I'm in the beginning stages of finding the right CRM product for us. The big
determining factor is the opportunity to import in existing data from an
access database. Will Microsoft CRM do this? How friendly is it to
manipulate once I have it imported?
--
Thanks,

Dale

Hello Dale,

MS CRM natively supports only the import of CSV files, but it is pretty
simple to create CSV files from Access database tables/views. The import
tools (Data Migration Wizard) is very intuitive and friendly to use, you are
possible to import every kind of data managed by CRM, it is also possible to
remain the ownership of the data from the source system, if you can provide
the original ownership information.

Regards,

Robert


"Dale Crowder" wrote:

when you write "MS CRM natively supports only the import of CSV files" are
there third party tools that will connect to a database. We recieve a
database with our customer information every day. It is not running live in
our environment. If what your saying is correct about csv files then I would
need to do an import every morning. Which raises another question, will CRM
automate an import every day?
--
Thanks,

Dale


"Robert Rybaric" wrote:

Dale,

No CRM will not natively let you automate it.

You have 2 options.

1. Write a webservice that will do it for you. This would require C#
knowlege and the ability to call the webservice at a scheduled interval
(write a .vbs file that can be called by the windows scheduler or use adanced
setting in SQL Server that allow calls to website - we use that).

2. By a program such as Scribe Insight (good stuff). Scribe Insight, along
with their Adapter for Microsoft CRM allows you to do all kinds of fun stuff
based off all kinds of criteria you specify..ie. Look for record in CRM, if
exists, update, if not, insert, etc..etc..

You can create multiple scribe jobs and chain them together, have them run
at scheduled times or Monitor a file to see when the file changes and have it
execute them, or have it run a query ever 60 seconds and only execute when
rows are found, etc..etc..

Not to mention, if you buy it, you can use it for data migrtions between all
kinds of databases and file types. If it can connect to it, you can do it.

We use both methods, but you can alomst teach yourself scribe as comparted
to learning C# and the SDK - this will take longer, but if you have a
inexpensive developer it could save you money i suppose.
--
John Klemetsrud


"Dale Crowder" wrote:

OK, so it isn't an initial import but rather an integration scenario - the
best approach is to build an integration solution based on some kind of known
integration products such as MS BizTalk Server. With this solution you will
be able to manage every kind of integration of your MS CRM with other systems
running in your shop.

Regards,

Robert


"Dale Crowder" wrote: