If you are developer who is asked: how
do we customize Microsoft CRM – read this and you will have the clues on where
to look further.

1. Microsoft CRM SDK – this is
   software development kit with C# and partly VB.net examples – it is supported
   by Microsoft Business Solutions technical support.  It is all web services
   based calls, if you are C# .NET developer – you are excellently positioned to
   do this type of customizations.  This is the preferred customization scenarios
   and this should be easily upgradeable customization.


2. Legacy SQL Data integration. 
   This is also easy and safe.  If you have SQL database, sitting on the same or
   linked SQL Server – you can create ASPX .Net application and simply integrate
   it into CRM.  You can place it on the navigation bar or menu in isv.config –
   please refer to MS CRM SDK


3. Legacy ASP integration –
   this is somewhat more sophisticated.  You have to deploy HTTP handler to be a
   middle party between CRM which is .Net based and ASP which is legacy IIS.  The
   trick is – you have to have INI file with security settings to penetrate into
   MS CRM with proper credentials, calling web service.


4. Microsoft Exchange Programming. 
   Microsoft CRM has Exchange connector – which moves CRM incoming email to MS if
   it has GUID in its subject.  You can alter this logic (for instance - move
   email to CRM if it doesn’t have GUID but it is from the sender who is contact
   or account in MS CRM).  Refer to MS Exchange SDK onsyncsave event handling. 
   Then simply apply some MS CRM SDK programming


5. Direct SQL touch – in #4
   above I described you the scenario with MS Exchange handlers – this would be
   ideal world if MS CRM SDK does the job.  But – in real world this is not
   always true – you have to do direct flags correction in CRM database (like
   making Activity closed, moving email attachments/octet streams, etc).  This is
   not supported by MBS technical support – but you can rescue to this technique
   if you have to make job done.


6. MS CRM Customization tool –
   you can feel free to use this – this is rather end-user tool and we don’t
   describe it here – read the manual.  We’ve described above the options to use
   when this tool doesn’t do the job

Happy customizing!
if you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-866-528-0577!
help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew Karasev is Chief Technology
Officer in Alba Spectrum Technologies – USA nationwide Microsoft CRM, Microsoft
Great Plains customization company, based in Chicago, California, Colorado, Texas, New
York, Georgia and Florida, Canada, UK, Australia, Brazil, Mexico (www.albaspectrum.com
), he is Dexterity, SQL, C#.Net, Crystal Reports and Microsoft CRM SDK
developer.