Ok, let’s be real. When you think about the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Outlook Client, “Track in CRM” is usually the first thing that comes to mind. The reason so many of you use Microsoft Dynamics CRM is because of Microsoft Outlook integration, and when you think about Outlook integration, you think about Track in CRM.
Well, we took Email and Appointments to a whole new level in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011.
Track in Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Let’s walk through some of the new features. We’ll start where you start every morning, coffee in hand: your Inbox:
So you start your day, you read some emails, and you Track a few of them. But in the new Microsoft Dynamics CRM Outlook Client, you are given contextual CRM information about that email you just tracked! For all the contacts on the email, right from your Reading Pane, you see the related record links in CRM. These links are nicely organized by record type for easy reading, and you can click on these links to open up the CRM forms. And if one of the recipients isn’t in CRM? They show up in red fonts showing that they are unresolved. You’re one click away from creating them right from your inbox:
Want to convert the email to an opportunity or a case? Want to add a Connection to a new product? It’s all available to you, right in your inbox
But what if I get lots of emails, from lots of people, and I don’t want to manually create them every time? Well, in the new Microsoft Dynamics CRM Outlook Client, you’re able to have contacts/leads auto-Created from sender email id just by Tracking the Email. And you won’t have to search around in complex menus for your CRM options anymore, just click on “Options” in your reading pane to manage these settings!
So if Track in CRM wasn’t your favorite feature, it should be now! But we didn’t just stop there, let’s look at the cutting edge in CRM Email and Appointment integration.
Rich CRM Email and Appointments
One of the things we’ve heard you loud and clear on is that you don’t want to choose between the richness of outlook, and the flexibility of CRM. You want to have the rich surface of Microsoft Outlook to type your emails (I can’t live without spell check), but you want the flexibility of CRM (Mult—language email, anyone?). You want your custom fields, your web resources, your sales literature, your KB articles, and of course your email templates while sending business emails via Outlook.
Well, we heard you loud and clear. Let me introduce you to Rich CRM Email:
Your CRM templates, KB articles, and sales literature are all easily accessible from your Outlook Email Form. We also gave you a Most Recently Used list, so you can quickly get to the items you use most often.
Some of you are wondering, though, what that “CRM Fields” button does? Well, that gives you the ability to edit your custom CRM fields directly from your Outlook Email Form!
So no more writing emails, Tracking them, sending them, then finding them in CRM to edit your CRM fields. You can do all that in the same window in Outlook!
Here are some things to note:
1. By customizing the fields on your CRM email, they will show up in the CRM Fields page. Feel free to high five the person next to you.
2. The CRM Fields page is also available for Appointments as well. I suggest a chest bump this time.
3. You can also now Track recurring appointments. Victory Lap!
Anything you’re still wondering about? Just let me know. Stay tuned for more posts on how administrators can administer CRM data filters, and the story about Multi Instances inside your Outlook!
Cheers,