations

When you are moving customizations from a pre-production environment to a production Microsoft Dynamics CRM environment, be aware that the import and export commands automatically manage both Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Mobile Express customizations.

Warning: If you have made customizations to Mobile Express forms and then perform an import of customizations from a server that does not have Mobile Express installed, your Mobile Express customizations will be removed.

Entities Available in Mobile Express

The following list describes the complete set of Microsoft Dynamics CRM entities available in Mobile Express and how users can work with them in Mobile Express. You can set up which specific entities are accessible to users.

  • Accounts: Enter a new account or review an existing account, which contains information about companies that do business with your organization.
  • Addresses: Enter a new address or look up information for an existing account or contact.
  • Appointments: Review existing appointments. An appointment does not include service activities or check for conflicts, and you cannot search for available times.
  • Campaigns: Review existing campaigns.
  • Cases: Review existing cases.
  • Competitors: Review existing competitors.
  • Contacts: Enter a new contact or review an existing contact.
  • Contracts: Review existing contracts.
  • E-mail Messages: Review sent, received, and pending e-mail messages.
  • Faxes: Review faxes that have been entered into the system.
  • Invoice Products: Review products associated with an invoice.
  • Invoices: Review existing invoices.
  • Leads: Enter a new lead or review existing leads.
  • Letters: Track when a letter has been sent or received.
  • Marketing Lists: Review existing marketing lists.
  • Notes: Add a new note to an activity or a record, or review an existing note.
  • Opportunities: Enter a new opportunity or review an existing opportunity.
  • Order Products: Review products associated with an order.
  • Orders: Review existing orders.
  • Phone Calls: Track when phone calls have been received or made. You cannot dial a phone number directly from this form.
  • Quote Products: Review products associated with a quote.
  • Quotes: Review existing quotes for opportunities, accounts, or contacts.
  • Service Activities: Review service activities.
  • Tasks: Create a new task or review an existing task.
  • Users: Review or search for people who have an active user account in Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Installing Mobile Express

If your Microsoft Dynamics CRM environment is not up-to-date or you are installing Microsoft Dynamics CRM for the first time, you must first deploy and configure it before moving on to your Mobile Express installation:

The following installation instructions describe the procedures you need to follow to successfully install the Mobile Express update into your Microsoft Dynamics CRM environment.

Note: The installation instructions are the same for either deployment scenario. In both cases, you install the update onto your Microsoft Dynamics CRM server.

Steps to install Mobile Express

Log on to your Microsoft Dynamics CRM server using an account that has administrative privileges.

  1. Use a Web browser to navigate to: Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 971874: Mobile Express for Microsoft Dynamics CRM http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=155338.
  2. Download the update installer onto your Microsoft Dynamics CRM server.
  3. On your Microsoft Dynamics CRM server, start the setup wizard. Follow the recommendations on the screen to confirm that you are ready to update your system, and then click Next.
  4. On the License Agreement page, review the information, select I accept this license agreement, and then click Next.
  5. On the Ready to Install Microsoft Dynamics CRM Update page, click Install.
  6. Installation has successfully completed when the Update (KB971874) Completed Successfully screen appears. Confirm the Restart the computer when the wizard closes check box is selected, then click Finish.

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  2. Pros and Cons of SaaS vs On-premise CRM
  3. Crucial User Adoption Factors
  4. Total Cost of Ownership of Microsoft CRM

Free Excel CRM Tool to Compare Systems

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With this tool, you will be able to identify the key similarilites and differences between 9 of the top CRM systems, including Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Sage SalesLogix, GoldMine, Sage ACT!, Pivotal and more.

Comparison Topics include:

  1. Key CRM Features
  2. Pricing (Licensing, etc..)
  3. Available Modules (e.g. SFA, Marketing, Service, etc)
  4. Feature Details (Sync, Call Center, Quoting, E-commerce, Lead Management, Security, Workflow, and much more.
  5. Hardware and Network support (Microsoft, Linux, etc…)
  6. Industry/NAICS

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Posted in Microsoft CRM, Mobile |

Tips for Microsoft CRM Mobile

May 21st, 2011 by

How to use Mobile Express for MS CRM

This article describes what Mobile Express is and how you can use it on your Web-enabled mobile device to access your customer information from Dynamics CRM. Because Mobile Express lets you stay connected remotely, you can access and use Microsoft CRM from your mobile device whether you are in the office, traveling, or at a customer location.

Mobile Express is a feature in Microsoft CRM that enables you to access CRM data and capabilities simply and easily. With Mobile Express, you can use any mobile Web browser, such as Internet Explorer Mobile or Safari, in your Web-enabled mobile device to connect to your Dynamics CRM system. Mobile Express does not store data on your mobile device.

Mobile Express works well for the following:

  • Occasional access to Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
  • High-speed networks.
  • Completing a broad range of common CRM tasks.

Users are able to use Mobile Express to access to your customer relationship management (CRM) data.

Some organizations do not allow Internet access to Microsoft Dynamics CRM. In these instances, your mobile device must be connected to your corporate network to access Mobile Express. Your system administrator can tell you if your organization uses this type of set up.

Entities Available in Mobile Express

The following list describes the complete set of Microsoft Dynamics CRM entities that may be available in Mobile Express and how you can work with them in Mobile Express:

  • Accounts: Enter a new account or review an existing account, which contains information about companies that do business with your organization.
  • Addresses: Enter a new address or look up information for an existing account or contact.
  • Appointments: Review existing appointments. An appointment does not include service activities or check for conflicts, and you cannot search for available times.
  • Campaigns: Review existing campaigns.
  • Cases: Review existing cases.
  • Competitors: Review existing competitors.
  • Contacts: Enter a new contact or review an existing contact.
  • Contracts: Review existing contracts.
  • E-mail Messages: Review sent, received, and pending e-mail messages.
  • Faxes: Review faxes that have been entered into the system.
  • Invoice Products: Review products associated with an invoice.
  • Invoices: Review existing invoices.
  • Leads: Enter a new lead or review existing leads.
  • Letters: Track when a letter has been sent or received.
  • Marketing Lists: Review existing marketing lists.
  • Notes: Add a new note to an activity or a record, or review an existing note.
  • Opportunities: Enter a new opportunity or review an existing opportunity.
  • Order Products: Review products associated with an order.
  • Orders: Review existing orders.
  • Phone Calls: Track when phone calls have been received or made. You cannot dial a phone number directly from this form.
  • Quote Products: Review products associated with a quote.
  • Quotes: Review existing quotes for opportunities, accounts, or contacts.
  • Service Activities: Review service activities.
  • Tasks: Create a new task or review an existing task.
  • Users: Review or search for people who have an active user account in Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Using Mobile Express

With Mobile Express, you can use any mobile Web browser in your Web-enabled mobile device to connect to your Microsoft Dynamics CRM system. Mobile Express accesses the same Microsoft Dynamics CRM environment and entities found in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. The primary difference between the two user environments is the display. Mobile Express provides a simplified layout to better support the small screen size of mobile devices. Mobile Express does not store data on your mobile device.

Note: You must have an Internet or intranet connection to use Mobile Express.

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Click here to access and download our Free Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Analysis.

Topics addressed include:

  1. Salesforce.com vs Microsoft CRM
  2. Pros and Cons of SaaS vs On-premise CRM
  3. Crucial User Adoption Factors
  4. Total Cost of Ownership of Microsoft CRM

Free TCO Cost Calculator for CRM Projects

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TCO line items include:

  1. Annual License/User price
  2. Support
  3. Hardware (incl. Server and Users)
  4. Implementation
  5. Staff
  6. Network
  7. Mobile
  8. and much more.

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Free Excel CRM Comparison Tool - Comparing 10 of the Top CRM SolutionsClick here to access and download our Free Excel CRM Comparison Tool.

With this tool, you will be able to identify the key similarilites and differences between 9 of the top CRM systems, including Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Sage SalesLogix, GoldMine, Sage ACT!, Pivotal and more.

Comparison Topics include:

  1. Key CRM Features
  2. Pricing (Licensing, etc..)
  3. Available Modules (e.g. SFA, Marketing, Service, etc)
  4. Feature Details (Sync, Call Center, Quoting, E-commerce, Lead Management, Security, Workflow, and much more.
  5. Hardware and Network support (Microsoft, Linux, etc…)
  6. Industry/NAICS

Microsoft CRM 2011 vs Salesforce Webinars

Join us for our webinar series as we explore the points outlined below – and hope to provide you valuable insight about this top-rated CRM solution. We hope that our comparison with Salesforce.com will help you on in your CRM evaluation.

Recorded Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Webinars registration

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Posted in Microsoft CRM, Mobile |

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