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 )

---

Linux ? Keyboard Or Mouse

Just stress testing one of the latest Linux distributions. Been... Read More

Getting Patched with Windows Service Pack

Are you one of those people that keeps track of... Read More

Microsoft CRM ? Typical Customizations

Microsoft CRM was designed to be easily customizable. Microsoft CRM... Read More

How to Make Own CMS

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

ERP Remote Support: Microsoft Great Plains Analysis ? Pluses & Minuses

Former Great Plains Software Dynamics/eEnterprise and currently Microsoft Business Solutions... Read More

ERP Implementation: Success Factors

As seeing large number of implementations ? in our case... Read More

.NET :Solving the Multiple Inheritance Issue Under .NET Platform

.NET platform does not support multiple inheritance. Do not confuse... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains Customization and Development ? Overview for Programmer

When Great Plains Software was designing and developing Great Plains... Read More

Corporate Accounting System: Microsoft Great Plains ? Overview

Corporate ERP/MRP selection might be tough one, especially considering very... Read More

ERP for Large Corporation ? New Selling Strategy

Our opinion is based on our Microsoft Business Solutions Great... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains implementation: Restaurants Supply Chain Management Example

Microsoft Great Plains serves majority of US based horizontal and... Read More

Microsoft CRM ? Consulting in the Post-Recession Time

New post-recession era has new features, which didn't exist in... Read More

A Simple Guide To Wikis

A wiki is an editable text-based website. But you don't... Read More

Accessing XML Using Java Technologies

The most important benefit of XML is its simplicity. Though... Read More

The Religion And Philosophy Of Small Internet Business

I have always had a tendency to focus on the... Read More

Is Your Small Business Ready For A CRM Software Solution?

I have yet to see a business that, sometimes in... Read More

New SQL Delta Version 3.1

COMMAND LINE FUNCTIONA powerful command line script processor has been... Read More

Monitoring Software Can be Used for Spying as Well

We all already got used to computer monitoring both at... Read More

How To Choose A Fire Wall Software Program

In the real world a "fire wall" is a fireproof... Read More

Groupware: What Works the Way Businesses Do?

GroupwareThe internet is full of 1.5 million to 7 million... Read More

Navision Sales Module & Reporting: Jet Reports, C/ODBC, XBRL, Business Analytics ? highlights

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

25 Things Mapping Software Can Do For You

1. With mapping software you can create a report that... Read More

Internet Relay Chat - A Basic Introduction

What is IRC?IRC is Internet Relay Chat. It is a... Read More

Lotus Domino/Notes - Microsoft Great Plains Tandem as ERP with Documents Workflow - Overview for IT

Lotus Domino/Notes ? Microsoft Great Plains tandem as ERP with... Read More

Groupware Finds Home in American Business: Collaboration Tool Analysis

What is Groupware?Have you ever had to manage document collaboration... Read More

Microsoft Great Plains Installation ? Overview for IT Director/Controller

Microsoft Great Plains is main mid-market application from Microsoft Business... Read More

Implementing Microsoft CRM: setup and configuration ? notes for IT specialist

Microsoft Business Solutions CRM is web-based CRM application, deploying all... Read More

Great Plains Dexterity: Customizations & Source Code Programming

Great Plains Software Dynamics, Dynamics C/S+, eEnterprise were written on... Read More

Lotus Notes Domino and Microsoft CRM Integration

Well, even if the combination might look very unusual, we... Read More

Computer Phones ? Facts and Fallacies

The stakes are high when considering security, privacy, and savings,... Read More

Marketing Your WinRunner Team

It won't matter how effective your WinRunner Team is if... Read More

Where to Find Free Fleet Maintenance Software

Costs of fleet maintenance software can vary widely. It is... Read More

Reloading Windows XP

If you have been running Windows XP for a couple... Read More