Microsoft Crm Faq

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Click on the topics below to display frequently asked questions.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Application What is Microsoft CRM? What sort of sales management functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? What sort of customer service functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? How is Microsoft CRM implemented and supported? Is Microsoft CRM accessible offline as well as from the web? Can Microsoft CRM be customized to suit specific business needs? What are the implications of Microsoft CRM being a .NET business application? Does Microsoft CRM support different languages?

Microsoft CRM is a business application designed to help businesses build more profitable customer relationships. Microsoft CRM makes it easy for employees to share complete customer information across teams and departments, automates sales and customer service processes, and equips your business to make informed, agile decisions. Using the Microsoft Outlook® or the Web browser client, Microsoft CRM helps free employees from time-consuming tasks and equips them with the tools and information they need to sell effectively and deliver consistent, efficient service. Designed for lower total cost of ownership, Microsoft CRM is easy to set up, customize, use, and integrate with other business systems. As Microsoft CRM is Microsoft .NET-connected, businesses can easily integrate Microsoft CRM with financial applications, third-party applications and Web services, and create customized solutions.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Application What is Microsoft CRM? What sort of sales management functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? What sort of customer service functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? How is Microsoft CRM implemented and supported? Is Microsoft CRM accessible offline as well as from the web? Can Microsoft CRM be customized to suit specific business needs? What are the implications of Microsoft CRM being a .NET business application? Does Microsoft CRM support different languages?

• Complete customer view and activity management: View and manage account activity, customer history, calendar, and communications including phone, fax, and e-mail. • Access from Outlook: Access full sales functionality either online and offline from Outlook. • Opportunity management: Qualify leads and track opportunities separately from customers through the sales cycle. • Workflow rules: Use or customize automated business processes for leads routing, opportunity tracking, and pipeline management. • Information sharing: Centralized data storage and integration capabilities make it easy to access, update, and share consistent, current information across teams and departments. • Order management: Automatically update orders with product catalogues, quotes, and invoices. • Quotas: Measure sales against individual employee goals. • Direct e-mail: Customize templates and use Mail Merge from Microsoft Word to send email to targeted groups. • Sales library: Create and maintain a searchable library of sales and marketing literature. • Reports: Use or customize a wide range of reports to forecast sales, measure business activity, and identify trends

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Application What is Microsoft CRM? What sort of sales management functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? What sort of customer service functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? How is Microsoft CRM implemented and supported? Is Microsoft CRM accessible offline as well as from the web? Can Microsoft CRM be customized to suit specific business needs? What are the implications of Microsoft CRM being a .NET business application? Does Microsoft CRM support different languages?

• Case management: Create and assign cases for customer service requests and manage those cases from creation to resolution. • Activity management: View and update calendar, workload, and records. • Routing and queuing: Use workflow rules to automatically route service requests and cases to appropriate resources for resolution or reassignment. • Searchable knowledgebase: Easily create and update a library of articles and FAQ’s. • Contracts: Create, update, and manage contracts and service license agreements. • E-Mail auto-response: Use customizable templates and send automated responses to customer requests.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Application What is Microsoft CRM? What sort of sales management functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? What sort of customer service functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? How is Microsoft CRM implemented and supported? Is Microsoft CRM accessible offline as well as from the web? Can Microsoft CRM be customized to suit specific business needs? What are the implications of Microsoft CRM being a .NET business application? Does Microsoft CRM support different languages?

Microsoft CRM is designed for rapid implementation, with centralized server-side installation that ensures faster deployment, easier maintenance, and more straightforward upgrades. Because Microsoft CRM is delivered, implemented, and supported through highly trained Microsoft Business Solutions partners, you’ll have hands-on assistance with the setup and maintenance process.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Application What is Microsoft CRM? What sort of sales management functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? What sort of customer service functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? How is Microsoft CRM implemented and supported? Is Microsoft CRM accessible offline as well as from the web? Can Microsoft CRM be customized to suit specific business needs? What are the implications of Microsoft CRM being a .NET business application? Does Microsoft CRM support different languages?

Yes. Microsoft CRM offers both a rich client (accessible through Microsoft Outlook) and a thin client (accessible from anywhere through a Web browser). Users can work either online or offline to access sales functionality from Outlook. This means that they can pull up accounts, contacts, products, sales literature, activities, and opportunities, as well as synchronize Microsoft CRM contacts, appointments, tasks, and e-mails with Outlook.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Application What is Microsoft CRM? What sort of sales management functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? What sort of customer service functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? How is Microsoft CRM implemented and supported? Is Microsoft CRM accessible offline as well as from the web? Can Microsoft CRM be customized to suit specific business needs? What are the implications of Microsoft CRM being a .NET business application? Does Microsoft CRM support different languages?

Microsoft CRM can be tailored to meet your business needs, processes, and environment. You'll be able to import existing data from multiple sources, integrate with new or existing solutions, and scale the installation as your business changes and grows.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Application What is Microsoft CRM? What sort of sales management functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? What sort of customer service functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? How is Microsoft CRM implemented and supported? Is Microsoft CRM accessible offline as well as from the web? Can Microsoft CRM be customized to suit specific business needs? What are the implications of Microsoft CRM being a .NET business application? Does Microsoft CRM support different languages?

The first business application built from the ground up on Microsoft .Net technologies, Microsoft CRM delivers tremendous business value through the ability to easily integrate with Microsoft Office, Microsoft Business Solutions and other third party applications, and Web services. In addition, the flexible .NET architecture gives users the choice of working online or offline in Microsoft Outlook or directly through a Web browser.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Application What is Microsoft CRM? What sort of sales management functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? What sort of customer service functionality does Microsoft CRM offer? How is Microsoft CRM implemented and supported? Is Microsoft CRM accessible offline as well as from the web? Can Microsoft CRM be customized to suit specific business needs? What are the implications of Microsoft CRM being a .NET business application? Does Microsoft CRM support different languages?

Yes. Microsoft CRM 1.2 is available in U.S. and International English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Dutch, Brazilian Portuguese, Hungarian, Polish, Czech, Swedish and Russian.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Integration How does Microsoft CRM integrate with the Microsoft Office System? Does Microsoft CRM integrate with Microsoft Business Solutions applications? Does Microsoft CRM integrate with nonMicrosoft applications?

The Sales and Customer Service Modules of Microsoft CRM are integrated with Microsoft Office 2000, Office XP, and Microsoft Office Edition 2003 applications. From within Microsoft CRM, users are able to export data into Microsoft Excel, create form letters and perform mail merge using Microsoft Word by clicking on the Excel and Word icons included in the application.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Integration How does Microsoft CRM integrate with the Microsoft Office System? Does Microsoft CRM integrate with Microsoft Business Solutions applications? Does Microsoft CRM integrate with nonMicrosoft applications?

Microsoft distributes out-of-the-box basic tools that integrate Microsoft CRM 1.0/1.2 and Microsoft Great Plains 7.0/7.5/8.0. Advanced integration tools for Microsoft CRM and Microsoft Great Plains, as well as Microsoft Navision, Microsoft Axapta and Microsoft Solomon are/will be available through multiple ISVs. ISV integrations for Microsoft Great Plains are available today. ISV integrations for Microsoft Navision, Microsoft Axapta, and Microsoft Solomon are being built. We expect these latter MBS ERP integrations to be available in Q4 FY05. The Microsoft-distributed integration with Microsoft Great Plains includes key data such as: Contacts, accounts, products, price lists, orders, contracts, and more. Data mapping can be customized using Microsoft BizTalk® Server tools and services that ship with Microsoft CRM.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Integration How does Microsoft CRM integrate with the Microsoft Office System? Does Microsoft CRM integrate with Microsoft Business Solutions applications? Does Microsoft CRM integrate with nonMicrosoft applications?

Yes. Our Microsoft Certified partners can help their customers customize their Microsoft CRM solution for integration with third-party applications, using open Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and Microsoft BizTalk Server tools and services. If you’re a Small Business partner with a customer that requires advanced integration and customization, we recommend that you follow one of two paths – Visit: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/training/find/ findcourse.mspx to take advanced training on Microsoft CRM Partner with a Microsoft CRM Certified Software Advisor that has the necessary skills to do the advanced customization. To find a Microsoft CRM CSA, please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/BusinessSolutions/CRM/crm _howtobuy_order.aspx

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Windows Small Business Server What are the major differences between the standard edition and premium edition of Windows Small Business Server 2003? Why does Microsoft CRM 1.2 require Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition? How many users does Windows Small Business Server 2003 support? Does Windows Small Business Server 2003 include Microsoft Outlook 2003? What are the benefits of implementing Microsoft CRM on Windows Small Business Server?

• The standard edition of Windows Small Business Server 2003 includes Windows Server 2003 technologies, including fax service, firewall service, and remote-access service. Additionally, it includes Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, enhanced tools for server monitoring and administration, and an out-ofthe-box solution for internal Web sites. The standard edition is ideal for customers who do not require the higher-level functionality included in the premium edition. • The premium edition includes everything in the standard edition, plus Microsoft SQL Server 2000, Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration (ISA) Server 2000, and Microsoft FrontPage 2003. The premium edition is ideal for small businesses with more demanding IT needs, such as data-intensive line-of-business applications (such as Microsoft CRM) , or advanced firewall and Web-caching capabilities.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Windows Small Business Server What are the major differences between the standard edition and premium edition of Windows Small Business Server 2003? Why does Microsoft CRM 1.2 require Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition? How many users does Windows Small Business Server 2003 support? Does Windows Small Business Server 2003 include Microsoft Outlook 2003? What are the benefits of implementing Microsoft CRM on Windows Small Business Server?

Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition includes Microsoft SQL 2000. Microsoft SQL is a database management system designed to manage a large set of structured data, and run operations on the data requested by numerous users. Microsoft CRM requires Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition over the Standard Edition because of the inclusion of Microsoft SQL 2000. All data entered into Microsoft CRM is stored within the Microsoft SQL 2000 database.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Windows Small Business Server What are the major differences between the standard edition and premium edition of Windows Small Business Server 2003? Why does Microsoft CRM 1.2 require Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition? How many users does Windows Small Business Server 2003 support? Does Windows Small Business Server 2003 include Microsoft Outlook 2003? What are the benefits of implementing Microsoft CRM on Windows Small Business Server?

Windows Small Business Server 2003 has a limit of 75 users on the server.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Windows Small Business Server What are the major differences between the standard edition and premium edition of Windows Small Business Server 2003? Why does Microsoft CRM 1.2 require Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition? How many users does Windows Small Business Server 2003 support? Does Windows Small Business Server 2003 include Microsoft Outlook 2003? What are the benefits of implementing Microsoft CRM on Windows Small Business Server?

Yes. Both the standard edition and the premium edition of Windows Small Business Server 2003 include Outlook 2003. Each Windows Small Business Server 2003 client access license (CAL) allows either one user or one device to run a copy of Outlook 2003.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Windows Small Business Server What are the major differences between the standard edition and premium edition of Windows Small Business Server 2003? Why does Microsoft CRM 1.2 require Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition? How many users does Windows Small Business Server 2003 support? Does Windows Small Business Server 2003 include Microsoft Outlook 2003? What are the benefits of implementing Microsoft CRM on Windows Small Business Server?

Implementing Microsoft CRM on Windows Small Business Server offers the combined benefits of both solutions. Learn more about the top benefits of Windows Small Business Server at: www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2003/sbs/evaluation /top.mspx. Learn about the top benefits of Microsoft CRM at: www.microsoft.com/crm.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Outlook 2003 with BCM vs. Microsoft CRM How is Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager different from Microsoft CRM?

• Customer Profiles

Microsoft CRM is a full CRM system while Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager is a single-user, desktop business contact management program. Microsoft CRM offers rich CRM functionality, such as account and contact management, order management, account hierarchies, lead management, competitive tracking, workflow support, and customer service. Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager gives small businesses rich contact management functionality to help users manage customer contacts, accounts, and sales opportunities.

• Deployment

To learn more, please visit:

• Functionality • Architecture • Integration • Configuration & Customization

• Distribution • Pricing

http://www.microsoft.com/office/outlook/contactmanager/prodinfo/compa

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Outlook 2003 with BCM vs. Microsoft CRM How is Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager different from Microsoft CRM? • Functionality • Architecture • Integration • Configuration & Customization • Customer Profiles • Deployment • Distribution • Pricing

Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager is a single-user desktop program that extends the features of Outlook 2003. Microsoft CRM is a client/server application that works in a multi-user environment.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Outlook 2003 with BCM vs. Microsoft CRM How is Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager different from Microsoft CRM? • Functionality • Architecture • Integration • Configuration & Customization • Customer Profiles • Deployment • Distribution • Pricing

Both Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager and Microsoft CRM integrate with Microsoft Office programs. Microsoft CRM additionally offers deep integration with enterprise resource management (ERM) systems and third-party programs by working with SOAP and Extensible Markup Language (XML).

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Outlook 2003 with BCM vs. Microsoft CRM How is Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager different from Microsoft CRM? • Functionality • Architecture • Integration • Configuration & Customization • Customer Profiles • Deployment • Distribution • Pricing

Microsoft CRM can meet a company's particular needs with customizable data schema, forms, and business processes. Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager can help meet the contact management needs of small business users out of the box.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Outlook 2003 with BCM vs. Microsoft CRM How is Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager different from Microsoft CRM? • Functionality • Architecture • Integration • Configuration & Customization • Customer Profiles • Deployment • Distribution • Pricing

Microsoft CRM is intended for businesses with 25 to 500 employees and at least $5 million US in revenues. Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager is designed for businesses with fewer than 25 employees and less than $5 million US in revenues that need a single-user contact management solution.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Outlook 2003 with BCM vs. Microsoft CRM How is Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager different from Microsoft CRM? • Functionality • Architecture • Integration • Configuration & Customization • Customer Profiles • Deployment • Distribution • Pricing

Microsoft CRM requires an IT staff or partner to set it up, as well as additional Microsoft technology, such as Microsoft Windows® 2000 Server, the Microsoft Active Directory® directory service, Microsoft SQL Server™, and optionally, Microsoft Exchange Server. Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager is an out of the box solution.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Outlook 2003 with BCM vs. Microsoft CRM How is Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager different from Microsoft CRM? • Functionality • Architecture • Integration • Configuration & Customization • Customer Profiles • Deployment • Distribution • Pricing

Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager is included in Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003 and Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003. Customers licensing Microsoft Office Professional Enterprise Edition 2003 have the rights to Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager and can obtain the CD from Microsoft on request. A product fulfillment fee will apply. Microsoft CRM is sold separately through Microsoft reseller partners.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Outlook 2003 with BCM vs. Microsoft CRM How is Outlook 2003 with Business Contact Manager different from Microsoft CRM? • Functionality • Architecture • Integration • Configuration & Customization • Customer Profiles • Deployment • Distribution • Pricing

Business Contact Manager comes with Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003. For Microsoft CRM 1.2 Pricing, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/BusinessSolutions/crm/crm_ howtobuy_pricing.aspx Additionally, beginning February 1, 2005, Microsoft is introducing Microsoft CRM 1.2 Pricing for Small Business. This special pricing for Microsoft CRM Sales Standard and Professional is designed to meet the needs of small businesses. Windows Small Business Server 2003 Premium Edition is required to be eligible for this new discounted pricing. To learn more, please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/partner/smallbizcrm

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Reporting What reporting capabilities does Microsoft CRM offer? What are the Crystal Reports within Microsoft CRM used for? Are you able to create custom reports for use within Microsoft CRM? What products and versions are required to modify reports and create new reports? Can you export data out of a Crystal report? Is there any security within the Microsoft CRM Crystal reports to prevent someone from viewing information they should not?

Microsoft CRM includes a comprehensive set of reporting tools for measuring business activity and forecasting sales. You can run and view reports for sales activity and quotas, closed and pending orders, support incident management and resolution, closed and pending orders, financial summaries, and more. The robust reporting capability of Microsoft CRM will help you identify the opportunities, trends, and problems that guide your business decision making processes. You also can easily export Microsoft CRM report data to other applications, such as Microsoft Excel.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Reporting What reporting capabilities does Microsoft CRM offer? What are the Crystal Reports within Microsoft CRM used for? Are you able to create custom reports for use within Microsoft CRM? What products and versions are required to modify reports and create new reports? Can you export data out of a Crystal report? Is there any security within the Microsoft CRM Crystal reports to prevent someone from viewing information they should not?

You can use the reporting functionality in Microsoft® Business Solutions CRM to generate standard reports and charts for sales and customer service activities. When you choose one of these reports, Microsoft CRM automatically regenerates the report and displays it in your browser.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Reporting What reporting capabilities does Microsoft CRM offer? What are the Crystal Reports within Microsoft CRM used for? Are you able to create custom reports for use within Microsoft CRM? What products and versions are required to modify reports and create new reports? Can you export data out of a Crystal report? Is there any security within the Microsoft CRM Crystal reports to prevent someone from viewing information they should not?

You can use the Crystal Reports Enhanced Edition for Microsoft CRM, which is included with your product, to do more than simply generate reports. When used together with Crystal Reports Designer, you can generate ad-hoc reports or modify existing reports for distribution to users across your organization.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Reporting What reporting capabilities does Microsoft CRM offer? What are the Crystal Reports within Microsoft CRM used for? Are you able to create custom reports for use within Microsoft CRM? What products and versions are required to modify reports and create new reports? Can you export data out of a Crystal report? Is there any security within the Microsoft CRM Crystal reports to prevent someone from viewing information they should not?

To modify reports, you must purchase the Professional, Developer, or Advanced edition of Crystal Reports 9. After installing it on a computer other than your Microsoft CRM server, you must apply the Crystal Reports Enhanced Edition, available on the Crystal Reports Enhancement CD included with Microsoft CRM. For more information about obtaining Crystal Reports 9, see www.businessobjects.com/mscrm.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Reporting What reporting capabilities does Microsoft CRM offer? What are the Crystal Reports within Microsoft CRM used for? Are you able to create custom reports for use within Microsoft CRM? What products and versions are required to modify reports and create new reports? Can you export data out of a Crystal report? Is there any security within the Microsoft CRM Crystal reports to prevent someone from viewing information they should not?

You can export reports you've generated into Microsoft Word (.doc), Microsoft Excel (.xls), or Crystal report (.rpt) format.

Microsoft CRM FAQ’s •

Microsoft CRM Reporting What reporting capabilities does Microsoft CRM offer? What are the Crystal Reports within Microsoft CRM used for? Are you able to create custom reports for use within Microsoft CRM? What products and versions are required to modify reports and create new reports? Can you export data out of a Crystal report? Is there any security within the Microsoft CRM Crystal reports to prevent someone from viewing information they should not?

All reports are associated with a security role, and individuals associated to each security role can view only reports assigned to their specific security roles and roles with fewer security privileges. This means that if you have User privileges, you will be able to view only reports that users are allowed to see, but if you have Manager privileges, you will be able to view reports that managers and users are allowed to see, and so on. The security roles for Crystal Reports are as follows: • Administrator. Administrators can view all reports. • Executive. Executives can view Opportunity reports sorted by business unit, and all reports assigned to managers and users. • Manager. Managers can view Opportunity and Account reports sorted by salesperson, territory, team, and estimated revenue, and all reports assigned to users. • User. Users can view basic and sales-cycle stage information for leads, opportunities, contacts, and accounts, and all available information about competitors and sales literature.