Business Data Catalog (BDC) - of SharePoint 2007 allows to present data from non SharePoint system on SharePoint UI. Not only display, BDC can also crawl and index data!

We use BDC to extract data from MS CRM database (using API, direct database access or web service) and display on SharePoint Site using out of the box business data web parts shipped along with BDC. SharePoint Designer is then used to edit XSL of BDC web parts as needed for rich formatting.

Combination of BDC and SharePoint Designer allows us to cater MS CRM Data in customized style and format as required by our customers.

Several of our clients have noticed that, and commented on, when the CRM for Outlook component is installed, and Outlook is running, the 'Settings' module in the CRM web is hidden from view.

Several of our adventerous client users have suggested overcoming the problem by clearing the Temporary Internet Files while Outlook is opened, and refreshing the CRM web page.  That will work, but for a long-term solution, but good friends at East Region Microsoft CRM provide the following suggestion:

a) Close CRM web and Outlook
b) Click on Start -> Run.  Type 'regedit'
c) Browse to the tree: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\MSCRMClient\
d) Find 'Ser ...

Background

After my initial end user introduction to CRM, I found that CRM provides great User Interface customization and you may know about this. You can add tabs, sections, IFRAME, fields so that you're not bound to displaying a field at a specific place in a form.

In particular, IFRAME is great as any external page can be presented in it without browsing elsewhere or opening a new window, and SharePoint page is no exception. After providing URL to SharePoint site for an IFRAME, I realized that some of UI components on SharePoint page distract users. For example, SharePoint's top n ...

If you have found yourself in a situation in need to change the regarding on a promoted email message, but couldn't, this article is for you.

Changing Regarding on Promoted E-mails

When you initially promote an e-mail message to the CRM, you clicked 'Track in CRM', and hit the regarding button.  You select a client (or another entity record) from the lookup, but realize that the selected record was not the one intended.  In such a case, a closed e-mail activity is created under this client record.

To resolve ths issue, close the e-mail message, and from the main Outlook window, highlight the message, and click 'Track in CRM'.  This must ...