Do your CRM work in Outlook
CRM for Outlook is an add-in for Outlook that you install on your desktop or laptop computer. With CRM for Outlook, you can perform most of the same sales, marketing, and customer services in Outlook that you can in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM web application. This includes working with accounts, contacts, and campaigns.
Differences between working in Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook and Microsoft Outlook
Because Microsoft Dynamics CRM uses standard Internet Explorer controls, some Outlook features aren't available in CRM for Outlook.
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Not available in CRM for Outlook
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Work around
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Email signatures
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Use a global email template.
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Full-text editing features
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Standard editing controls, such as press ENTER for double-spaced lines and SHIFT+ENTER for single-spaced lines.
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Attach files during creation
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Save an email activity before attaching files.
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Move records by dragging and dropping.
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None. This causes data loss.
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Reminders
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After synchronization with Outlook, 15-minute reminders are created for appointments and service activities created in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM folders or in the web application.
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Microsoft Dynamics CRM Service calendar
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You can request that your system administrator add it.
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Work with views of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Data in Outlook
While you're working with Microsoft Dynamics CRM records in Outlook, you can change how and what records are displayed on the tabs. You can filter the information, sort, and group the records as you like.
A view defines how the information is displayed on a tab. If you have a lot of records, they can be displayed on several pages on a tab. You can pin the view, which in some cases moves the records from the pages into a single list on the tab. The list view of the records is stored on your computer.
Some views are server-only. This means that certain kinds of views, as defined by your system administrator, can't be stored on your computer. You can pin the view, but the records aren't moved into a single list.
Work offline
Before you go offline, you can select a portion of your CRM for Outlook data to take with you offline for use as local records. Whenever you go online again, your local records synchronize with the server so that your changed local records are then changed in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM database.
More information: Work offline with CRM for Outlook
Important
Any users who log on locally to a computer that has Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook installed can potentially access Microsoft Dynamics CRM data that is stored in the offline database. Shared use of a computer running CRM for Outlook is not supported.
Synchronize Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook and Microsoft Dynamics CRM
While you're offline with Microsoft Dynamics CRM, you can use CRM for Outlook to create, delete, or update contacts, tasks, appointments, phone calls, letters, faxes, and service anointments. These changes update Outlookwhile you are offline, but don't update Microsoft Dynamics CRM until you go back online.
More information: Synchronizing information
Create Mail Merge documents with Word
You can use CRM for Outlook with Microsoft Office Word to create customer-ready documents for your customers that display Microsoft Dynamics CRM data.
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Create new templates or use an existing template to generate form letters for yourself or, with the appropriate permissions, for the whole organization.
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Send form letters or form email messages to contacts, accounts, or marketing mailing lists.
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Resend old letters to new recipients.
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Create faxes.
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Create quotes.
More information: Send bulk email to customers
Share a computer with multiple users
If your business has several people sharing the same computer with different user accounts, each can install and use CRM for Outlook when using their own account. Regular synchronization with Outlookand Microsoft Dynamics CRM still occurs.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Microsoft Office Outlook privacy information
To use Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Microsoft Office Outlook, you must sign in with your credentials (an email address and password). You may choose to save this information locally so that you aren't asked for your credentials each time you open Microsoft Outlook. If you choose to save this information, CRM for Outlook will automatically connect to Microsoft Dynamics CRM every time you open Outlook.
After the first time you sign in and use CRM for Outlook, the connection between your computer and CRM will always be open when you have access to the Internet. You may choose to turn off the connection between your computer and CRM through the Options area. If you choose to clear this option, CRM for Outlook may suffer from decreased performance.
You can use CRM for Outlook to track email in CRM. If you do, the email thread will be visible to the users in your organization who have permission to view it.
For every email you receive, CRM for Outlook will send CRM the sender's email address, the recipient's email address, and the subject line of the message. This enables CRM to validate whether any particular mail should be stored by the CRM service. When an item is tracked, a copy of that item will be maintained by the CRM service and will be visible to the other users in your organization who have the right permissions. When an item is untracked, that copy is automatically deleted from the CRM service only if that item is owned by you.
