Dynamics CRM 4.0 - Total Newbie Question

[JRB-Bldr]

As an absolute 'newbie' to Dynamics CRM, I have a question.

We have installed Dynamics CRM 4.0 and its associated SQL Server as a 'proof of concept' project (M$ Exchange will need to come at a later time for now).

That being the case, we now need to set things up to show some of the capabilities to the management team.

I have a good number of books on Integration, Programming, etc. for Dynamics CRM 4.0 and I have looked over the Micro$oft implementation documents.

BUT I am still left wondering...
Now that the software is installed, how to I get this off-the-ground?
What basics do I need to set up and in what sequence?

Where are there any Step-By-Step, Build-it-from-the-ground-up references which can assist in answering my questions?

Any assistance and/or advice you might have to offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
JRB-Bldr

 

[AndreaIngham]

Hi

I am not sure if you have downloaded the following if you havent you might find it useful:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/...01-de9f-48c0-8ce2-51633ebf4714&displaylang=en

However now you have CRM installed this is the point you need to step back from the system and look at the business, which areas of the business will the system be supporting, what reports/analysis do management need, what were the reasons for looking at CRM in the first place, what data needs to be migrated and so on.

MS CRM has a lot of functionality and is extremely customisable, it would be unlikely it cant be configured to match your companies requirements however it must bring benefit to both the users, (or they wont use it) and the management.

You may want to consider speaking to a Microsoft CRM partner who will be able to help you get the most of the system.

Hope this helps.

Andrea Ingham
Prior Analytics Ltd (UK)

http://www.prior-analytics.com

GoldMine, HEAT, Sage CRM and Microsoft CRM

 

[JRB-Bldr]

Yes, as I said above "I have looked over the Micro$oft implementation documents."

I even got a GoToMeeting Dynamics CRM 4.0 presentation from my local M$ Partner. Unfortunately what I saw didn't show me much more than a glorified Contact Manager (ACT! or Goldmine on steroids). It didn't show me how to go from a 'raw' system to a working system. Nor did it show me it working as a replacement for an ERP system.

Regardless, Yes I know that Dynamics CRM is customizable and a "wonderful tool" which, with customization, can accomplish most anything.

And I know the business. I personally designed, developed, and implemented the company's ERP system and have maintained it (adding functionality) over the years.

The issue is that there are a good number of books, etc. which talk about extending the capabilities of Dynamics CRM and these will come in handy later.

But now that I have the software up and running in its most 'raw' manner, I need to begin 'filling in the blanks' so that it can be used for SOMETHING. Right now it doesn't do much more than work as a static screen saver image.

What I am looking for are references which can guide me as to what to populate and the sequence in which to populate them so as to end up with a workable Dynamics CRM system. I have not found that level of documentation anywhere yet.

Once I have a CRM system up and running I can then consider extending its capabilities.

Thanks,
JRB-Bldr

 

[AndreaIngham]

In that case I can only say Good Luck with your project.

Hope this helps.

Andrea Ingham
Prior Analytics Ltd (UK)

http://www.prior-analytics.com

GoldMine, HEAT, Sage CRM and Microsoft CRM

 

[steeviet]

JRB-Bldr

You are replacing an ERP system with a CRM system, is that well understood?

To me ERP is more about internal management, e.g. materials, people, space, resources for a manufacturing process. Where CRM is external relationships, i.e. Marketing, sales and customer service. Seems to be a square peg replacing a round peg, what shape is the hole?

You may have hit the nail on the head, Dymanics CRM is a glorified contact manager. Perhaps you need to be looking at Dynamics AX, NAV or SL instead.

 

[JRB-Bldr]

There is a need to merge the 2 systems into one.

The owners have INSISTED on continuing to use a Dinosaur Win 3.1 Contact Manager for their on-going work - its their SECURITY BLANKET.

Well after 6 years of telling them how STUPID that is and how it is putting their business at risk, they are finally open (barely) to considering coming into the 21st century.

Unfortunately no matter how good the Contact Manager is (including Dynamics CRM) it will only be a parallel system when, at least in part, it and its information needs to be INTEGRATED into the over-all system.

Additionally the highly proprietary Operations Application is in need of becoming a more integrated application.

The plan is to begin with the CRM and then use its XRM foundation to build it out to support the additional needs.

From what I have gathered in face-to-face meetings with the local M$ Partners who specialize in the Dynamics products, AX, SL, & NAV would not be a good choice and GP would be the product of choice IF we went that way.

But since GP's own ERP functionality does not align itself well with the proprietary business needs, it would only succeed in bringing Accounting functionality to the project. The amount of customization it would need would be no less than the work to be done within XRM (and my understanding is that NAV, SL, AX, & GP don't even have XRM under their 'hood').

Thanks for your thoughts.
JRB-Bldr

 

[steeviet]

Like a word processor needs words, a CRM needs customers, so start there. It's structured company and contact, and while some make a choice between the two I'd suggest mapping them straight to real terms. i.e. a company will have many contacts, there may be some individual contacts who don't have a company CRM is good with that.

The next steps depend on your primary business needs, for marketing you might want to import external lists as leads, so they can be included in marketing campaigns, or qualified and turned into opportunities, or if they buy then into an account or contact.

One book I use that starts to describe how these processes translate to MS CRM work is "Maximizing your sales with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0" by Kachinske & Kachinske ISBN 978-1-59863-818-9.

Don't try building anything xRM style until you have a good understanding of how the pre-built entities work. You may find you have a lot there you can already use.