Microsoft CRM Custom Design & Development: SDK, C#, SQL, Exchange, Integration, Crystal Reports

Microsoft CRM is new player on the CRM software market. The whole conception behind CRM seems to be different. In case of traditional CRM software (Siebel, Oracle) - the application was designed with platform independence in mind. Microsoft CRM is dedicated to Microsoft technology and so deploys all the Microsoft tools: Windows Active Directory, Microsoft Exchange 2003/2000, SQL Server, Crystal Reports Enterprise, Biztalk server, Microsoft Outlook, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Great Plains as backend, etc.

If you are software developer, database administrator or web designer who is asked: how do we customize Microsoft CRM ? we are giving you directions in this article.

  • Microsoft CRM SDK ? this is software development kit with C# and partly VB.net code samples ? it is supported by Microsoft Business Solutions technical support. It is based on web service calls, if you are C# .NET developer ? you are excellently positioned to do this type of customizations. This is the preferred modification scenario and this should be easily upgradeable customization. VB.Net examples will be available soon.
  • Legacy SQL Data integration. This is also easy and safe. If you have SQL database, sitting on the same or linked SQL Server ? you can create ASPX .Net application and simply integrate it into CRM. You can place it on the navigation bar or menu in isv.config ? please refer to MS CRM SDK
  • Legacy ASP integration ? this is somewhat more sophisticated. You have to deploy HTTP handler to be a middle party between CRM which is .Net based and ASP which is legacy IIS. The trick is ? you have to have INI file with security settings to penetrate into MS CRM with proper credentials, calling web service.
  • Microsoft Exchange Programming. Microsoft CRM has Exchange connector ? which moves CRM incoming email to MS if it has GUID in its subject. You can alter this logic (for instance - move email to CRM if it doesn't have GUID but it is from the sender who is contact or account in MS CRM). Refer to MS Exchange SDK onsyncsave event handling. Then simply apply some MS CRM SDK programming - you need some COM+ objects creation and VB programming experience.
  • Direct SQL touch ? in #4 above I described you the scenario with MS Exchange handlers ? this would be ideal world if MS CRM SDK does the job. But ? in real world this is not always true ? you have to do direct flags correction in CRM database (like making Activity closed, moving email attachments/octet streams, etc). This is not supported by MBS technical support ? but you can rescue to this technique if you have to get job done.
  • MS CRM Customization tool ? this is rather end-user tool and we don't describe it here ? read the manual. We've described above the options to use when this tool doesn't do the job
  • Crystal Reports - feel free to create Crystal report - tables and views structure is self explanatory. Try to avoid the temptation to create your own SQL view or stored procedure in MS CRM database, instead - create custom database and place your view and stored proc in it.

    • Happy modifying! If you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

    Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies ? USA nationwide Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains customization company, based in Chicago, Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Miami, Canada, UK, Australia and having locations in multiple states and internationally (www.albaspectrum.com), he is Dexterity, SQL, VB/C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK developer.

    In The News:

    pen paper and inkwell


    cat break through


    EDI: Electronic Document Interchange for Microsoft Great Plains ? Overview for Software Developer/Pr

    Microsoft Great Plains - Microsoft Business Solutions accounting and ERP... Read More

    Making The Decision To Automate Your Software Testing

    Not every software testing project can or should be automated.... Read More

    Behave, Word, Behave!

    If you copy something from a Web site or elsewhere...... Read More

    How to Make Own CMS

    Every day millions of new web documents emerge on the... Read More

    Screenshots Vista Windows

    Features Additionally, Vista will include many other new features.Aero Vista... Read More

    These Items Are A Must Before Making The Decision To Purchase Any Off-The-Shelf Software

    1. What determines the software price? Is it Per Seat... Read More

    C++ Tutorial 2, Input and Variables

    This is the tutorial where we really get into programming.... Read More

    IT Strategy for Large Corporation: ERP/MRP/CRM, Unix/Linux/Windows, Microsoft/Java

    Combining Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains ERP with non-Microsoft Business... Read More

    MySQL for Beginners ? How to Create a MySQL Database

    Whether you are an experienced web programmer or a complete... Read More

    Instant Messaging is a Sweet Way to Communicate

    MSN messenger is a pretty cool invention. I mean I'm... Read More

    Microsoft Great Plains Integration with Microsoft Access ? Overview for Developer

    ... Read More

    6 Easy Steps for a Smoother CD/DVD Order

    It's all about turn times in the eMedia industry! The... Read More

    Assertion in Java

    Assertion facility is added in J2SE 1.4. In order to... Read More

    Hear It in Digits

    Music downloads are off the charts! We're listening to digital... Read More

    Cisco Certification: Introduction To ISDN, Part IV

    In part III of this ISDN primer, we learned that... Read More

    Internet Faxing Service Review

    The Internet is reshaping every form of communications medium, and... Read More

    Microsoft RMS ? Great Plains Integration ? Overview For IT Specialist

    Microsoft Great Plains and Microsoft Retail Management System (Microsoft RMS)... Read More

    Microsoft Great Plains Remote Support - Overview

    Microsoft Great Plains is now standard mid-market ERP application, serving... Read More

    Microsoft Great Plains Implementation ? Overview for IT Director/Controller

    What is installation in the language of technology? Installation... Read More

    Software Engineering: An Introduction

    Software Engineering is the Systematic Approach for analysis design implementation... Read More

    Corporate ERP: Standard vs. Rich functionality ? Microsoft Great Plains

    Traditionally we were considering functionally rich systems, such as SAP,... Read More

    Microsoft Great Plains Beverage Production & Distribution ? Implementation & Customization Highlight

    Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains has many years of successful... Read More

    Troubleshoot Windows with Task Manager

    Task Manager is a Windows system utility that displays thetasks... Read More

    Software Automation Helps Increase your Bottom Line

    When you own a small business, time is money. And... Read More

    Microsoft Business Solutions Customization Options - Overview for Programmer

    Several years ago Microsoft purchased Great Plains Software, then Navision... Read More

    Microsoft Business Solutions - Navision Customization: C/SIDE, C/ODBC, C/FRONT, XBRL

    Microsoft bought Navision, Denmark based software development company, along with... Read More

    Microsoft Great Plains RW: Report Writer

    Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains is marketed for mid-size companies... Read More

    Microsoft CRM Integration With Microsoft Office Documents ? Overview For System Integrator

    Microsoft CRM is CRM application, maintained and supported by Microsoft... Read More

    Microsoft CRM Integration with IBM Lotus Notes Domino ? Machinery Dealership Example

    IBM Lotus Notes with Domino email server is traditional document... Read More

    Microsoft Great Plains: Large Scale Implementation

    Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, Navision, Axapta, Solomon and CRM... Read More

    Importance of Coding Standards

    Programming Help for BeginnersWe write programs to instruct computers. When... Read More

    Microsoft CRM and No-Frills Cadillacs

    In today's business world it's all but impossible to escape... Read More

    Vlans

    In order to implement VLANs in a network environment, you'll... Read More