Microsoft Dynamics Related Communities page

My blog and also my colleagues blog have been approved for the Microsoft Dynamics Related Communities page, so please check this link.

Linked to the Microsoft Dynamics Addons

Today I received the confirmation that my blog has been linked to the Microsoft Dynamics Addons site :)

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Logical Database Diagrams

Microsoft has updated the Logical Database Diagrams of 3.0 to 4.0. These diagrams can be downloaded here from the Microsoft Corporate Site. Microsoft Office Visio 2003 is required for these diagrams.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Forum

Today I received an e-mail of Imran. He's a certified Microsoft CRM Professional and top 1 on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Forum. So check the forum for any kind of issues and of course his great blog.

Explaining the five groups created in Active Directory

When installing Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0, five groups are being created in Active Directory instead of four groups created in 3.0. The PrivReportingGroup is the new group created in 4.0. During the installation you can have the option to create and Organisation Unit (OU) in Active Directory. These five new groups are being placed in that new OU. Below you find a short explaination of these five groups:

PrivReportingGroup
Privileged Microsoft Dynamics CRM user group for reporting functions. This group is created during Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server Setup and configured during Microsoft Dynamics CRM Connector for SQL Server Reporting Services Setup.
PrivUserGroup
Privileged Microsoft Dynamics CRM user group for special administrative functions; including CRMAppPool identity (domain user or NetworkService). The users who configure Microsoft Dynamics CRM Server must be added to this group.
SQLAccessGroup
All server processes/service accounts that require access to SQL Server; including CRMAppPool identity (domain user or NetworkService).
ReportingGroup
All Microsoft Dynamics CRM users are included in this group. This group is updated automatically as users are added and removed from Microsoft Dynamics CRM. By default, all Microsoft Dynamics CRM Reporting Services reports grant Browse permission to this group.
UserGroup
All Microsoft Dynamics CRM users are included in this group. This group is updated automatically as users are added and removed from Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Demonstration Tools

Microsoft also released the demonstration tools for CRM 4.0 The Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Demonstration Tools provide a simple user interface that allows you to easily enter and edit data to populate or modify your instance of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. It also allows you to load and store your data in XML format, so that you can reuse your data in the future.The Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Demonstration Tools also include utilities to:

• Generate Data


• Change the Dates and/or Times for Data


• Create Dependent Picklists


• Generate E-Mail


• Set Icons for Entities


• Change the CRM Navigation Pane


• Replace Strings in CRM

Please click here for the download.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Virtual Machine

Microsoft relased the VPC for CRM 4.0 on monday 4 february. This demo is a one computer setup with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 and associated Microsoft Dynamics CRM clients for Microsoft Office Outlook and Microsoft Internet Explorer.This demonstration also contains Microsoft SQL Server 2005, Microsoft Visual Studio 2005, Microsoft Office Communications Server and client, Microsoft SharePoint services, and Microsoft PerformancePoint Server 2007. Full details about the image are included in the virtual machine itself. This virtual machine will expire in April, 2009. The VPC can be downloaded here.

Customer Launch Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0

Microsoft and the partners will be launching CRM 4.0 on february 7th in Maarsen at DeFabrique. I will be attending this launch with some colleagues. More info and deatils will be followed after the launch.