| |
| |
|
softwarecatch.com
|
|
|
|
Microsoft CRM Integration & Customization: SharePoint Document Gateway
MS CRM is very close to document workflow automation, including Microsoft Office documents: Words, Excel, etc. The document workflow was perfectly automated about 10 years ago in Lotus Notes Domino. In this small article we describe the solution based on MS CRM integration with MS SharePoint. Microsoft CRM is new player on CRM applications market and it is gaining its market share. Having different paradigm in its design (it stakes on Microsoft OS and technologies and completely disregards alternative platform, such as UNIX, Linux, Oracle, etc. based). Microsoft CRM market is very diversified: from small (5 users) to large (several hundred MS CRM User licenses) and it serves variety of industries: Transportation, Logistics, Lawyers, Pension Funds, High-Tech, and many others. Deploying technologies, like Windows Active Directory, Microsoft Exchange 2003/2000, SQL Server, Crystal Reports Enterprise, Biztalk, Microsoft Outlook, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Great Plains and Navision in close future - makes CRM a beloved system for Microsoft oriented IT departments. Let's go right to the topic. Major issue with storing documents in MS CRM in the form of attachments to Activity is inability to work on these attached files in cooperation with other colleagues, who do not have to use CRM. When several service people serve requests from the same client this is required. Currently you can use alternative way when you store office documents in the folders of your file system and when modifying document, you save it and reattach to CRM. This is inconvenient, because first it requires all your editing users to have CRM licenses, which delays CRM implementation. We seem increasing popularity of document storage systems, like Microsoft SharePoint, Oracle Files, etc. Such systems, being implemented gives you time savings, related to documents revisions and versioning, approval cycles and workflows, web access through web-portals systems and the like. The target of our product is Microsoft SharePoint integration with MS CRM for document storage. Let's take a look at the high level technical realization details: ?Main modification from the MS CRM side is standard system behavior change when you open attachment in Activity. Standard unmodified CRM suggests you to store documents in the file system. Modified version sores document in SharePoint Document Library (the required library is subject for setup by MS CRM system administrator) or keep it in MS CRM as is (for documents of minor importance). From the moment of saving the document in SharePoint Document Library it is not stored in MS CRM - CRM will now store only the link/reference to the document. Also you are given the ability to open and modify the document at the place of opening, which speeds up MS CRM user performance substantially. ?Table, storing the links to the documents sits in separate database and doesn't deal with MS CRM tables (you know that you are banned to do structure changes in MS CRM db) ?Document saving into MS SharePoint process occurs in MS CRM and with its assistance - SharePoint bridge, which does addition and update for the existing document into destination Document Library with MS SharePoint Web Services calls ?Upon the addition into Document Library, MS CRM - SharePoint bridge registers the document in the special table for the future data extraction or notification mechanism registration ?Then, interested users can work with the documents just using MS Office 2003 or other programs/editing tools, assuming these tools have access to MS SharePoint ?Feedback is provided by MS SharePoint Event Handler component. This is special handler, inspecting document change status, transferred from MS CRM to document storage (SharePoint), and report Activity owner on the changes with home page notifications (User home page in MS CRM). User in turn can review the history of the document editing - who, when and where is the change ?Opening Activity, where document is "attached", and in fact placed into MS SharePoint Document Library, and pressing opening button, MS CRM user gets live version of the data ?This approach allows you seamless work with MS CRM document in the whole informational space of your company ?Additional enhancements to this product might be document library management directly from MS CRM (web interface - meaning remotely), administrative interface for MS Sharepoint documents revision, ability to create reports on the document storage status, rights/access management (Author, Reader, Contributor etc) from MS CRM, portal pages integration into MS CRM to name a few. Happy programming, implementation, customization and modification! If you want us to do the job - call use 1-630-961-5918, 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com Boris Makushkin is Lead Software Developer in Alba Spectrum Technologies - USA nationwide Oracle, Navision, Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains customization company, serving Chicago, California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Georgia, Florida, New York, Canada, Australia, UK, Russia, Europe and internationally ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ), he is Oracle, Unix, Microsoft CRM SDK, Navision, C#, VB.Net, SQL developer.
MORE RESOURCES:
Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Microsoft Update - 5 Reasons to Update Service Pack 2 Microsoft released Service Pack 2 (SP2) for the Windows XP operating system back in August (2004), representing significant improvements in many areas, especially system security. For those people that are still unsure whether they should update to it, the following five reasons may help make the decision easier. Software For Your Hard-Drive All your software is stored on a hard-drive. But how about software FOR your hard-drive - private disks, partition managers, disk defragmenters? Here is the scoop on the latest tools. Three Steps To Windows Safety Heaven Now there are Three Steps To Heaven Just listen and you will plainly see How virus and hackers attack and destroy Your precious internet-connected computer toy Just follow steps one, two and threeStep one - Run windows update automatically each day Step Two - Always keep your antivirus running and updated Step Three - Install and configure a firewallFaster VirusToday can many viruses find and infect a computer connecting to internet in less then 5 minutes, even if the computer connects to internet using a modem. And how much time will the 24/7 connected computer not give the bad guys?So leaving a computer without proper protection is not advisable. Microsoft CRM Customization - Processing In/Out-Going Email Messages We would like to give you several situations, when you may need custom development and programming to improve Microsoft CRM functionality. This overview is for programmer, software developer, IT specialist, database administrator. Microsoft CRM USA Nationwide Remote Support Remember old good days when your company probably had Great Plains Dynamics? If you are in San Francisco Bay Area - you had local Great Plains Software partner consulting company, who served you basically coming onsite and charging you four hours minimum, even if the problem deserved 5-min fix? This was at the end of 20th century and remote support technologies were not very advanced - Citrix was making good progress and taking market over from Symantec PCAnywhere. Today, when Microsoft Terminal Server and Citrix are remote support standards and IT department uses them to host application server for nation-wide and world-wide users, you should probably be thinking of getting remote support for your ERP and CRM systems. Best Spyware Removers Finding the best spyware removers to detect and remove spyware and adware from your computer is much easier if you consider a few things before you make your purchase. Here are a few things to keep in mind when looking for a spyware protection program. Adware, What Is It? Adware is a type of Spyware program that displays some kind of banner advertising as you're surfing the Internet. Most of the time, you will pick these programs up if you download other programs such as freeware, shareware, and file-sharing programs. Theres Gold in Your Websites Server Log Many Webmasters have never bothered to view their website's server log. Ignoring your server log is like flying with a blind pilot. Editing Your Photos Using Microsoft Picture It Publishing Platinum 2002 - A Great Dinosaur I started using PIP (Picture It Publishing) Platinum 2002 right after I got it in a bundle with my HP Pavallion N5295 Notebook more than several moons ago!I don't want to be a rocket scientist to produce edited photos quickly and with quality results, again and again.I had a terrible time at first with the edited pictures. Why do Manufacturers Invest in Business Management Software? With many manufacturing shops heading over seas in favor of lower cost, it is tough to compete in today's marketplace. As a result, the goal for manufactures who want to compete going forward is to run leaner, faster and more accurately. Is Your Computer Sick? Viruses and spyware usually show up on your computer one of two ways.Either they invade your system with a frontal assault like the Huns attacking the Romans, or they sneak in a back door like a cat burglar. Scrap Booking Online: Word Perfect or Corel Graphics Suite? Scrapbooks are very popular these days. I think that almost everyone wanted to capture family histories and stories in any which way they can. The Dreaded Paper Label - Should it be Used? While paper labeling CDs and DVDs may appear to be a cost effective solution for printing on your media, there are solid reasons why you should consider other options.1) Hand application of paper labels can be time consuming and frustrating. Do You Want Your Own Fully Programmable ERP? - Part 1 We are in a transition phase in the Managerial Administration models of any company or Government, because three factors are summing for that:The new powerful business Information Technologies and its more and more smaller costs, like ERP, CRM, BI, etc.,The creativity of the new MBA to generate value and its corresponding engineering - for example, Feedback Control System - in the administrative and managerial fields,Several different layers in the companies in what refers to its managerial and administrative automation levels. New SQL Delta Version 3.1 COMMAND LINE FUNCTIONA powerful command line script processor has been introduced to SQL Delta 3.1. Things You Can Do With Windows XP! Did you ever give a thought to the number of things you can do with Windows XP? Take your own time and think.. Know Linux Linux essentials:It's free for download but you have to pay a tiny bit to mail order it or buy it from a company. If you're getting Linux for more than 2-3 PCs, you can also get training and support at a small free, if you choose to have it. Collaboration Software: Index of Collaboration Software Technologies Collaboration SoftwareCollaboration Software, also known as group collaboration software or groupware, is software which allows cooperation on a business document between multiple parties on multiple computers. Collaboration software also allows the integration and merging of document changes and versions on a business document. Begun, The Browser Wars Have As Mozilla Firefox nears 10% market share, with well over 25 million downloads direct from the makers website, and goodness knows how many through other sources, Microsoft announces that it will be releasing IE 7 ahead of schedule. Originally scheduled for release with Microsoft's new Longhorn operating system in 2006, it seems that Microsoft are reacting to the run away success that Firefox has had over the last few months. Microsoft Navision Customization Upgrade - Tips For Programmer/IT Specialist Currently Microsoft Business Solutions is on the way of creating so-called suites: Microsoft Financials, Microsoft Distributions, Microsoft HR, Microsoft Manufacturing. It is very difficult to say which product will be the core of which suite, but the best guess is this: Microsoft Great Plains - Microsoft Financials and probably Distribution/Supply Chain Management and HR, Solomon - Microsoft Project or Professional Services, Navision - Microsoft Manufacturing.
|
|
Powered By: Free Work At Home Business Opportunity! |
| © 2006 |
