If you are a CRM developer, there are quite a few beta technologies coming fast your way and you better be ready.

First off, SharePoint 2010 and Office 2010 are really great products to watch out for and if you haven’t had the time to play with it yet, there is a Virtual Machine available for you to download and start right away. You can download the virtual machine here: 2010 Information Worker Demonstration Virtual Machine (Beta). Also don’t forget to checkout the developer training kits by clicking on the product logos above.

Next up, I came across this video on twitter in which
David Yack talks about Silverlight 4 & xRM. A short compelling video and there is no reason not to listen to it. After watching it, I realized that there is a whole series of such videos on MSDN as a podcast series called Bytes by MSDN.

Bytes by MSDN is totally awesome. It is a collection of small podcasts usually under 5 minutes. Looking at the speaker line-up, it is a must add to your list of podcasts. The podcast feed is here:

http://services.social.microsoft.com/feeds/feed/BytesbyMSDN

Finally these things have increased my coding adrenaline to create a code sample that integrates CRM 4.0, Silverlight 4 & SharePoint 2010. It is a very basic sample and is almost ready. Look for it here shortly.

I just had one of those eureka moments and had to blog about it right away.

For years that I thought remote desktop would just take up one monitor so I never used it for programming on a remote machine or anything like that.

But I just realized that you could span your remote desktop session across multiple monitors! There is a neat little option in Remote Desktop (under Display tab) to enable the use of all monitors for remote session.

Apparently the basic multi monitor remote desktop support has been enabled since Vista and Windows7 only makes it better.

With Visual Studio 2010’s ability to drag individual code windows to separate monitors, this brings huge productivity gains (at least for me).

So what are you waiting for? Get the extra monitor and start coding now.

The solution that CSSI built on xRM is a great evidence on how developers can rapidly innovate and at the same time minimize risk by building on a proven platform. CSSI specializes in creating software to help companies with an insurance business model streamline and automate core business processes. Capitalizing on the built-in components and native extensibility offered through the xRM platform, CSSI built its VUE IncentivePoint solution in four months—70 percent faster than originally projected.

To quote Joseph Westlake, Vice President of Corporate Strategy, CSSI

“The workflow engine alone in xRM saved us a year in development time and helped us keep our project team small.”

Check out more about their solution on the case study page here: http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/
Case_Study_Detail.aspx?casestudyid=4000005412

You can also download this case study for printing & distribution here: CSSICaseStudy.doc

The case study that I’ll be showcasing today is a unique one because Spenta Consulting not only built a nice solution for the much needed public sector industry but also released most of the IP as an open source project you can download at http://csp.codeplex.com/. Their solution not just showcases the capabilities of xRM but also shows how you can integrate SharePoint with xRM for various portal needs.

Below is an extract from their case study which I personally love and vouch for.

Because of their previous experience with the Microsoft .NET Framework, the development team was immediately familiar with the xRM object model. “For developers experienced with the .NET Framework, working with xRM is very straightforward,” says Sabater. “It provides a good object model and easy-to-use Web services.”

Check out more about their solution on the case study page here: http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/
Case_Study_Detail.aspx?casestudyid=4000005391

You can also download this case study for printing & distribution here: SpentaConsultingCaseStudy.docx

Like climbers summiting a wind-swept mountain on little oxygen, tour operators often face harsh business conditions and work long hours. PEAK 15 Systems, named after the geographical survey name for Mount Everest, aims to guide tour operators to business success by reducing labor costs and increasing profitability. The PEAK 15 Tour Operator Software Suite helps operators assemble trips and drive more sales at the greatest possible efficiency.

Software Builder Guides Tour Operators to Success with Hosted Solution

As this solution proves, xRM makes it easy to host your applications in the cloud and more importantly do it in a multi-tenant way.

Check out more about their solution on the case study page here:

You can also download this case study for printing & distribution here: Peak15SystemsCaseStudy.docx

This week I’ll be showcasing some of the Independent software Vendors (ISVs) that have built industry vertical applications using xRM. Today we’ll take a look at Client Profiles' legal practice management software.

Powerful Application Framework Saves Legal Software Maker $2 Million

Check out more about their solution on the case study page here: http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/
Case_Study_Detail.aspx?casestudyid=4000005413

You can also download this case study for printing & distribution here: ClientProfilesCaseStudy.doc

Client Profiles saw an opportunity to develop legal practice management software that was easier to use than established solutions from Lexis-Nexis and Thomson Reuters. The company built a solution that takes advantage of the integration between Microsoft Dynamics® CRM and Microsoft® Office Outlook® to automate common tasks, such as retrieving new contacts for archival in a shared marketing database. To meet project goals, including rapid time-to-market, Client Profiles capitalized on the flexibility of xRM, the business application framework that underpins Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Developers accessed prebuilt workflow components and reporting services available through xRM to quickly infuse CRM4Legal with features that benefit multiple roles within any law firm. With xRM, Client Profiles dramatically reduced development time and achieved an estimated cost savings of U.S.$2 million.

Recently I ran across an article about doing research and it affected so much that I wanted to share with you all. I would call this a required reading for any developer/engineer out there. The article is A Stroke of Genius: Striving for Greatness in All You Do written by R.W. Hamming. Yes, the same Hamming who invented the Hamming code.

In the article Hamming spends a lots of time on choosing the right problem which is often overlooked by many (I’m no exception). This is especially true for developers (engineers) who can easily get excited by new technology and spend a lot of time on it without realizing if they’re solving a meaningful problem.

The very crucial idea that Hamming addresses (at the end though) is “Selling”. Developers and engineers usually don’t care about Selling but if you don’t sell your idea, no body is going to believe it or buy it. It’s not an easy thing but you have to push yourselves out of your comfort zone to make progress. It was one of the best things I discovered taking up the Technical Evangelist role at Microsoft where it’s not just good enough to come up with the best code or solution; Being able to communicate and sell your ideas to others is the thing that defines your success.

One thing I would like you to take away minimally from the article is:

“Remember you have but one life to live”.

<Cross-posting from Sanjay Jain’s blog entry>

We are ready to host our 1^st xRM Acceleration Lab from 14^th Dec’09 to 18^th Dec’09 at Microsoft Technology Center, Chicago, IL. This is an exclusive event tailored for leading industry ISVs. We would cover Executive Briefing (EB), Architecture Design Sessions (ADS), and Proof of Concept (POC) with the help of your team, on-site Microsoft experts, and off-shore development team, plus you would have access to Microsoft Dynamics Executives, all in one week.

I’ll be participating in this event as an advisor for one of the ISV teams. We did a couple of events last year similar to this focused around startups called the CRM Incubation Week, however this time around working with leading ISVs will be a different experience and we’ll be blogging more about these on-site and will share our findings and experiences with the community.

If you have any more ideas for events like these or would like to conduct one of these events in your area, please let us know.

Here is the full video of the “Phone Company” demo that shows the integration of Dynamics CRM “5”, AppFabric Service Bus and Windows Azure.

View & comment on Channel9

Note: Updated video (audio issue fixed) posted as a Channel9 screencast. To download this video, right click and download here. For better viewing experience, view this video in full screen.

Just found out that Barry Givens and Nikhil Hasija are doing another xRM session at PDC09. So that brings the total tally of xRM sessions to three! It might sound very low but this year PDC is only 3 days and almost the entire mornings on Day1 and Day2 will be spent in keynotes. Considering that, it’s a lot of sessions.

BTW if you are not at PDC, don’t worry, you can still catch all the actions online. The keynotes will be streamed live and all breakout sessions will be available on-demand for free within 24 hours.

So here is the final list of xRM sessions:

1. Managing the Solution Lifecycle for xRM Applications on Tuesday at 12:30 PM
2. Developing xRM Solutions Using Windows Azure on on Wednesday at 1:30 PM Thursday at 3:00 PM
3. Build a .NET Business Application in 60 Minutes with xRM and SharePoint on Thursday at 12:45 PM

If you are at PDC, don’t forget to check out the hands on lab area for CRM ‘5’ labs. Near by, we’ll also have the xRM/CRM booth, so please feel free to swing by and chat with one of the product team members.

On November 17 the Professional Developers Conference (PDC) kicks off in Los Angeles and xRM & Microsoft Dynamics CRM will be there to make sure you have a good show.

For those who don’t know what PDC is, it is the definitive Microsoft conference that showcases and gives you a roadmap of what’s coming out in the future from Microsoft.

This year xRM/CRM will be highlighted in the keynote speeches and in two three break-out sessions.

Andrew Bybee is presenting a session on Developing xRM Solutions Using Windows Azure, Nirav Shah is presenting on Managing the Solution Lifecycle for xRM Applications and Barry/Nikhil team will Build a .NET Business Application in 60 Minutes with xRM and SharePoint

If you’re involved with CRM & xRM in any capacity, you must hear Andrew Bybee (a.k.a Andy) speak. Both Andy and Nirav work in the R&D team and are responsible for the core features of the platform, so make sure you come with your list of questions.

During one of the sessions, you’ll be able to catch a really cool demo that I’ve been working on recently . It is a demo that integrates CRM, Azure & .NET Services together and I’ll spare the details for later.

You will also have the first opportunity to touch and play with CRM ‘5’ at PDC09. That’s right! At the hands on lab section in the Expo hall, my team has been working hard to have two hands on lab showcasing the Visualizations and Solutions packaging feature of CRM ‘5’.

Of course I’ll be there at PDC with a camera for Channel9 interviews. So if you have some interesting development work to show, make sure you flag me down.

See you in LA!

Today the first public release of Windows 7 will be available to all MSDN Subscribers. I’m truly excited about Windows 7 as it a game changing platform in many aspects.

Today, you will be able to download all Windows 7 Client (x86 and x64) Retail and VL Editions – English only on MSDN subscriber downloads. Along with this, you can also download language packs, WAIKs, WDKs, SDKs, and symbols in all available languages.

To support the variety of languages and builds, 893 different images are being released to MSDN Subscriber Downloads in three waves through August 21^st.

And while the download is going on, don’t forget to checkout the Windows section on Channel9.

http://channel9.msdn.com/windows/

Note for RC users: If you’re still using the Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) release, license expiration messages will begin on Feb 14, 2010 and it will time-bomb (shutdown every 2 hours) starting March 1, 2010.

For subscribers who receive media, the media for Windows 7 will be included in the November shipment.

Happy downloading and installing!

Get ready for the coolest developer event on the planet. Coming to Los Angeles again, PDC09 will be held from Nov 17th – 19th 2009.

I had a blast at last PDC and I really look forward for this year’s event. One of the reasons I really look forward is because we’ll definitely be talking about xRM. Titles of a few talks this year are published on the site’s ‘Sessions’ area. Note that we’ve only published a sub-set of ‘Sessions’ and there is many more to come. So stay tuned.

Developing xRM Solutions Using Windows Azure

You might ask how you can keep up with all the updates and sessions announcements. We’ve got an answer for you in feeds. When you’re on http://microsoftpdc.com make sure, to check out the RSS/ATOM feeds and subscribe to the ones that you’re interested in.

http://microsoftpdc.com/WhatsHappening/RSS

http://microsoftpdc.com/BehindTheScenes/RSS

http://microsoftpdc.com/Sessions/RSS

Registration for PDC 09 is now open. Register by September 15th at http://microsoftpdc.com/ and get a $500 early bird discount. Not bad, huh.

We’ll see you soon in LA.

Here is an interesting video that’s informative as well. It’s Friday evening after all , so chill out and enjoy this really nice & simple video that Steve Marx created to explain “What is Windows Azure?” with simple terms and hand drawn sketches.

Now that was a great, wasn’t it. Check out Steve Marx’s blog post that goes into much detail on how he created this video.

Maybe it’s time for me to fire up my tablet pc again. I’ll soon tell you about an interesting way in which I use my tablet pc.

I was really surprised when my twitter account http://twitter.com/girishr had a large number of new followers over the weekend. Now I know why.

After I caught up with my RSS feeds, I realized Menno did a great job of compiling the “influential” Microsoft Dynamics CRM people on twitter. You can see the list of people in the Dynamics CRM tribe twibe here

http://www.tekoppele.com/Blog/post/2009/07/17/20-Microsoft-Dynamics-CRM-Twitter-Users-You-Should-Follow.aspx

Menno,

Thanks for the honor. You’re now the official keeper of “List of twitter addicts in the CRM community”!

Time to get back to CRM evangelism, 140 characters at a time!