Microsoft CRM: Data Conversion ? Import from Act!

Best Software Act! is very popular CRM for small and mid-size organization. This system attracts business owner by its low price, plus system is very easy to use. However if your business is growing you should reach the moment to implement more advanced CRM solution. Natural question is ? how do we convert the data from Act! to new CRM solution and the mapping of your objects for conversion. You would probably like to avoid operator data entry with potential numerous errors and mistypes. Assuming that you are IT specialist, we'll give you technical side of Act to MS CRM data migration:

? First you need to download Act! SDK from Best Software website

? Install Act! SDK on the computer, where you plan to do programming

? We'll use asynchronous data export/import model, this means that we'll design the system, containing two parts: export into XML and this XML file import into the CRM

? Lets code Act! data export application, we'll use C# to address Act Framework classes, we'll need these libraries:

using Act.Framework;
using Act.Framework.Activities;
using Act.Framework.Companies;
using Act.Framework.ComponentModel;
using Act.Framework.Contacts;
using Act.Framework.Database;
using Act.Framework.Groups;
using Act.Framework.Histories;
using Act.Framework.Lookups;
using Act.Framework.MutableEntities;
using Act.Framework.Notes;
using Act.Framework.Opportunities;
using Act.Framework.Users;
using Act.Shared.Collections;

? To connect to Act! database:

ActFramework framework = new ActFramework();

framework.LogOn("Act Username", "password", "SERVER", "Database");

? Now we need Act field names to map them with the fields in the MS CRM:

private void ShowContactsFieldsDescriptions(ActFramework framework) {

ContactFieldDescriptor[] cFields = framework.Contacts.GetContactFieldDescriptors();

ContactFieldDescriptor cField;

for(int x = 0; x < cFields.Length; x++)

{

cField = cFields[x];

Console.WriteLine("Table Name: {0}", cField.TableName);

Console.WriteLine("Column Name: {0}", cField.ColumnName);

Console.WriteLine("Display Name: {0}", cField.DisplayName);

Console.WriteLine("ACT Field Type: {0}", cField.ACTFieldType);

Console.WriteLine("");

}

}

? Let's get contact list and create the file for import instructions to MS CRM:

ContactList cList = framework.Contacts.GetContacts(null);

FileInfo t = new FileInfo("Contacts.xml");

StreamWriter stw = t.CreateText();

? Now we form export data:

for (int i = 0; i < cList.Count; i++) {

string strContactXml = "";

ContactFieldDescriptor cField;

Object oValue;

// First Name

cField = framework.Contacts.GetContactFieldDescriptor("TBL_CONTACT.FIRSTNAME");

oValue = cField.GetValue(cList[i]);

if (oValue != null && !(oValue.ToString().Trim().Equals("")))

strContactXml += "[CDATA[" + oValue.ToString() + "]]";

// Last Name

cField = framework.Contacts.GetContactFieldDescriptor("TBL_CONTACT.LASTNAME");

oValue = cField.GetValue(cList[i]);

if (oValue != null && !(oValue.ToString().Trim().Equals("")))

strContactXml += "[CDATA[" + oValue.ToString() + "]]";

else

strContactXml += "" + "N/A" + "";

// Salutation

cField = framework.Contacts.GetContactFieldDescriptor("TBL_CONTACT.SALUTATION");

oValue = cField.GetValue(cList[i]);

if (oValue != null && !(oValue.ToString().Trim().Equals("")))

strContactXml += "[CDATA[" + oValue.ToString() + "]]";

// Job Title

cField = framework.Contacts.GetContactFieldDescriptor("TBL_CONTACT.JOBTITLE");

oValue = cField.GetValue(cList[i]);

if (oValue != null && !(oValue.ToString().Trim().Equals("")))

strContactXml += "[CDATA[" + Regex.Replace(oValue.ToString(), " ", "
") + "]]";

? This is only portion of the data, that could be transferred into CRM, the whole list of fields is too long for small article, but your could design the whole list of desired fields. Please, pay special attention to replace
HTML tag ? this is required for text data transfer into CRM

? Next is import application creation. We will not describe here connection to MS CRM details ? please read Microsoft CRM SDK if you need this examples. We'll concentrate on the nature of the import.

The XML export file should look like this:

[CDATA[John]][CDATA[Smith]][CDATA[John]][CDATA[1234 W. Big River]][CDATA[Chicago]][CDATA[IL]][CDATA[123456]][CDATA[Toy Corporation]]{4F1849C3-9184-48B5-BB09-078ED7AB2DAD}

? Reading, parsing and MS CRM object creation look is relatively simple:

Microsoft.Crm.Platform.Proxy.BizUser bizUser = new Microsoft.Crm.Platform.Proxy.BizUser();

ICredentials credentials = new NetworkCredential(crmUsername, crmPassword, crmDomain);

bizUser.Url = crmDir + "BizUser.srf";

bizUser.Credentials = credentials;

Microsoft.Crm.Platform.Proxy.CUserAuth userAuth = bizUser.WhoAmI();

// CRMContact proxy object

Microsoft.Crm.Platform.Proxy.CRMContact contact = new Microsoft.Crm.Platform.Proxy.CRMContact ();

contact.Credentials = credentials;

contact.Url = crmDir + "CRMContact.srf";

CorrectXML("Contacts.xml", userAuth.UserId);

StreamReader reader = File.OpenText("Contacts.xml");

string input = null;

while ((input = reader.ReadLine()) != null)

{

string strContactId = contact.Create(userAuth, input);

Console.WriteLine("Contact {0} is created", strContactId);

log.Debug("Contact " + strContactId + " is created");

}

? Just consider in more details CorrectXML function ? it places OwnerId into XML contact tree:

private void CorrectXML(string fileName, string userId) {

File.Move(fileName, fileName + ".old");

StreamReader reader = File.OpenText(fileName + ".old");

FileInfo t = new FileInfo(fileName);

StreamWriter writer = t.CreateText();

string input = null;

while ((input = reader.ReadLine()) != null)

{

input = Regex.Replace(input, "{_REPLACE_ME_}", userId);

writer.WriteLine(input);

}

reader.Close();

writer.Close();

Fi le.Delete(fileName + ".old");

}

? Finally, we are launching export, import, opening MS CRM and looking at the contact list, transferred from Act!

? Separate task would be Sales data from Act!, Notes etc. ? we plan to describe them in the future articles

Good luck with integration! If you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-630-961-5918 or 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew Karasev is Lead Software Developer in Alba Spectrum Technologies ? USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, serving clients in Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Miami, Denver, UK, Australia, Canada, Europe and having locations in multiple states and internationally ( http://www.albaspectrum.com )

---

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

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

Protect Your Most Vital Business Asset with Security Software

Homeland security, airport security, Internet security â?" these days weâ??re... Read More

Rapid Application Development - Is it Really a Need of Today?

Rapid Application Development (RAD) is a software development methodology. In... Read More

Software Engineering: An Introduction

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

Spyware, Adware, etc. -- Terms and Common Sense

When reading an article where some term is used often,... Read More

Corporate ERP Selection: Microsoft Great Plains

In our opinion, traditional approach when you select ERP/MRP system... Read More

Design a Web Album Using Adobe Photoshop- Part 2

So let's begin crunching down these 300 images using Adobe... Read More

Great Plains Dexterity ? Microsoft Great Plains Customization Overview

Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, former Great Plains Software Dynamics... Read More

Groove Network. Are you in it?

If you are in a business that passes documents around... Read More

What is Shareware?

Shareware is software that you can try before you buy;... Read More

Will Adobe Manage to Replace Industry Work Horse Quark Express by Giving Adobe InDesign for Free?

And kill the best layout software in the process of... Read More

Groupware and Online Collaboration: Collaboration Series #4

This article is the fourth of a series of articles... Read More

Spyware - The Internet Devil Of Our Times!

Spyware and Adware infest over 90 percent of computers in... Read More

Recent Studies Show that 9 out of 10 PCs Are Infected with Spyware

Spyware and malware are large problems for Internet users today... Read More

What to Do if All Screensavers Fun is Grayed Out?

Finally, you have some time to personalize your desktop with... Read More

The Top 5 Wrong Reasons For Not Hiring Testers

Considering whether or not your software company should hire a... Read More

Lotus Domino: Application Integration ? A Programmer View

There are two approaches for application integration:? Programmer's approach ?... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains Integrations - Tips for Developer

In this short FAQ style article we would like to... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains Food Processing ? Implementation & Customization Highlights

Microsoft Great Plains might be considered as ERP platform to... Read More

Great Plains Custom Development: Dexterity, VBA, SQL, Crystal, eConnect ? Overview For Programmer

Microsoft Great Plains is main Microsoft Business Solutions accounting package... Read More

Software Upgrades Arent Always the Best Move

When my daughter was getting into AOL instant messaging (AIM)... Read More

eCommerce development for Microsoft Great Plains: tools and highlights for programmer

Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains, former Great Plains Software Dynamics... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains Upgrade ? Version 8.0 Overview for IT Director/Controller

If you have Microsoft Great Plains as main accounting and... Read More

The End of Spyware?

The US House of Representatives has recently passed the "Spy... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains GL: General Ledger ? Overview For Consultant

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

Implementing ERP for Large Publicly Traded Corporation ? Microsoft Great Plains

We would like first emphasize the change in the paradigm.... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains POP: Purchase Order Processing ? Overview For Consultants

Great Plains Purchase Order Processing (POP) module makes up one-third... Read More

6 Easy Steps for a Smoother CD/DVD Order

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

Is Your Computer Sick?

Viruses and spyware usually show up on your computer one... Read More

Microsoft CRM for Large Corporation ? Security

Microsoft Business Solutions CRM proved to be reliable solution in... Read More

Reporting Tools for Microsoft Great Plains ? Overview For Developers

Looks like Microsoft Great Plains becomes more and more popular,... Read More

A Guide To Purchasing Professional XP Icons Online And Enhancing Your Applications

Icons are used everywhere; right from software applications, to internet... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains - Typical Problems And Fixes ? Overview For IT Administrators

How to delete the user? This is the first problem... Read More