Michael Rich

My new role!

Michael Rich — Fri, 07 Jul 2006 02:59:00 GMT

Many of you already know that I have started a new role as a Senior Product Manager in Redmond.

I'm looking forward to continuing to work with the field in this new role, listening to your ideas and providing you with solutions to sell more CRM and make your businesses more successful.

As such, I won't be posting to the West Coast blog anymore, but I hope my successor will take it up.

In the meantime, check out all the other great CRM listed here.

Thanks!

Michael

May Solutions Webcast

Michael Rich — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 20:28:00 GMT

The May Solutions Webcast featured Eloqua and Streamline Solutions. You can view it here:

https://www119.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/view?cn=&id=DFDT2Z&pw=

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Virtual Machine - May Release

Michael Rich — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 20:09:00 GMT

The latest Microsoft CRM 3.0 VPC image demo system is now available for partner download here from the Microsoft Download Center!

This May 2006 release is a major update of the popular Microsoft CRM 3.0 VPC image released on December 19^th, 2005. Designed to help partners and field team members facilitate cost-effective, customizable, and quick-to-launch demonstrations, the image includes several upgrades and improvements based on your feedback from the initial release –

Enriched VPC data quality –
- Two completed marketing campaigns
- Thousands of transactions
- Tens of thousands of activities
Included strong examples of Microsoft CRM integration with Microsoft Word, Microsoft SharePoint, Microsoft SQL Server Reporting, and more

Optimized run speed and file size of the VPC image to enhance the presentation quality and experience

This image will be supported with additional demo scripts to be released early June 2006. The scripts will be posted directly to the Microsoft CRM VPC download site within the Microsoft Download Center.

Hard copies of the VPC image will also be available for ordering externally at https://mbs3.microsoft.com/onlineorder/ (part number: LMDV-L000-D00A300) within the June 2006 timeframe.

System Requirements

Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003; Windows XP

Other Requirements: Personal Computer with 1.5 GHz or higher processor and at least 1.5 GB RAM.
15 GB free hard drive space
Super VGA (1024x768) video adapter/monitor
Microsoft Virtual PC 2004 SP1 software (package contains trial version)

Microsoft CRM VPC Feedback Site - http://www.microsoftcrmdemo.com/feedback

Additional Partner Quotes -

"We love it, we love it, we love it! The new Microsoft CRM VPC image shows off many of the product's rich customization and deep integration features, but it's still fast and easy enough for our sales team to demo off of a single laptop."

Mike Snyder | Sonoma Partners

“This image is going to have a huge impact on our ability to sell….I was able to pull together a fully functional demonstration of very key aspects of [a key prospect’s] sales process and was still able to show a broad overview of the power of the platform including SharePoint, Search, Scorecards, and much, much more.”

Jim Stout | CEO, Invoke Systems

"The recently released CRM image is awesome. It is great to see Microsoft listening to partners and responding with tools that will help us close more deals. Microsoft's integrated vision for CRM can really be proven with this new demo environment. Hats off to everyone who helped build this for us”

Scott Millwood | President, Customer Effective

New Microsoft Dynamics CRM VPC Demo
June 08, 2006 12:00 PM Pacific
Attend this web seminar to learn how to effectively demo the recently released Microsoft CRM VPC. By attending this web seminar, you will get a walkthrough of some of the new features to demo and how to show them to prospective customers. Also, you will learn about the customizations made, business intelligence tools and Word integration. To register:
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April Solutions Webcast

Michael Rich — Tue, 02 May 2006 00:35:00 GMT

View the April Solutions Webcast featuring

https://www119.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/view?id=SW927N

Offering Microsoft CRM Hosted to your customers

Michael Rich — Sun, 23 Apr 2006 09:08:00 GMT

One of the biggest advantages Microsoft CRM has is the ability to be able to be on-premise or hosted. (See Charlie Wood’s great article he has on the SaaS vs on premise with Microsoft CRM.) The on-premise product has been available for some time, so we aren’t going to focus on them right now. For the hosted, most of the partners I talk to still aren’t sure how to approach the opportunity. What I mean by that, is hosted another competitor that they have to worry about? The quick answer is no. Nor does it mean that you have to go out, become a data center and host Microsoft CRM yourself. (Which you can do.)

One of our hosting partners has seen the value in hosting Microsoft CRM, but does not nor will become a Microsoft CRM consulting company. This gives you the ability to be able to do some consulting around Microsoft CRM and not care if the software is installed locally or available as Software as a Service. (SaaS) They also pay a decent referral commission that gives you a monthly recurring revenue that overtime will overtake the CSA fees we pay to you for on premise software.

If you are interested, contact Lance at www.StreamSol.com They are also interested in hearing from our ISV partners that would like to offer their product in a Software as a Service model.

Lance actually also publishes a nice demo site where you can play with Microsoft CRM and OPENLY publishes his price list for CRM. Contact him today to see how you can partner to offer Microsoft CRM hosted to your clients and prospects.

Announcing Microsoft Dynamics CRM Connector for Microsoft Dynamics GP

Michael Rich — Thu, 06 Apr 2006 03:22:00 GMT

Companies use Dynamics GP to track inventory, receipt of payments and Financial beside other business functionalities and Dynamics CRM v3.0 to enable sales, marketing and customer service teams to build lasting customer relationships with an affordable, easy-to-use CRM solution from Microsoft.

The Connector is available on PartnerSource here:

https://mbs.microsoft.com/partnersource/products/mscrm/downloads/releases/microsoft_crm_connector.htm?printpage=false

March ISV Solutions Webcast

Michael Rich — Thu, 23 Mar 2006 01:53:00 GMT

https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/view?id=CSJ93P

People Ready?

Michael Rich — Tue, 21 Mar 2006 01:10:00 GMT

Check out some of the great productivity features coming out with pending releases of Office and Exchange.

http://www.microsoft.com/events/executives/webcasts.mspx

Microsoft Dynamics Snap Blog

Michael Rich — Mon, 20 Mar 2006 20:47:00 GMT

Check out the new Microsoft Dynamics Snap Blog at

http://blogs.msdn.com/dynamicssnap/

Updates

Michael Rich — Wed, 15 Mar 2006 17:47:00 GMT

I have been travelling and presenting quite a bit, and I have not been able to post as often as I would like.

So, I'm going to steal some great posts from my colleagues:

Check out Ben's post about the Group1 Data Quality Adapter:
http://blogs.msdn.com/midatlanticcrm/archive/2006/03/14/ISV_Support_for_Microsoft_CRM_3_Group1_Data_Quality_Adapter.aspx
Great stuff!

Simon gives us a tutorial in MS Licensing
http://blogs.msdn.com/ukcrm/archive/2006/03/11/549441.aspx
Thanks Simon!

For your inner Geek, Michaeljon Miller talks about using the CRM SDK in an offline state.
http://blogs.msdn.com/mikemill/archive/2006/03/02/542387.aspx

Finally, try out the new version Internet Explorer - it rocks, and it has great RSS capabilities built right into it...
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/ie7/default.mspx

Microsoft CRM Monthly Solutions Webcast - Western Region February Recording

Michael Rich — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 23:01:00 GMT

    Subject:              Microsoft CRM Monthly Solutions Webcast - Western Region
    Recording URL:        https://www.livemeeting.com/cc/microsoft/view
    Recording ID:         9DF65J

Convergence 2006 Customer Focus Groups

Michael Rich — Mon, 06 Mar 2006 22:28:00 GMT

At Convergence, we will be launching a set of customer focus groups with regards to CRM futures. If you are bringing prospects to Convergence (or know of other companies in the Dallas area that do not use CRM today), we would like to meet with them for a 1-hour session.

Ideally we are looking for 8 companies in total, and while we are looking to use this event for CRM perceptions and behaviors, we could position this as a meeting where prospects have the opportunity to speak directly with key Microsoft CRM product personnel.

The focus group for this audience is set for Saturday, March 25 and will last 1 hour. If you know of any prospects that fit the aforementioned criteria, and would be interested to sit-down and talk shop with the CRM team, please send their contact information directly to me and I will forward to the correct Microsoft people.

Thanks, and hope to see you there!

Microsoft CRM on Blackberry

Michael Rich — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 20:02:00 GMT

Check out Ben Vollmer's excellent article about Blackberry support...

http://blogs.msdn.com/midatlanticcrm/archive/2006/03/02/Blackberry_Solution_for_Microsoft_CRM_3.aspx

Using Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3 without Microsoft Exchange Server

Michael Rich — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 23:34:00 GMT

This download gives an overview of how Microsoft CRM e-mail integration works using Microsoft Exchange Server, and then addresses the options available to customers who are not using Exchange.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=2417e918-2e30-41db-a3b2-2f800bf76ffe&displaylang=en

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Data Migration Pack

Michael Rich — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 23:31:00 GMT

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Data Migration Pack has SHIPPED!!

We have released our Data Migration Pack for v3.0, comprising of:

Data Migration Framework 3.0
An updated version of the tool we provided for 1.2, now enhanced with a explanatory interface that guides users through the data migration process. This is the main tool that our partners will be using when migrating data into CRM from different systems.
Data Migration Wizard for Microsoft Office Outlook with Business Contact Manager
An end-to-end wizard targeted at our Small Business Edition folks, we now provide an easy-to-use migration option for users coming from Business Contact Manager and moving to Microsoft CRM.

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=3D36AC8E-B485-4F0C-9DEC-C9BACBAD1A73&displaylang=en

Microsoft CRM 3.0 Learning and Certification

Michael Rich — Thu, 16 Feb 2006 21:18:00 GMT

3.0 exams became live at VUE testing centers (yesterday) and all core exam training in eCourse format has been released.

1.) Learning Plans – (both Organizational and Individual plans)

a. Visit: http://www.msreadiness.com/msdynamicslearningplan.asp

· These plans can help you align to the testing and exams you need to achieve in order to meet MS competencies, SPA requirements and/or any additional product training they may need training on (ie: additional Sales, Technical and Compete training events).

2.) Learning Consultants

a. TRNADVZR@microsoft.com

· These people are committed to helping guiding partners through your learning plan. One you’re active on a Learning Plan they can provide insight on additional events, promotions and program benefits which ensures you’re getting trained or certified at a low cost while keeping any process complexities to a minimum. They are the “know-it-alls” of Microsoft Dynamics training events, certifications and the connection points to the other MS internal personnel you are working with.

Using Sharepoint and MS CRM Data

Michael Rich — Tue, 14 Feb 2006 00:52:00 GMT

Check out this link for SharePoint usage with MSCRM

http://blogs.msdn.com/midatlanticcrm/archive/2006/02/13/Displaying_Microsoft_CRM_Business_Data_in_SharePoint_Web_Parts.aspx

Again, thanks to Ben Vollmer for posting this!

CRM Online Demos

Michael Rich — Wed, 08 Feb 2006 03:14:00 GMT

Check out this great post by Ben Vollmer:

Infuse your organization with new levels of customer intelligence using Microsoft Dynamics CRM version 3.0, an all-new customer relationship management (CRM) system that gives every customer-facing employee the information they need to truly impress customers. With Microsoft CRM, you can create a centralized repository of customer data that sits neatly alongside Microsoft Office and Microsoft Office Outlook -- the applications your employees probably use every day. From Outlook, employees access Microsoft CRM sales, marketing, and customer service modules to make sales decisions, market products, solve problems, and get strategic views of the business. It's CRM that works -- and works very well -- because it works the way your users already do, works the way your business already does, and works the way technology should.

To experience how Microsoft CRM can benefit your business, register and logon to the Microsoft CRM Virtual Labs demonstration site.

http://mscrm.demoservers.com/

Web To Lead

Michael Rich — Thu, 02 Feb 2006 18:32:00 GMT

Just posted in the CRM Sandbox: a web application that allows a user to enter information into a form, then populates the MSCRM Lead table with a new entry (in real time)...

http://www.gotdotnet.com/codegallery/releases/viewuploads.aspx?id=b6499eb0-0eae-4597-b38e-ee9cbc71a404

Effective E-Mail Demonstrations within your Virtual Machine

Michael Rich — Fri, 27 Jan 2006 04:02:00 GMT

OK folks, this is a long one, but I think you'll find it really useful. If you are like me, you are frustrated by not having e-mail show up in the Inbox when you are demoing. This solves all those problems...

I have a demo tool that puts e-mail into a mailbox, but I was not satisfied with it. It creates a POP-based e-mail that had too many limitations and didn’t let you take advantage of CRM’s deep integration with Exchange. So rather than write a new tool (I tried!) I came up with this scenario that let’s me demo sending (and tracking in CRM) e-mail between my CRM user and a contact.

The setup is kind of complicated, but it works really well.

I like to be logged in as Administrator when I’m demoing so that users can see all of the functionality. If you like to be someone else, then just set up that account instead of the Administrator account (you’ll need to be logged in as Administrator to set these things up, though).

What we are going to do is

(1) Set up the CRM Administrator with an Exchange account (he already has one, but it’s not set up as a recognized e-mail address in CRM)

(2) Set up one of our CRM contacts with an Exchange account (we’ll need to add that contact as an AD user, which will also set up his Exchange account)

(3) Set up Terminal Server to log into that new contact’s Outlook and send messages to our Administrator.

Whew! Ready? Here we go:

Microsoft CRM Settings

In Microsoft CRM (Web), select Settings, Business User Settings, Users
Double-click the Administrator account (I renamed my Administrator to “George Burns” so my demos would look better).
Set the Primary E-Mail to administrator@crm.corporate.example.microsoft.com
Click Save and Close
Select a Contact in CRM and edit the contact – I used Herbert Dorner with A Bike Store.
Enter a new e-mail address for your contact with the same domain as the one you just entered. For Herbert, I chose herbert.dorner@crm.corporate.example.microsoft.com – the important thing is just the “@crm.corporate.example.microsoft.com” part.
Click Save and Close

Domain / AD Settings

We are going to add our contact as a user on our network.

Click Start
Click Administrative Tools
Click Active Directory Users and Computers
Click crm.corporate.example.microsoft.com
Click Action | New | User
Enter the following information:

First Name – Herbert (or whatever contact you used)

Last Name – Dorner

User logon name – herbert.dorner (this will match the e-mail you created above)

Click Next
Enter the following information:

Password - pass@word1

Confirm password - pass@word1

User must change password at next login – Uncheck

User cannot change password – Uncheck

Password never expires – Check

Account is disabled – Uncheck

Click Next
Click Next (again – the defaults on the Exchange mailbox screen are fine)
Click Finish
Edit the user you created, and add the user to the following groups (this list is probably overkill, but I didn’t want to take to time to figure out minimum rights)

Administrators

Domain Admins

Domain Users

Remote Desktop Users

ReportingGroup {2fa729f9-cc42-4ef1-a245-8fd195460e63}

ReportingGroup {4805b648-4aa4-4340-8451-1addc030c397}

UserGroup {2fa729f9-cc42-4ef1-a245-8fd195460e63}

UserGroup {4805b648-4aa4-4340-8451-1addc030c397}

· Click OK

· Close Active Directory Users and Computers

Set up a Terminal Services logon

Click Start
Click All Programs
Click Accessories
Click Communications
Click Remote Desktop Connection
Click Options
Enter the following information:

Computer – triton

User name – herbert.dorner

Password – pass@word1

Domain – CRM

Save my password – Checked

Click Save As
Save the file to your desktop (I call my Log into Herbert Dorners Computer.RDP so that when I double click on it, prospects have a better understanding of what I’m doing)
Click Save
Click Cancel

How to demo with this:

Alright – here’s where the magic happens!

You can now open Outlook and send ol’ Herbert an e-mail. Do it from a CRM page, from creating a new message and click To… and selecting Herbert from the CRM Contacts list – wherever.

Now, we switch over to Herbert’s “Computer” which is really just going to be a Terminal Services session on our virtual machine.

Simply double click on the RDP file you put on your desktop and Herbert’s desktop will show up in a window (it’ll take a few seconds to log in).

You can then (inside this session) open Outlook – you can see and respond to e-mail sent from our CRM user (in my case the Administrator, who I renamed to be George Burns).

Voila!

Once you reply from Herbert, you can switch back to Outlook (the one running in the foreground) and see the replies, track them in CRM, etc.

While I have the Terminal Services session open (Herbert’s “Computer”), I like to add Outlook to the start programs, so it’s automatically run when I log in and it takes me straight into his e-mail.

WHEW!

So, a couple of caveats – when you are doing this in front of a prospect, explain what you are doing, but DON’T EXPLAIN IT ALL! Just let them know that you are logging into Herbert’s computer and we’ll see it running in a little window here. This is just to simulate Herbert’s e-mail and his experience.

MINIMIZE THE TIME YOU SPEND IN THE TERMINAL SERVICES SESSION and DOWNPLAY IT in your demo. If not, I guarantee you’ll spend your whole allotted time explaining Terminal Services instead of selling CRM!!!

As always, e-mail me with any questions, and Good Selling!

XBox Leaderboard

Michael Rich — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 20:54:00 GMT

Here's the latest leaderboard for the XBox Competition:

Interlink: 21

Allin Consulting: 16

Altara: 10

Remember, there are 2 events in the Bay Area - if you can't get prospects into the city, we also have an event in Santa Clara. You get credit for attendees in both cities (combined).

Overall, Northern California is near the top in registrations, but the Texans are kicking our collective butts. Let's pull more prospects in and show the Bay Area the power of Microsoft CRM!!!

Telephone-based Pre-Sales Technical Support

Michael Rich — Wed, 25 Jan 2006 02:58:00 GMT

As MSCRM gets hotter and hotter, I wanted to make sure you are aware of the Tele PTS options in case you cannot reach me directly:

If you ever need immediate pre-sales support assistance, you can contact our Telephone-Based Pre-Sales Technical Support services at 1 800 426-9400 option 1, ext. 82972 (MBS products) or ext. 82973 (Non-MBS Products) This service is available from 6:00am to 6:00pm Pacific Time. For service in French, call 1 877 453-1317.

You can also go this URL:
online submission: https://rtc.webresponse.one.microsoft.com/media/xp/hosted/opg_email/PTSForm.asp

Add Oganizational Charts to MSCRM!

Michael Rich — Tue, 24 Jan 2006 23:26:00 GMT

Check out my code on the sandbox to add an organzational chart to MSCRM.

It's a small VB.NET ASP application - you can also use the sample as a base for writing your own CRM enhancements and applications in VB.

Let me know if you do anything really cool!

http://www.gotdotnet.com/codegallery/releases/viewuploads.aspx?id=b6499eb0-0eae-4597-b38e-ee9cbc71a404

CRM Development Sandbox

Michael Rich — Fri, 20 Jan 2006 21:09:00 GMT

Looking for some code? Check out the CRM Sandbox at

http://codegallery.gotdotnet.com/crm

Nor Cal XBox 360 Contest Leader Board

Michael Rich — Wed, 18 Jan 2006 01:10:00 GMT

The results are starting to come in - let's put on the pressure and get more user to our NorCal Launch events!

The current standings are (totals are combined for Santa Clara and San Francisco Events):

Interlink Group (17 Registrations )
Allin (10 Registrations)
LexNet (6 Registration)

Let's pick up the pace and nab yourself an XBox 360!