CRM 3.0 In The News – Positive Momentum Continues…

This from a Microsoft press release:

 

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Recognised by Top Industry Influencers

Microsoft CRM and Brad Wilson named winners of CRM Magazine’s 2006 CRM Market Awards as independent research firm’s report analyses the product.

 

REDMOND, Wash. — Sept. 19, 2006 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that Microsoft Dynamics™ CRM 3.0 has won CRM Magazine’s 2006 CRM Market Leader Awards in both the Midmarket Suite CRM and Small Business Suite categories. Brad Wilson, general manager of Microsoft CRM, has also won the magazine’s CRM Influential Leader Award for the second consecutive year. These awards, as well as a new report published by Gartner Inc. on Microsoft CRM, follow the recent announcement of over 100 percent growth for Microsoft CRM in the past fiscal year. This includes over 50,000 new customer seats and major multi thousand-seat enterprise wins in the last quarter, and validates the rapid growth of the product across all segments, geographic regions and industries.

 

Full press release is here: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2006/sep06/09-20CRMIndustryInfluencersPR.mspx

 

This will be my last blog entry for a few weeks. I’m taking some down time away from the business…. I look forward to picking up the conversation with recharged batteries in October!

 

Regards, Ross

Microsoft CRM Mobile Express “Virtual PC Differentiation File” Released

After only the second full week of availability, we’ve had hundreds of downloads of the Microsoft CRM Mobile Express bits from the
http://www.gotdotnet.com site.

To help you understand this new mobility release the Microsoft Dynamics CRM product team has released the Microsoft CRM Mobile Express "Virtual PC Differentiation File". This file is to be used in conjunction with a clean version of the May 2006 Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 VPC release, this VPC differentiation file will allow you to explore CRM Mobile Express in coordination with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 via one of three different mobile emulators.

The CRM Mobile Express VPC differentiation file is now available for download (it is 498 MB) via this the Microsoft Downloads site at this location:
http://download.microsoft.com/download/c/0/c/c0c7172f-4091-4e2a-9e75-29e260a4664e/Microsoft%20CRM%20Mobile%20Express%20VPC%20Differentiation%20Disk.zip

Regards, Ross

Customer Support Plans from Microsoft for Microsoft CRM

I got asked today how much the various support incidents and packages cost. I was suprised at how long it took me to find out the answer. With that in mind, I’m posting it here so I can easily find it the next time! 

The service plans available for Microsoft CRM customers are more than a software maintenance program – they are a key element of your ongoing success and expertise with a business solution. The MBS support offerings are designed to deliver industry-leading service, helping customers ensure greater overall success with their investments.

1.    Software Assurance (SA)

• If you purchased your licenses through Microsoft Volume Licensing, they are automatically enrolled in a service plan called Software Assurance.
• Software Assurance is 25% of the system list price.
• The benefits you receive through Software Assurance scale according to which Microsoft Volume Licensing program you purchased your product through (Open and Open Value Volume Licensing or Select or Enterprise Agreement Volume Licensing). The benefits include technical support, access to CustomerSource (a secure customer portal), online training and more.
• Download the Software Assurance for Open and Open Value Licensing Program datasheet and Software Assurance for Select and Enterprise Volume Licensing Program datasheet for further details on the benefits.

2.    Full Packaged Product Maintenance (FPP) – If you purchased your licenses through Full Packaged Product, you will be enrolled in Full Packaged Product Maintenance.

3.    Flex Support – Flex 5-Pack Support and Flex Per-Incident Support provides customers with an affordable way to receive support from Microsoft for those who prefer to “pay as they go”. Customers who are enrolled in Software Assurance for Open, Open Value, or Full Packaged Product Maintenance will receive a discount.

1. 5-Pack Support Incidents – The 5-Pack provides you with greater responsiveness, the convenience of an advanced purchase, and an even more affordable way to receive support from MBS. You will receive a 3-business hour guaranteed response time on support requests and the incidents will expire one year form the date of purchase of the package.
2. Per Incident – The Per-Incident Support will provide you with convenient access to support assistance on an as-needed basis. You will receive an eight-business hour guaranteed response time on support requests. The Flex Per-Incident Support can be purchased with a credit card when requesting support assistance from MBS.
3. Contact – You can contact our support professionals and utilise the 5-Pack of Per-Incident Support at 13 16 30.
4. Pricing –

Customer not in a Service Plan		Customer in a Service Plan (FPP or SA)
Per Incident	5 Incidents Pack	Per Incident	5 Incidents Pack
AUD $210	AUD $825	AUD $175	AUD $685

Regards, Ross

Microsoft Appoints Nadella to Lead Microsoft Business Solutions

On September 12 Microsoft announced that Corporate Vice President Satya Nadella has been selected to succeed Doug Burgum as the new global business leader of Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS). For the last five years, Nadella has been responsible for MBS research and development (R&D) worldwide.

Microsoft PressPass spoke with Microsoft Business Division President Jeff Raikes and Satya Nadella about the transfer of leadership, how
Burgum’s role will evolve, and the direction of MBS. To read the interview, follow this link: http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2006/sep06/09-12MBSRaikesNadella.mspx

Regards, Ross

Status Report on Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 (Gartner, Aug. 17, 2006)

I wanted to draw your attention to a recent report published by Brian Prentice of Gartner (www.gartner.com) that provides their independent assessment of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0. The report, entitled "Status Report on Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0", August 2006, discusses its first year on the market. You can view the report on the Gartner web site at this location: mediaproducts.gartner.com/reprints/microsoft/article9/article9.html

Regards, Ross

New Mobile Client “CRM Mobile Express for Microsoft CRM 3.0” is Available

CRM Mobile Express for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 is a shared-source initiative from Microsoft that offers a lightweight, mobile browser client for viewing and editing data in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0. It allows you to manage Sales, Service and Marketing information from your Windows Mobile, Smartphone and HTML 4.0 compatible devices (most mobile phones)! CRM Mobile Express for Microsoft CRM also includes a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Administration Console that can be used to customise your mobile data objects – such as adding custom CRM entities. This community project comes complete with three documents – an Installation guide, a User guide and a Developer guide, as well as the application source code for both the CRM Mobile Express Client and Administration Console applications.

The key benefits of CRM Mobile Express are: 

• REAL-TIME ACCESS TO CUSTOMER INFORMATION
• FULL SALES, MARKETING, AND CUSTOMER SERVICE FUNCTIONALITY
• WORKS WITH ANY WEB-ENABLED PHONE OR DEVICE
• EASY TO USE
• EASY TO MANAGE
• EASY TO CONFIGURE

Download it today from:

http://www.gotdotnet.com/codegallery/codegallery.aspx?id=8e65fc13-4073-406c-879c-442faf78f2c8

Regards, Ross

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Connector for Microsoft Dynamics GP

Earlier this year Microsoft released the US only, English language release of the CRM/GP connector. Information regarding the GP Connector can be found here – http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/crm/product/gpintegration.mspx

 

An International English release was expected in June, but before the team could finish the testing to provide this update, some issues with data handling were found in the original US English release. A solution is now in place to address the data handling issue; we’ve created hotfixes to resolve issues with default data-mapping between Microsoft CRM and Microsoft Dynamics GP. For a more detailed description, additional information is provided in Knowledge Base articles #923437 and #924581, searchable at http://support.microsoft.com.

 

We’re pleased to inform Australian partners and customers that the CRM/GP Connector is now available as an English language release (plus hotfixes) and, with the application of another hotfix, is now available for International English deployments. The Microsoft Dynamics CRM Connector for Microsoft Dynamics GP is now available via the Microsoft CRM Support Team (since you need to get the original release plus these hotfixes, we need you to request the bits from support).

 

To contact the Microsoft CRM Support Team, MBS Partners and Customers can place a request via http://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/support, http://mbs.microsoft.com/customersource/support, or by calling the correct local contact number from the following location: https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/resources/support/supportinformation/Global+Support+Contacts.htm. For Australia, that number is 13 16 30.

 

MSDN or Microsoft Certified Partners can also access the team by phone or web; instructions on both are provided at http://support.microsoft.com.

 

Support hours vary by local region and for Australia are 07:00-20:00 AEST.

 

Regards, Ross