CRM News: Enterprise Apps: Microsoft Introduces CRM Upgrade for Vista, Office 2007

Microsoft Introduces CRM Upgrade for Vista, Office 2007

By Erika Morphy
CRM Buyer
11/07/06 9:01 AM PT

Vista-centric features in Dynamics CRM include role-based capabilities, data visualization and business intelligence enhancements, as well as unified communications with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.

Run Your Entire Contact Center in the Cloud
Many businesses are increasingly seeking ways to improve the quality, flexibility, and scalability of their traditional call centers. Download this free white paper and learn the top 8 reasons to consider going virtual.

Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) plans to ship a retooled version of its Dynamics CRM 3.0 application when Office 2007 and Windows Vista ship at the end of November. The compatibility upgrade is one strategy the company is using to encourage corporate buyers to adopt the new Vista-Office bundle.

Feature-wise, the upgraded CRM application will offer tighter integration with Office and a completely redesigned user interface. The new release will also work with previously supported versions of Office and Windows, the company said.

The product now mimics the look and feel of Office 2007, Dynamics CRM general manager Brad Wilson told CRM Buyer. To illustrate, he pointed to a technology in Vista called "gadget."

"It exposes CRM information directly onto the desktop," he explained. "Users don't have to go into the CRM application at all," and they can view call lists, activities and other CRM data points via the desktop, as well.

"It provides incredible visibility," Wilson added.

Upgraded Security Features

Other Vista-centric features in Dynamics CRM include role-based capabilities, data visualization and business intelligence enhancements, as well as unified communications with Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.

For instance, the new release allows users to store voicemail messages in Outlook and track them automatically in Dynamics CRM.

Vista's new upgraded security features -- long awaited and one of Microsoft's fiercely guarded secrets -- are also built into Dynamics CRM. Vista's new BitLocker, for example, is designed to prevent unauthorized users from accessing CRM data on laptops, according to Microsoft.

New Licensing Options

Microsoft's new license options include both Business Ready Licensing (BRL) and Modular Based Licensing.

Microsoft Volume Licensing -- the same licensing model that is used for Microsoft Office, Windows and Microsoft Exchange -- will continue to apply to Dynamics CRM, the company said.

Upgrades will be free to customers with active support agreements. Ultimately, Dynamics CRM be available in 18 languages.

Next Article in Enterprise Apps

SalesGene Changes Name, Revamps Sales-Marketing App
November 07, 2006

Landslide Personal Edition targets individual sellers who want to do a better job, whether or not their company supports the application in-house. "For the ambitious salesperson ... there is no time to wait for your company to grow into a solution -- or for your IT team to find the budget and bandwidth to approve one," said CEO Razi Imam.

More by Erika Morphy

Windows 7 Flies Off the Shelves
November 06, 2009

Early sales figures on Windows 7 boxed software suggest a high level of consumer enthusiasm for the OS. Unit sales were a whopping 234 percent higher than Vista's out of the gate. The revenue haul was not as impressive, as Microsoft offered sharp discounts to spur presales. Also, sales of PCs with Windows 7 preinstalled have been lackluster -- but October is historically a weak month for PC sales.

Southwest Doesn't Fool Around
November 06, 2009

Either Southwest Airlines had better deals for my favorite route than its competitors or its superior Web site tools made it easier for me to ferret them out. Either way, kudos to Southwest. In the not-so-hot department were the airline's long list of what passengers weren't allowed to do and its very short list of what Southwest was obliged to do for them. Left me feeling a little chilly.

Commerce Search Puts Google Inside Retailers' Catalogs
November 05, 2009

Google has launched a new cloud-based search tool targeting enterprise-level e-commerce operations, just in time for the 2009 holiday selling season. Commerce Search provides a set of features designed to improve the relevance of results for consumers searching a retailer's own product catalog, while boosting cross-selling opportunities.

[Search More...]