Nitin Dhawan CRM Discussion

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Beta Released :)

Nitin Dhawan — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 12:39:49 +0000

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 has a many improvements. As, I have alreday shared many features in different posts on this blog. I will be highlighting all new excisting key feature with usability, advantages and disadvantages in next up comming days on my blog.So Get Ready for a new wonderfull journey with full flying colors.
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Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 – Key Features
Key Features	- Productive through improved navigational features. - Tighter integration with Microsoft Office Excel and Outlook. - Collaborative by using Microsoft SharePoint. - Insightful by using public and private dashboards. - Responsive through improved business process automation.
Navigational Feature	Provides new functionality which enables users to more easily navigate throughout the application. For example, if a user were on a particular Account, they could navigate to a different account they owned from the form without having to leave the record and open a separate Account window.
In-record browsing	Users can view their most recently viewed records and views.
-HELP-	Users can get help easier. By using the Getting Started pane, users can now access tips on how to use a particular application feature or even watch a video on how to use that feature..
Personalization	2011 enables users to better use the application in relation to their job role or roles. With the help of - Personal dashboards - Personal default views - Roles based forms..
Visualizations	Users can evaluate data graphically by using charts and graphs available on any personal of public view. This functionality is also available on personalized and public dashboards.
Connections	Users can link different records together i.e. connections can be made between any entities.
Recurring Activities	Create recurring appointments which can be synced with 2011 Outlook client.
Goal Management	Identify, create, and track progress against individual or business specific goals. Using this feature we can track sales, service and marketing goals.
Easier form customizations	- Drag fields on the customization form. - Add, move and delete navigation items to the left navigational area through the customization interface. - Create custom attributes and relationships from the Microsoft Dynamics CRM customization form directly. - Change attribute level properties directly from the customization form. - Configure field level security and roll based forms i.e. Can be configured to have one interface for the sales team and one interface for the customer service team
Option Sets [Picklists]	Option Sets can be used on one or more forms i.e. Can also create globally available JScripts which are made available to any entity within the Microsoft Dynamic CRM deployment.
Solution management	- The solution provider can control which customizations are modifiable and which customization are not. - This solution record can be separately imported or exported and managed separately from other Microsoft Dynamics CRM customizations. - Manage third-party solutions or externally created customizations within their environment.
Current Tools	Suport Tools such as: - Visual Studio 2008/2010 - Microsoft SQL Server 2008 - Windows Azure.
Dialogs	- Dialogs and Workflows are part of the “Process” functionality in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. - Dialogs enable a user to use a “wizard-like” interface to answer questions.
Hardware and software requirements	The Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server and Microsoft SQL Server 2008 on x64 operating systems and hardware.
Record ownership by teams	Users can assign records and views to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Teams i.e. to control the access of a group of people to a particular record orview, the record or view can be assigned to a team and members can then be added to that team.
Record auditing	- Users can view audit history for any particular record. - customizers can configure the auditing for an entity or an attribute within that entity through the customization module.
Productivity Features	- Personalizing Home page - Tracking recently viewed records and modules - Easier previewing of records - ”In record” browsing without needing multiple windows open. - Microsoft® Excel® style views in Microsoft Dynamics CRM views - Faster learning with Getting Started pane
Collaboration	- Users and customizers will be able to incorporate and interact with already existing SharePoint sites and take advantage of the collaboration tools native to SharePoint. - Can create record specific folders. NOTE: This is achiveable in 4.0 through code and third party utilities. In 2011, Its a inbuilt functionality.
Analysis and Visualizations	- Can create personal inline graphs and charts to better analyze and report on data as preferred. - Users can now interact with views much like they can with Excel spreadsheets. - Addition of custom column by column filtering and conditional formatting, users can access and view information as needed and provide a deeper level of insight.
Connections	Users can make their own connections between any entities as in MSCRM 4.0 could make loosely coupled connections between Accounts, Contacts, and Opportunities.
Recurring Activities	Users can now create recurring activities in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. This functionality will resemble what a user would experience in Microsoft Outlook.
Goal Management	Users can create goals for users or teams not just for sales numbers, but on almost any kind of metric.
Customization and Extensibility	- Provides a robust default user experience for both the built-in and custom components configured for a solution. - Default user experience can then be additionally customized for specific solution requirements by using the extensibility hooks. - Many of these customizations can be performed by using the form and view editors and do not require code i.e. “layout on forms”, “columns on views” and “even sub grids to display related data inline on a form can all be created using Web-based editors and do not require code. - JScript to handle form events. - Web Resources can have many content types including HTML, images and SilverLight. - Silverlight controls that are added to forms run inline and have full access to interact with the form. - Navigation is a key part of the user experience guiding the user to the solution features by using intuitive paths.
Form Customization Improvement	- Reusing global customizations such as JScripts, picklists, and other resources across multiple entities. - Web Resources which lets organizations register, embed, and consume content such as images, HTML, Silverlight controls, JScripts, style sheets such as CSS and XSL files, and other various resources within Microsoft Dynamics CRM forms. - Dragging attributes on to the form or to even move fields and sections easily from one location on the form to another. - Filtered grids (views) - Record modification auditing - Field Level security
Customization Management Features	Ability to group customizations by Solutions . i.e customizers can import a specific solution and uninstall that solution without affecting existing customizations such as clientside script, picklist values, and form customizations.
Extensibility features	Can extend through: - Visual Studio - Windows Workflow Foundation 4 on on-primise deployment. - Windows Communication Foundation - Inclusion of the REST Endpoint (Representational State Transfer)for AJAX - Silverlight - LINQ [.Net Language-Integrated Query for writing queries]. - Ability to interact with the Windows Azure Platform through coupling the Microsoft Dynamics CRM event execution pipeline to the AppFabric Service Bus in the cloud.
Processes: Dialogs and Workflows	Processes include Workflows and Dialogs.
Dialogs	Dialogs are synchronous processes and require user inputs to run until they are completed. When you run these processes, a wizard-like interface is presented to the user to make appropriate selections in the wizard pages based on requirements..

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Tools List

Nitin Dhawan — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 11:14:52 +0000

CRM Plugin Registration Tool	PluginRegistration tool is enhanced version of the tool that is published with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 SDK. Download
Demonstration Tools	The Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Demonstration Tools provide a simple user interface that allows you to easily enter and edit data to populate or modify your instance of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. It also allows you to load and store your data in XML format, so that you can reuse your data in the future. Download
Bulk Update and Export tool	Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Bulk Update and Export tool makes it easier for people to update and/or export data from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0. You won’t need to do everything manually. Let the computer do the work, you do the thinking. It’s developed in C# on the microsoft CRM SDK. Download
CRM Configuration Manager
Documentation Generator
Javascript Intellisense Generator
Form JavaScript Manager
Isv.config Manager
View Layout Replicator
Event Listener
View Layout Replicator
Sitemap & ISV.Config Editor aka CRM Xml Editor
Developers Tool
CRM Trace Log Viewer
Stunnware Tools
Internet Facing Deployment Configuration Tool
Configuration Data Utility
Deployment Job Editor
Customization Comparison Utility

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 5.0 is now 2011

Nitin Dhawan — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:55:25 +0000

A Journey from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 – ["The Power of Choice"] TO Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 – ["The Power of Productivity"]
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How to Shuffle users between the Organizations

Nitin Dhawan — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 16:13:06 +0000

Below are the steps to shuffle the users between the organizations with the same roles:

1	Create a mapping document which contains the following fields: a. User Name b. Current Business Unit Name c. New Business Unit Name d. User ID
2	Write a .net code
3	Retrieve all the users from the Mapping document.
4	For each user search user in the CRM.
5	Check if first user does not exists in the CRM then exit.
6	Else retrieve current user roles against the current business unit to which it is mapped.
7	Save user roles in an array.
8	Check if new business unit exist in the CRM, if not then exit.
9	Else get the business unit ID for the new business unit.
10	Assign user to the new business unit id
11	Check weather the role saved previously saved in an array exists against this new organization
12	Check weather the role saved previously saved in an array exists against this new organization
13	If roles doesn’t exists then exit.
14	Else get the role ids and assign them to the current user.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 and MapPoint Integration

Nitin Dhawan — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 16:40:13 +0000

Microsoft Provides MapPoint Web Service to enrich application with mapping functionality. It allows you to integrate maps, driving directions, order tracking and proximity searches into a wide range of solutions.
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Migration and Upgrade CRM 4.0 to 2011

Nitin Dhawan — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 10:45:35 +0000

Solution Management

The concept is quite powerful as it allows components to be layered on to the base system but also on top of other solutions (i.e. when there are inter-dependencies). It also provides a way to protect the intellectual property of the components in your solution and includes change management and versioning.

Plug-In Transaction Support

In CRM 4.0 you could register a plug-in to run either before (pre-event) or after (post-event) the CRM platform operation. However, you were not able to run as part of the transaction itself, so you had to write your own compensation logic in the event the CRM platform operation failed. CRM 5.0 addresses this limitation, and you can now choose to register you plug-in as part of the platform operation. The CRM 5.0 plug-in registration tool has been modified to support this.

Automatic Plug-In Profiling

CRM 5.0 will keep track of how a plug-in is executing, what resources it consumes, if it is causing unexpected exceptions and whether or not it is violating security constraints. If a particular plug-in fails a number of times it is automatically disabled from executing, helping to maintain system integrity.

ADO.Net Data Services and .Net RIA services support

Enables an easier data access for web applications, AJAX and Silverlight

Workflow Up gradation

Workflows in CRM 4.0 will be migrated automatically to CRM 5.0 as part of the upgrade process.

Running workflow instances in CRM 4.0 will resume at the point they were stopped once the upgrade process has completed.

Custom workflow activities written for CRM 4.0 will continue to run in CRM 5.0 after migration, and will be wrapped by the new WF interop activity.

Also can replace Plug Ins by Workflow since workflows provides Pre and Post Image as wells as Input and Output parameter in Workflow Context.

Claims based Authentication and Federation

CRM 5.0 will enable us to integrate transparently authentication with other applications either On-Premise or on the Cloud.

Unstructured Relationships

CRM 5.0 allows you to define ad-hoc relationships between any two entities.

Team Ownership

Entities in CRM 4.0 were either User Owned or Organization Owned. Now Team Owned entities are added in CRM5, and integrated into the role-based security model.

Native SharePoint Integration

Integration with Windows SharePoint Services for document management, which includes site and document library provisioning, document metadata, item security, and check-in/check-out capabilities.

Others

User friendly analytical tool which includes new dashboards.

Tighter integration with Outlook

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Release dates for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 5.0

Nitin Dhawan — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 08:18:05 +0000

Microsoft is gearing up to provide early adopters with the Beta development milestone of the next iteration of Dynamics CRM in just a couple of months. At the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference 2010, the Redmond company demonstrated the new capabilities that are in stored for the evolution of its next-generation customer relationship management (CRM) solution. According to the software giant, customers will get to try the Beta of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 in September 2010.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Beta Drops in September 2010
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Microsoft Demonstrates Next-Generation CRM Release at Worldwide Partner Conference
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Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Interview Questions

Nitin Dhawan — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 12:37:09 +0000

1	What is CRM Service of MSCRM?
2	What is Metadata service of MSCRM?
3	What is discovery Service?
4	What is a Plug-in?
5	What is a Workflow?
6	What are the differences between Plug-in and a Workflow?
7	What are the differences between Asynchronous Plug-in and a Workflow?
8	When will you use a workflow and when will you use a Plug-in? Give some Real-lifescenario?
9	What is an Email-Router?
10	What are the steps to configure an Email router?
11	How the Plug-in and Workflow will behave in case of Off-line client?
12	What is Metadata?
13	What is CRM Discovery Service?
14	What is Sales and Marketing life cycle in MSCRM?
15	What is Queue entity in MSCRM?
16	What is 1:1, 1:N and N:N relationship in Microsoft Dynamics CRM?
17	How a Plug-in is different from a Call-out?
18	What is ‘Append’ and ‘Append To’ privilege in MSCRM? Give one example of it?
19	How to create a Custom Entity record using SDK?
20	How to join two table using Query Expression?
21	Can we modify the name of Root Business Unit?
22	Suppose if I have 100 user license and I have created 100 users. What will happen if I create 101User?
23	What are the maximum number of tabs allowed on a Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 form?
24	How to enable/disable the form assistant? How to make sure the form assitant is expanded/cllapsedon a form?
25	What is Filtered Views?
26	Can we change a base currency?
27	Can we remove the root Business Unit?
28	Can we use the same database for different instance?
29	Can we use Oracle in replace of SQL server?
30	Can we add new button in Actions menu?
31	Can we hide Add Existing from Entity?
32	Relationships in MS Dynamics CRM 4.0 (parental, referential, Non Referential)?
33	Relationship Behavior in MS DynamICS CRM 4.0 (Cascading, Cascading to record, Cascading None, SetConfigure)?
34	How to achieve 1:1 Relationship in MS Dynamics CRM 4.0?
35	How to develop custom WF?
36	How to get parameter for Custom WF from UI of the workflow?
37	How to debug the WF?
38	Regarding Plug In ask what if you want to right some logic on deletion of record referring todeletion for record what he will do like custom entity?
39	What is the difference in Using CRM Web Service and SDK DLL?
40	What is the benefit of using SDK DLL over web service?
41	Different way of registering plugin(database, file and GAC)?
42	Difference between entity and Dynamic Entity?
43	Field Level Security. People will say using JS and all and then u can ask @ what will happen toviews?
44	Roles. Different Level of privileges?
45	Web service call through JavaScript. JS Debugging?
46	Different Modules in MS Dynamics CRM and Each Module flow?
47	Difference between Discovery and Metadata Service?
48	DB Structure for MS Dynamics CRM 4.0. What information MSCRM_Config DB will have?
49	How do you move an organization from one server to other server. What all are the steps u willfollow?
50	What all are the software requires/ prerequisite to install MS Dynamics CRM(SQL, AD, Report Serveretc.)?
51	How do you build the custom report. How u will you upload in MS Dynamics CRM 4.0?
52	Team Concept in MS Dynamics CRM 4.0. Where do you use it?
53	Give some scenario of SLA and Notification based on SLA + Email to Case?
54	Site Map and ISV Config difference and use in MS Dynamics CRM 4.0?
55	How many tabs you can have on form and how to increase the count of it ?
56	What all different view in MS Dynamics CRM 4.0?
57	How you will achieve Hierarchal Picklist or Look Up?
58	What is meant by Dynamic Picklist?
59	How many by default reports are there in mscrm ?How many is of case?
60	Difference between outlook client and webclient?
61	Explain Service Life Cycle?
62	Explain Sales Cycle?
63	Memory of SQL Express Edition?
64	Can workflows,CRM Webservice can be hosted on another system?
65	Difference between plugins & workflows?
66	Explain CRM flavours?
67	Explain editions of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0?
68	Email Router steps?
69	Plugin registration steps?
70	Email to case creation condition?
71	Features of MS Dynamics CRM 2011 as compared to MSCRM 4.0?
72	Integration?
73	Export data from attribute of one data type to another data type e.g. Float toInteger?
74	Architecture of MS Dynamics CRM 4.0?
75	Plugin step by step creation procedure?
76	List entities of Service Module?
77	If CRM user is there and if he doesn’t have account in Active Directory will he be able to accessCRM?
78	Difference between Marketing Campaign and Quick Campaign?
79	How do u track Campaign Response?
80	For Asp.Net integration with MSCRM what are prerequisite?
81	Does MS Dynamics CRM 4.0 works with SQL Server 2000?
82	In Visual studio 2005 and VS 2008 what is the difference while creating plugins /workflows. What add-ons need to be added while Asp.Net integration with MS Dynamics CRM 4.0?
83	Indexing in SQL Server 2005?
84	What setting has to be done to plugin run in offline mode?
85	Which parameter is passed in Execute Method?
86	Which interface you have to implement in Plugin?
87	Which Method is there in Plugin?
88	Can we create service using sdk and sdktypeproxy dll?
89	How to update Primary Contact in Account using Plugin.Whether single Query Expression is requiredor 2 is required?
90	Difference between abstract class & Interface?
91	Difference Between value type & reference type?
92	Explain boxing & unboxing?
93	Retreive Contact’s information using Account entity?
94	Types of Joins?
95	How to pass parameters to Report?
96	Types of CRM Service?
97	Can we update Dispaly Name of Entity through MetaData Service?
98	Purpose of Discovery Service?
99	Explain Dynamic Entity?
100	Pre event & Post event Plugin?
101	How to give web link or URL in email activity of MS Dynamics CRM 4.0?
102	Purpose of MetaData Service?
103	Types of WebService?
104	Types of Authentication in MS Dynamics CRM 4.0?
105	How to give windows Authentication in Asp.Net application?
106	Concept of Multitenancy?
107	Deployment of pluign types?
108	Benefit of deploying plugin in Database?
109	Which type of deployment u hav used of MS Dynamics CRM 4.0?
110	Have u used CrmWebservice in Asp.Net application?
111	How we can login in Asp.Net application?