Synchronizing Accounts in an Offline World

Synchronization of CRM can be set up so that top management can sync with many (or all) accounts. Even those not owned by them will be synced so that they can carry account and contact information in the offline mode.

In the Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook, you can set up and activate a local data group which specifies what records are available offline. These can’t be exported and shared with another person, but must be set up on each person’s laptop.

You can see what data filters are being applied to your offline synchronization by, clicking Local Data on the CRM menu.  Data filters are additive, so all of the filters on the Local Data tab are being applied.

• To deactivate an active data group, on the Data Groups tab, select one or more data groups. On the tool bar, click the Deactivate button (a red circle with a red square.) This deactivates all of the data groups and moves them to the Inactive Data Groups tab.
• To activate an inactive data group, on the Local Data dialog box, on the Inactive Data Groups tab, select one or more data groups and then click the Activate button (a green circle with a green triangle.)  All active data groups appear on the Data Groups tab.
• To edit existing data groups, double-click on the item in the list.
   
  Tip: Keep the original data group on the Inactive Data Groups tab, make a copy using Save As, make your changes, and then activate it.

Here is how you take all account and contact information offline. 

   1. In Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook, on the CRM menu, click Local Data.  

   2. On the Data Group tab, click New.

   3. On the Data Group dialog box, in the Look for list, select Account.

   4. Click Save, enter a name for the data group, for example “All Accounts”, and then click OK.

   5. Repeat steps 2 through 4, except select “Contacts” and name the data group “All Contacts.”

   6. Close the Data Groups dialog box.

   7. On the Local Data dialog box, click OK.

The next time you go offline, all of the accounts and contacts, irregardless of the owner, will be synchronized and available offline.

You can find more information about how to set up a local data group, in the online Help topic:  Synchronize your Microsoft CRM data in Microsoft CRM Client for Outlook and the procedure Edit your local data group filters.  There is a typo on these topics. So all references to “Target menu”, should be “CRM menu.”  This is being updated in the next update of the online Help.

Want to learn more about how to use Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0?
Visit http://www.microsoft.com/dynamics/crm/using/default.mspx.

And if you are in the Seattle area, check out Muse Pagoda, a group of Microsoft musicians. Monday night, 20 Feb at the Baltic Room or Monday night 27 Feb at Chop Suey. Have a great weekend!