Tips for installing CRM 4.0 on Windows Server 2008

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:07:36 GMT

Having installed CRM (both v3 and v4) on Windows 2003 Server-based systems literally hundreds of times over the past few years, you get into a routine of being able to fix things before they break. On Win2003 there were a few settings you could check before you installed CRM that would ensure the installer finished the first time.

Yesterday I did my first install on Windows 2008 Server. Luckily, I spend some time in the CRM Public newsgroups and knew there were a lot of people that ran into a lot of snags while trying to get CRM 4.0 working on Win2008. But their misfortune was my good fortune - Microsoft had received enough questions that they created a KB article on common issues resolution. Armed with this KB, I went in with my usual 'what could possibly go wrong?' attitude.

To be honest, the CRM installation went pretty smoothly, but I am getting ahead of myself. My first task was to get SQL Server and SSRS installed on the database server, which was also running Win2008. There is surprisingly little in the way of quick references for installing SQL2005 on Win2008.

Undaunted, I ran the setup.exe for SQL2005 Standard, only to be told that I was missing some features: namely IIS. But I had installed IIS (and even the IIS6 compatibility components), so I was stumped by this one. Eventually I came across this KB, which described how to install SSRS on Windows 2008. Turns out there was one option I had not selected when installing the IIS Service Role, and as soon as I followed the instructions in the KB, the SQL installer finally recognized IIS.

So for Installing SQL Server 2005 on Win2008, here are my recommendations:

Follow the steps in this KB to set up IIS properly.
Also install the "Application Server" role, so that .Net 3.0 will be installed (SSRS doesn't use it, but the CRM Data Connector that you will install after the CRM will require it)
Install SQL 2005 including the database engine, SSRS, and any other modules you like.
During installation, check the box that says to 'install SSRS but do not configure'
After SQL is installed, download and run the SQL2005 SP2 (this is mandatory).
Reboot
Configure Reporting Services as per normal

Once SQL is installed, you're nearly home-free. Earlier in the article I mentioned a Microsoft KB that details the resolution of a number of common issues. Being the pragmatic sort, I decided to go through each 'resolution' before I installed the CRM in the hopes of avoiding the big red X during installation. This proved to be worthwhile, as there were a few settings that I had to tweak.

For installing CRM 4.0 on Win2008, here are my recommendations:

Review each resolution in this KB, and ensure your server settings match up to what's documented
Also install the "Application Server" role, so that .Net 3.0 will be installed
Run the CRM installer - it should all go well from this point

Hope this helps someone with their installation!

Dave

CRM Case Study - When life hands you lemonade...

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:55:53 GMT

I was searching the internet for something the other day, and stumbled across a rather unconventional Microsoft CRM Case Study on YouTube of all places. The video was from 2006, but I'd never seen it before.

If you have 3 minutes and don't mind some satire, it's well worth the time.

Check out the YouTube video here.

Dave

SharePoint Business Data Catalog (BDC) to present MS CRM Data

Thu, 29 May 2008 17:33:54 GMT

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.

Connecting to SharePoint 2007 Calendar from Outlook 2007 vs. Outlook 2003

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 13:46:46 GMT

One more reason why upgrade to Office 2007!

Allowing CRM for Outlook to act as the e-mail agent for CRM e-mail activities

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 18:25:01 GMT

The way in which a user’s e-mail is sent from within the Microsoft CRM is configured on the user profile in the Microsoft CRM.
CRM -> Settings -> Administration -> Users -> User Profile Record

For both the incoming and outgoing access types, you can select to have CRM e-mail activities use the E-mail Router (if installed), or Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook to act as the sending agent. In CRM4, you can configure the CRM for Outlook to deliver standard Outlook e-mails, CRM-tracked e-mails, and e-mail activities created from within the CRM.

To allow CRM for Outlook client to send all CRM e-mail activities:

1) Navigate to CRM -> Settings -> Administration -> Users -> User Profile Record

2) Select Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook on both Incoming and Outgoing e-mail access types in the E-mail Access Configuration for each User Profile Record that should use the CRM for Outlook to send CRM e-mail activities.

Click ‘Save and Close’

3) On each Outlook profile, open the Set Personal Options by clicking CRM -> Options

4) Switch to the E-mail tab

5) Under ‘Check how CRM for Outlook should integrate e-mail with Microsoft Dynamics CRM’ check on: Allow Microsoft Dynamics CRM to send e-mail using CRM for Outlook

When an e-mail activity is created and sent by that user, this e-mail activity will be sent through Outlook on next synchronization.

Availability of the Settings module in CRM3 while running CRM for Outlook

Mon, 14 Apr 2008 20:20:52 GMT

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 'ServerURL'
e) Change the DNS portion of your CRM servername to it's IP equivelant (e.g., from http://crm/MSCRMServices to http://11.12.13.14/MSCRMServices )

The Settings area will now be available at all times while CRM for Outlook is opened and running.

Peter

Creating a simple auditing log with CRM 4.0 Workflow

Sun, 13 Apr 2008 18:35:57 GMT

The much rejuvenated workflow engine in CRM 4.0 now provides you with the engine to create your own audit tracker. In CRM 4.0, the workflow engine can catch adds, updates, and deletes. So the engine is there, just waiting for you to write the workflow rule that will make use of it.

Publishing Excel 2007 file with a to OLAP Cube for BI Reporting

Tue, 04 Mar 2008 20:37:32 GMT

It requires following configuration 1) Active Directory for Kerberos and 2) MOSS Excel Services correctly so that Excel Services can impersonate end users account to access cube in order to get and display data.

Where's my yellow product key sticker?

Thu, 28 Feb 2008 01:52:49 GMT

With the release of CRM 4.0, Microsoft has done away with the familiar yellow-product key sticker. So where do you find your license key?

Role of SharePoint Designer 2007 integrating SharePoint and CRM User Interface

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 22:16:33 GMT

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 navigation bar is not required if you do not expect users to navigate much. Similarly Welcome menu in SharePoint displays current user name that is already available in top-right corner of CRM page!

Such extra components on SharePoint page not only provide more (and probably unnecessary) info. than users need but also add annoying scrollbars to IFRAME. Fortunately there is an easy solution to this...

SharePoint Designer 2007

It is a great tool to customize SharePoint pages, sites without writing single line of code! I carefully customized SharePoint UI so that it looks good from CRM's IFRAME and fits with CRM UI. At high level, I updated SharePoint site's master page, removed unwanted components (without breaking SharePoint, of course!), re-structured a little bit and saved my changes! Each of this can be explained in great detail but that is beyond this post!
To learn more on SharePoint Designer 2007, visit SharePoint Designer 2007 home page

CRM now displays SharePoint sites (documents for each account, client for example) very nicely!

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