Doing CRM Work in Outlook
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Microsoft Office Outlook is an add-in for Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online that is installed on your desktop or laptop computer. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook brings Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online into your everyday Microsoft Office Outlook experience because the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online areas appear as sub-folders in the Outlook mail folders.
You can perform most of the same sales, marketing, and customer services in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Microsoft Office Outlook that you can in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, including working with accounts, contacts, and campaigns. The Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online address book gives you access to all the e-mail addresses for your Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online customers.
For day-to-day work, you can use Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook, but not all Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online features are available if you are working offline.
More information:, Install Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook
Similarities in Working in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook and Microsoft Office Outlook
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook automatically starts when Outlook is opened. An icon in the Windows notification area displays the current status: Online, Offline, or Disabled. To view a list of records, click the folder for that record type. The preview pane displays the list. If you have an older version of Outlook, you may have to expand folders to find the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online folders. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online appointments and service activities appear in the Outlook calendar and, in addition, task activities (tasks, faxes, phone calls, and letters), can have reminders.
Top of pageDifferences between Working in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook and Outlook
Because Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online uses standard Microsoft Internet Explorer controls, some Outlook features are not available in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook.
Not available in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook |
Work around |
|---|---|
E-mail signatures |
Use a global e-mail template. |
Full-text editing features |
Standard editing controls, such as press ENTER for double-spaced lines and SHIFT+ENTER for single-spaced lines. |
Attaching files during creation |
Save an e-mail activity before attaching files. |
Move records by dragging and dropping. |
None - this causes data loss. More information:Using Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook - Troubleshooting |
Reminders |
After synchronization with Outlook, 15-minute reminders are created for appointments and service activities created in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online folders or in the Web application. |
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Service calendar |
You can request that your System Administrator or System Customizer add it. |
Working Offline
If you have installed Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook with Offline Access, you can select a subset of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook data to take with you offline as local data and on the road. Whenever you go online, your local data is synchronized with the server so that changes you have made to your local records when you are working offline are synchronized to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online database.
More information: Synchronizing Information
There are a few things that you cannot do, and information that you cannot access when you are offline. For example, managing settings and users.
More information: Working Offline
Synchronizing Outlook, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online
When you are online, Outlook and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook are constantly synchronizing updates. While you are online, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online synchronize every 15 minutes. Your system administrator can set a different time interval for synchronization, and you can set an even more frequent time interval. When you go offline, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook synchronizes automatically with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, and then synchronizes again when you come back online.
While you are offline with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, contacts, tasks, appointments, phone calls, letters, faxes, and service anointments, that you create, delete or update in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook while offline will be updated to Outlook, but will not update Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online until you go back online.
More information: Synchronizing Information
Creating Mail-Merge Documents with Microsoft Office Word
You can use Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook with Microsoft Office Word to create customer-ready documents for your Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online customers that display Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online data. Using mail merge, you can:
- Create new templates or use an existing template to generate form letters for yourself or, with the appropriate permissions, for the whole organization.
- Send form letters or form e-mail messages to contacts, accounts, or marketing mailing lists.
- Resend old letters to new recipients.
- Create faxes.
- Create quotes.
More information: Send Direct E-mail to Customers
Sharing a Computer with Multiple Users
If your business has several people sharing the same computer, they each can install Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook with their individual credentials. For example, several shift workers at a central office all working on the same computer can use Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook and sign in as themselves. When you use a standard version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online for Outlook, you cannot go offline. Regular synchronization with Outlook and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online still occurs.
