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Chapter 5: Microsoft CRM 3.

0 Client for Outlook

CHAPTER 5: MICROSOFT CRM 3.0 CLIENT FOR


OUTLOOK
Objectives
Actively participating during this lesson helps you:

• Identify the features of the Microsoft® CRM 3.0 client for


Microsoft® Office Outlook
• Identify the prerequisites for installing the Microsoft CRM clients for
Outlook.
• Understand the installation procedures for the two types of Microsoft
CRM clients for Outlook.
• Install the Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook.
• Understand how the Microsoft CRM 3.0 laptop client for Outlook
operates in both online and offline modes.

Overview
For your organization to effectively use Microsoft CRM, the implementation
process should be performed carefully and in phases. Implementing a Microsoft
CRM system involving integration on a local area network for multiple-user
access requires careful consideration and planning. A large business with
multiple locations experiences different challenges than a smaller business with
one location and only a few users.

When planning the installation of the Microsoft CRM 3.0 client for Office
Outlook you need to be aware that it is available in two different configurations:

• One designed for workstations or shared computers that cannot go


offline.
• Another which enables offline access, but only supporting a single
user per computer.

Besides deciding which client to install, also decide how to install the client. The
following options are available:

• Install the client from each Microsoft CRM client CD


• Install using an .msi image and Group Policy Objects

This lesson examines the installation requirements for each type of client. It also
reviews the different methods of installing the client.

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Scenario
Fabrikam Inc. is a mid-sized manufacturer of various chain products. These
include oil field roller chain, precision roller chain, agricultural conveyor chain,
and engineering class chain. Although their customer base spans multiple
manufacturing industries, their target base includes manufacturers of agricultural
machinery. They run their manufacturing, distribution, and financial operations
on Microsoft Dynamics GP™. Fabrikam has recently purchased Microsoft CRM
to improve their Sales, Marketing, and Customer Service operations.

Problem
Fabrikam Inc. hired an implementation consultant to lead the Microsoft CRM 3.0
implementation. The company's project planning team performed a complete
needs analysis of the company culture, and the consultant analyzed and upgraded
the hardware and software environments. Fabrikam Inc. is now ready to install
the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Server software.

After a successful fiscal year, Fabrikam Inc. is looking to broaden its market
share by focusing sales efforts on their best customers, extending product
availability through an external web site, and reducing cost of sales through
lower production costs.

Goal
The implementation consultant completed installation of the Professional Edition
of Microsoft CRM on a server running Microsoft® Windows® Server 2003. The
consultant is now ready to install 25 Microsoft CRM client for Outlook systems
on Windows XP laptops.

However, instead of physically installing the client on all 25 laptops, the


consultant will create a package to be pushed out to each sales person's laptop via
Intellimirror, which is built into Windows Server 2000/2003.

Solution
The implementation consultant must follow these steps:

• Review the hardware and software requirements for each laptop


system on which the Microsoft CRM client for Outlook will be
installed.
• Create an Administrative installation package for the client and place
it on the Microsoft CRM Server.
• Publish the Administrative image of the Microsoft CRM client for
Outlook Setup program.
• The next time each user logs in, the user can install the Microsoft
CRM client for Outlook by running the Client Setup program image
from Add or Remove Programs.

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Microsoft CRM Client for Outlook Overview


Two Types of Clients
The Microsoft CRM clients for Outlook in Microsoft CRM 3.0 include:

• An online-only, multi-user client. This is referred to as the


"Microsoft CRM 3.0 desktop client for Microsoft Office Outlook."
The desktop client is designed for shared workstations and terminal
services/Citrix scenarios. This client supports multiple, sometimes
concurrent, Outlook client users on the same computer. This client
cannot be taken offline.
• An offline-enabled single-user client. This is the Microsoft CRM
client for Outlook available in earlier versions of Microsoft CRM.
This client can function while online with the Microsoft CRM
Server, as well as in an offline mode. It is referred to as the
"Microsoft CRM 3.0 laptop client for Microsoft Office Outlook."

FIGURE 5-1: MICROSOFT CRM CLIENTS FOR MICROSOFT OFFICE


OUTLOOK

When running the Client Setup program, you are asked to specify on the
Welcome page which Outlook client to install. The earlier chapter titled
Microsoft CRM Components examined the differences between the two clients.

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Table 5-1 displays a summarized list of the primary features of each client.

Microsoft CRM 3.0 desktop client Microsoft CRM 3.0 laptop client for
for Outlook Outlook
Online-only, multi-user client Online and Offline-enabled, single-user
client
Intended for computers that never Intended for computers that are required
go offline to take data offline
Enables multiple installations of the Only one installation per computer
client on the same computer (for
example, shift workers sharing a
desktop machine)
Installation does not install the Installs a local MSDE database and a
MSDE database or the local web local web server for offline processing
server
No local (offline) platform logic Offline processing uses local platform
logic
Always online, so that no Microsoft Requires offline Microsoft CRM
CRM synchronization required synchronization
Manual Outlook synchronization New schedulable Outlook
synchronization capability
TABLE 5-1: MICROSOFT CRM CLIENTS FOR OUTLOOK COMPARISON

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Installing Microsoft CRM Client for Outlook


Setup Prerequisites
Before installing Microsoft CRM Client for Outlook, validate your hardware and
software configuration against the client's hardware and software requirements.
For more information on these requirements, see the earlier chapter called
Planning Your Microsoft CRM Installation.

In addition to the client's hardware and software requirements, there are two
prerequisites that must be completed prior to installing the Client Setup program.

• Indexing Service. The Indexing Service must be started on the


client machine, with its Startup type set to Automatic. The Setup
program's Environmental Diagnostic Wizard detects whether these
conditions are met. Warning messages appear during Setup if either
condition is not satisfied; however, this does not stop the Setup
program from successfully installing.
• Microsoft Outlook Profile. A supported version of Microsoft
Outlook must also be installed on the client machine. If the desktop
client is being installed, an Outlook Profile must be created for each
user. If the laptop client is being installed, the client uses only one
Outlook profile.

When these steps are complete, you can install the Microsoft CRM client for
Outlook.

Overview of the Client Installation Methods


The Microsoft CRM client for Outlook can be installed by using either of the
following methods:

• Install from the Client CD


• Install using an .msi image and Group Policy Objects

Install from the Client CD


When installing the client directly from the Client CD, the installation user must
be a Local Administrator on the computer. This is a requirement to run the Client
Setup program itself, and a SQL requirement that allows the Setup program to
create the MSDE database on the client computer.

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Install Using an .msi Image and Group Policy Objects


Because some organizations find assigning Local Administrator rights to the
installation user problematic due to security concerns, Microsoft CRM 3.0
provides the following method of installing the Microsoft CRM client for
Outlook:

• This is accomplished through the use of Group Policy Objects and a


published .msi image.
• This method does not require that the installation user be a Local
Administrator.
• An administrative image of the Client Setup program is created,
which can be automatically installed on each client machine.
• The Client Setup program can be run via the administrative image in
an unattended mode, which means the user does not enter any
parameter information when running the setup program.

NOTE: This is the same process used to install Microsoft Office. The end user does
not have to be the local administrator to install the software.

The following is a summary of the steps in the new installation process:

1. Run a command line instruction to create an Administrative image of


the Microsoft CRM Client folder and the parameters required by
either the desktop or laptop client's Setup program. .msi files are
included on the Client CD for both the desktop and laptop client
setup programs. This enables you to create separate Administrative
images of the Client folder and setup parameters for each of these
.msi files. The Administrative image is created in the form of an .msi
file.
a. When you run the command line instruction to create an
Administrative image, specify in the command which setup
program will be used.
b. The normal setup screens for that client appear with a new setup
page allowing you to specify where the Administrative image of
the Client CD contents are to be stored.
2. The System Administrator must publish the Administrative image
through Group Policy Objects. This assigns the minimum privileges
needed to install the client.
3. During the publishing process, the administrator specifies the method
in which the client Setup program is installed on the client machine.
The options available are Automatic Installation and Publish.

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4. The next time each client machine is turned on and connects to the
network, the Windows Intellimirror tool pushes the image to the
client machine. One of the following two scenarios occurs depending
on the installation method selected in the prior step:
a. Automatic Install. The client Setup program is automatically
installed when the client machine starts up and connects to the
network.
b. Publish. Following log-in, the user must manually install the
client through the Windows Add or Remove Programs feature.

FIGURE 5-2: INSTALL THE CLIENT WITH AN .MSI IMAGE

Running the Client Setup Wizard


This section examines each step in the installation process for the Microsoft
CRM 3.0 Client for Outlook. No screen images are displayed for each step; the
steps are similar to those documented in the lesson on Microsoft CRM Server
Setup.
Step 1 − Select Client Type
On the Welcome page, select which version of the Microsoft CRM Client for
Outlook to install. The options include:

• Install Laptop Client (Microsoft Outlook-integrated Microsoft CRM


client with Offline Microsoft CRM)
• Install Desktop Client (On-line only Microsoft Outlook-integrated
Microsoft CRM client)

Step 2 − End User License Agreement


The installation user can choose to print the End User License Agreement
(EULA). However, the user cannot continue with the installation until the license
agreement is accepted.

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Step 3 − Install Required Components


This screen identifies any software components required by the Microsoft CRM
Client Setup program not installed on the client machine. The installation user
must click Install; the Setup program installs each missing component. This
screen does not appear if all required components are installed.
Step 4 − Specify the Microsoft CRM Server
Enter the URL of the Microsoft CRM Server where the client machine will
connect.
Step 5 − Participate in the Customer Experience Improvement
program
This screen allows users to indicate whether they want to participate in the
Customer Experience Improvement program with Microsoft. Features of this
program include the following:

• Microsoft can gather anonymous information about your hardware


configuration and how you use Microsoft software and services.
• The data is used to identify trends and usage patterns.
• Microsoft does not gather any personal or business specific data such
as your name, address, or any other personally identifiable
information.
• There are no surveys to complete, no salesperson will call you, and
you can continue to work without interruption.
• It is simple, friendly, and completely anonymous.

Step 6 − Select Install Locations


Select the directory where the Client components will be installed. The default
location is typically used.
Step 7 − System Requirements
All the system parameters used to install the Client have been entered by the
installation user. With this step the Client Setup program runs the Environmental
Diagnostic Wizard, which verifies each system requirement. For any requirement
that fails, Dr. Watson reporting provides a description of the error and suggested
steps to solve the problem.
Step 8 − Ready to Install the Application
This screen displays all the selections from the previous screens. If there are any
parameters that need adjusting, navigate back to the appropriate screen and adjust
the parameters accordingly.
Step 9 − Installing Microsoft CRM Client for Outlook
The Microsoft CRM Client Setup program installs the Microsoft CRM client for
Outlook.

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Install using an .msi image and Group Policy Objects


To install the client via an .msi image, you must run the Msiexec.exe program via
command line. At a minimum, your command line instruction must specify:

• The drive where the Client CD is located.


• The client .msi file to use from the Client CD.
• The /a option to generate an Administrative Image of the Client CD
folder.
• The /quiet option, which causes the client setup to use the setup
parameters entered by the Administrator at the time the
administrative image was created..

The two .msi files on the Client CD are:

• Client.msi (this is the laptop client setup program)


• LightClient.msi (this is the desktop client setup program)

FIGURE 5-3: LOCATION OF CLIENT .MSI FILES

Run the command line instruction for the client you want to install. To install
both clients, run the command line twice − once for each client. At a minimum,
your command line instructions should appear as follows for each client type
(this assumes the Client CD is located on the D drive):

• D:msiexec.exe /a client.msi /quiet


• D:msiexec.exe /a lightclient.msi /quiet

FIGURE 5-4: COMMAND LINE INSTRUCTION

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Optional parameters available for command line processing are displayed in


Table 5-2.

Msiexec.exe /I msi_package [/Q][/L [drive:][[path] logfilename.log]]] [CONFIG= [drive:]


[[path] configfilename.xml]]]
Or
ClientSetup.exe /I msi_package [/Q] [/InstallAlways] [/L [drive:][[path] logfilename.log]]]
[/config [drive:] [[path] configfilename.xml]]]

Parameters:
None
Used without parameters, Setup.exe will install with all display screens.

/quiet
Quiet mode installation. Requires a configuration file in XML format specified by
the /config parameter. No dialog boxes or error messages will appear on the display
screen. To capture error message information, a log file must be included as an
option.

/QR
Requires a configuration file in XML format specified by the /config parameter.
Displays installation progress bars and all error messages.

/passive
Unattended mode installation. Displays the progress bar only.

/L [drive:][[path] logfilename.log]]
Creates a log file of installation activity. The file name of the log file and the
location where it is to be placed must be specified. The following options are
available:
/LV Log verbose.
/L* Log all information except verbose.
/L*V Log all information including verbose.

/config [drive:] [[path] configfilename.xml]]


The /config parameter uses the specified .XML configuration file to provide setup
with additional information required to complete installation successfully. An
example configuration .XML file is discussed below.
Note: Setup will also look for a valid XML configuration file called
"default_client_config.XML" in the working directory and will use this file for setup
even if the /config parameter is not specified. However, using the /config
parameter takes prescience over any "default_client_config.XML" file.
/a
Admin install option.
/i
msi_package - MSI package to execute

[note: we do not support /f for repair via the msiexec.exe]

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Client Setup parameters


1. <Microsoft CRMSetup> </Microsoft CRMSetup>
The configuration file must be a valid XML file using <Microsoft CRMSetup> as the
root element.
2. <Client> </Client>
Specifies a Microsoft CRM client for Outlook installation.
3. <WebsiteUrl>http://website</WebsiteUrl>
Specifies the URL for the Web site associated with the Microsoft CRM Server.
4. <InstallDir>c:\program files\mscrm_client</InstallDir>
Specifies the folder on the Microsoft CRM Server computer where the Microsoft CRM
Server files are to be placed.
5. <AdminIstallDir>c:\mscrm_client_admin</AdminInstallDir>
This folder is required only for silent administrative installations.
6. <reuseMSDE>Yes</reuseMSDE>
For silent install, when existing MSDE is found.
7. <InstallType>Repair/Uninstall</InstallType>
Determines whether the install is an Repair or Uninstall. When the value is missing
assume new install.
8. <reboot>true/false</reboot>
and if the node is missing, it will treat as false. Also, this node only applies to the
final Microsoft CRM install reboot dialog and not the middle of the setup (MSDE,
MDAC) reboot request. Those will be cached by the EDW, and setup will exit.
TABLE 5-2: COMMAND LINE PARAMETERS

Running an Administrative Installation of the Client Setup


When you run the command line instruction, it starts the Client Setup program.
The client is not installed on the Microsoft CRM Server. Rather, by using the
/quiet option on the command line instruction, the information captured during
the setup process is stored within the Administrative image. When a user runs the
administrative image on the client machine, the installation process uses this
captured information to complete the setup (see /quiet option in Table 5-2).

There are several differences between running the Client Setup in command line
Administrative mode versus the normal setup run via the Client CD. These
differences appear in the Administrative install, and include the following:

• A page appears that allows you to specify where the Administrative


image file will be located. This is displayed in Figure 5-5.

You must select a location on a network share that is accessible to all


clients.

EXAMPLE: For the classroom training environment where London is the Microsoft
CRM Server, \\London\ClientInstallShare is used. ClientInstallShare is a folder
created on the Microsoft CRM Server when the image is created, and must be shared
to be accessible to all clients.

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FIGURE 5-5: ADMINISTRATIVE IMAGE LOCATION

• The headings on each client setup screen indicate this setup is an


Administrative Install.
• At the end of the installation, instead of installing the Client, the
Setup program creates a source image for the client installation.

FIGURE 5-6: CREATING SOURCE FILE IMAGE OF THE CLIENT SETUP

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Publishing Client Setup via Group Policy Objects


Installing either Microsoft CRM client for Outlook via an Administrative image
eliminates the requirement that the installation user be a Local Administrator on
the client machine. You examined the first step in this process, which created an
Administrative image of the Client CD for the specified client type.

The next step in this process is publishing the Administrative image via Group
Policy Objects. This step includes the following features:

• It makes the Administrative Image available for the Intellimirror tool


to push to each client machine.
• The privileges required to run the client Setup program are
associated with the Administrative Image through Group Policies.
• These privileges are inherited by each user for running the client
Setup program only.
• By inheriting the required setup privileges via Group Policies, the
user can install the client from the Administrative image without
requiring Local Administrator rights.

Procedure: Publishing the setup image file via Group


Policy
Publish the Administrative image through Group Policy Objects by performing
the following steps:

1. From the Start menu, point to All Programs, then point to


Administrative Tools.
2. Under Administrative Tools, click Active Directory Users and
Computers. The Active Directory Users and Computers console is
displayed.
3. Right-click the domain node (for example, ADVWORKS.MSFT) at
the top of the tree. Click Properties on the shortcut menu. The
Properties dialog box is displayed.

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4. Click the Group Policy tab.

FIGURE 5-7: PUBLISHING VIA GROUP POLICY OBJECTS

5. Click Edit. A window appears with the Default Domain Policy tree.
6. Click either the Computer Configuration node or the User
Configuration node under the Domain Policy tree. Expand the
Software Settings folder under the selected node.
– Computer Configuration. Selecting the Computer
Configuration node means the Group Policy assigned to the
client Setup program applies to computers, regardless of who
logs on. If this node is selected, the Setup program starts
automatically when each computer starts up. The Publish option
is not available under Computer Configuration.
– User Configuration. Selecting the User Configuration node
means the Group Policy assigned to the client Setup program
applies to users, regardless of the computer used. Following user
log-on, the Setup program can either be automatically started or
manually started by the user through Add or Remove Programs.

7. Right-click Software Installation. Click New, and then click


Package on the shortcut menu. A dialog box prompts you for the
path to the Windows Installer file (.msi file) for the package. This is
the client setup image.

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8. Browse to the location where you copied the Microsoft CRM Client
folder and click either the client.msi file or the lightclient.msi file.

NOTE: You may receive a warning message indicating the system cannot verify the
path is a network location. It then asks you to confirm whether you want to deploy this
package using this path.

9. Select the method by which the client Setup program is deployed.


If you selected Computer Configuration in step 5, you can choose
either the Assigned or Advanced deployment method.
If you selected User Configuration in step 5, you can choose from
Published, Assigned, or Advanced.
– Published. Specifies the application is deployed as published
and that default settings are used for deployment properties.
– Assigned. Specifies that the application is deployed as assigned
and that default settings are used for deployment properties.
– Advanced. Specifies that you want to edit the package properties
manually rather than accepting the defaults. You can also choose
between Assign and Publish for the deployment method.

10. Click OK.


11. Exit the Active Directory Users and Computers console.

FIGURE 5-8: LOCATION OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE IMAGE

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Installing the image on the Client


Once the client image is published through the Group Policy, each end user must
install the client as follows:

• If the System Administrator selected the Computer Configuration


option during publishing, the client is installed automatically on a
user machine when the user first logs in following publishing.
• If the System Administrator selected the User Configuration option
during publishing, then each end user must install the client from the
Add or Remove Programs window.

FIGURE 5-9: CLIENT SETUP PROGRAM IN ADD/REMOVE PROGRAMS

Procedure: Install the Client Setup Program


The end user performs the following steps to install the published Client Setup
program via Add or Remove Program:

1. From the Start menu, point to Control Panel, and click Add or
Remove Programs.
2. Click the Add New Programs button.
3. In the list of available software, click the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Client
for Outlook package and click Add. This launches the Client Setup
program.
4. When the installer displays the Microsoft CRM Client Setup
window, follow the wizard steps and respond accordingly to each
page.

NOTE: To properly uninstall the Microsoft CRM Client package, remove the client
through the Windows Add or Remove Programs option. The Microsoft CRM client for
Outlook can be only uninstalled by the user who installed it. The user must have either
Local Administrator privileges, or must have been assigned this privilege via the
Group Policy's Published msi image file.

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Lab 5.1 − Installing Microsoft CRM 3.0 Client for Outlook


Company: Adventure Works Cycle

Introduction
In this Lab you install the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Laptop Client for Outlook. As you
perform the instructions, use the information in the Scenario and Goal
Description to complete the lab.

See the Introduction to Training chapter for information about the two levels of
lab instruction and the lab solution in Appendix B.

Scenario
Adventure Works Cycle is implementing Microsoft CRM. As Technical
Consultant, you installed the Microsoft CRM server software and the Microsoft
CRM Exchange E-mail Router. You are now ready to install the Microsoft CRM
desktop client for Outlook on 20 client machines.

Instead of manually installing the client on each of the 20 client machines, you
plan to install the client via an .msi package and Group Policy Objects. This
requires that you first create an Administrative image of the Client CD contents
for the client you want to install. You then publish the image via Group Policy
Objects. Finally, you install the Client on the client machine by running the
Client Setup via Add or Remove Programs.
Non-classroom Training Environments
For non-classroom training environments, configure the client machine to be a
member of the organization's Microsoft CRM domain.
Classroom Training Environment Overview
For classroom training environments, you have the following two VPC images
running simultaneously:

• The Install Server image that contains the Professional Edition of


Microsoft CRM Server that you just installed.
• An Install Client image, which is an image of a client machine
running Windows XP Professional.

Create and publish the Administrative image of the Client CD on the Microsoft
CRM Server (in the Install Server image). You then install the client on the
Install Client machine by running the Client Setup program from Add or Remove
Programs.

Goal Description
As Technical Consultant, it is your responsibility to install the Microsoft CRM
client for Outlook. This requires that you perform the following steps:

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Adjust the VPC Image Requirements


You first need to make some adjustments to the VPC images used in this lab.
And as with any client computer attached to a domain, connect the client
machine on the Install Client image to the domain of the Microsoft CRM Server
on the Install Server image. Once the two machines are connected, you can
begin.

1. In the Virtual PC Console, verify the Networking setting for BOTH


the Install Server and Install Client images have a value of Local
Only in the Adapter 1 field. This allows the machines in each image
to connect with one another.
2. If your host machine does not meet the minimum training
requirements for amount of available RAM, reduce the memory
allocation for both the Install Server and Install Client images so that
the images can run simultaneously.
3. When you attempt to start the InstallClient image, point it to the
Base05C.vhd base image file. Your instructor will direct you to the
location of the file.
4. IP Address of the DNS Server (the Microsoft CRM Server on the
Install Server image) = 192.168.16.1. Once you start the Install
Client, lab instructions direct you to verify the client machine is
pointing to this IP address of the DNS server (the Microsoft CRM
Server on the Install Server image).

Connecting the client machine to the CRM domain


To change the client machine from Workgroup mode to being a member of the
Adventure Works domain, use the Network ID option on the Computer Name
tab of My Computer. This initiates a Network Identification Wizard.

This wizard performs three primary tasks:

• It attaches the client machine as a member of the domain. The


Microsoft CRM Server domain name = advworks.msft.
• It creates a local user account for Gail on the client machine.
• It configures the client machine to function when offline. This allows
Gail to log on with her domain credentials even when the machine is
disconnected from the network.

The wizard prompts you for two user accounts.

• The first is a user account that has network access rights; in this case,
enter the Administrator account.
• The second request is for a local user account. Enter gail. This sets
Gail's account for offline use so that Gail can log in with her network
credentials offline.

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• The password for both users is Pa$$w0rd

NOTE: If you use the Change option instead of the Network ID option, it adds the
client to the domain, but you need to configure the machine so that Gail can log in
with her network credentials offline. Using the Network ID option does this
configuration for you.

Install Client Prerequisites


You must perform two steps to prepare the client before you installing the
Microsoft CRM client for Outlook. Each step requires that you be logged in as a
different user.

1. Log on as the Administrator (password = Pa$$w0rd). Then verify the


status of the Indexing Service. Start the service and set the Startup
Type to Automatic if necessary.
2. Log off as the Administrator and log on as Gail (username = gail,
password = Pa$$w0rd). Open Microsoft Outlook to create an
Outlook Profile for Gail Erickson. Use the following credentials:
– Name = Gail Erickson
– E-mail alias = gail
– Exchange Server = London

Create a shared folder to hold the administrative image


Create a folder on the Microsoft CRM Server titled:

C:\ClientInstallShare

You need to share this folder. Since the Microsoft CRM Server is also a domain
controller, you need to adjust the sharing permissions. By default, only the Allow
Read option is selected. Select the following additional permissions:

– Allow - Full Control


– Allow - Change

Create the Administrative image of the Microsoft CRM Client for


Outlook Setup program
Create the Administrative image of the Client CD on the Microsoft CRM Server
by entering the following command line instruction:

D:msiexec.exe /a client.msi /quiet

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This initiates the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Outlook Client Setup program. The Select
the Administrative Install Location page prompts for the folder where the
Administrative Image should be created. This must be a network share. For this
lab, point it to the ClientInstallShare folder created earlier on the server's C drive.
The path for this network share is:

\\London\ClientInstallShare

Publish the Administrative image via Group Policy Objects


Publish the image on the Microsoft CRM Server using Group Policy Objects.
Select User Configuration and the Publish deployment method when adding the
new package via Group Policy.
Installing the Microsoft CRM Client for Outlook
On the Install Client, you must log off as Gail and then log back in as Gail.
Logging in following publishing of the client image on the Microsoft CRM
Server forces the Windows Intellimirror tool to publish the client image to the
client machine.

Install the Microsoft CRM client for Outlook on the client machine by running
the Client Setup program in the Install Client image via Add or Remove
Programs.

Since the client image was created with the /quiet option, all the setup screens
requiring system parameters are prefilled with values entered by the
Administrator when the administrative image was created. You must respond to
each setup page, but it is usually a matter of clicking Next as the values are pre-
filled on each page.
Test the laptop client once it has been installed
Test the Microsoft CRM 3.0 laptop client for Outlook by adding a new contact
while online. Use your name as the contact's first and last name.

Also test the client by adding an Opportunity with the following information:

• Topic = Test Opportunity


• Potential Customer = Active Cycling
• Owner = Gail Erickson

IMPORTANT: Do NOT take the client offline. This lab verifies the client while
operating in an online state. In Lab 5.2, you verify the client in an offline state by
taking the client offline, performing offline updates, then synchronizing those changes
with the Microsoft CRM database. The contact and opportunity created here are used
when you perform offline verification in Lab 5.2.

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Challenge Yourself!
Instructions
Perform each of the steps outlined in the Goal Description to install the Microsoft
CRM laptop client for Outlook using Group Policy Objects. Verify the client is
functioning properly.

Need a Little Help?


Instruction
Perform the steps in the Goal Description to install the Microsoft CRM laptop
client for Outlook using Group Policy Objects. Verify the client is functioning
properly.
Step 1 − Prepare your VPC images
In the classroom training exercise, you must join your client machine on the
Install Client image to the domain of the Microsoft CRM Server on the Install
Server image. In a live implementation, you join client machines to the Microsoft
CRM domain.

1. Begin by verifying the Networking setting on both VPC images.


Close the Install Server image if it is open. Make sure you select the
option to "Shut down Windows Server 2003 and save changes." If
you fail to select an option to save changes, you lose all the work you
have completed.
2. Open the Virtual PC Console and click Settings for the Install Server
image. Click Networking. If Adapter 1 is not set to 'Local only', then
select the value from the drop-down list.

If your host machine does not meet the minimum training


requirements for amount of available RAM, reduce the memory
allocation for both the Install Server and Install Client images so that
the images can run simultaneously.
3. Perform the same check on the Install Client image. In the Virtual
PC Console, click Settings. If necessary, set the Networking setting
to 'Local only.'
4. Start the Install Server image if it is not already running. Log on as
the CRM Administrator.
5. Right-click on the My Network Places shortcut on the desktop, click
Properties, right-click on Local Area Connection, click Properties,
click Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), click Properties and make note of
the server's IP address. For classroom training environments, this is
also the DNS address of the server, which is the same DNS IP
address the client machine must be connected to.

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Step 2 − Attach Gail's client machine to the domain of the


Microsoft CRM Server

1. Start the Client Server image.


2. Log on to the client machine with the username Administrator and
password = Pa$$w0rd.
3. Change the client machine from Workgroup mode to being a
member of the Adventure Works domain. Use the Network ID
option on the Computer Name tab of My Computer. This initiates a
Network Identification Wizard.
The wizard prompts you for two user accounts.
– The first is a user account that has network access rights; in this
case, enter the Administrator account.
– The second request is for a local user account. Enter gail. This
sets up Gail's account for offline use so that Gail can log in with
her network credentials even when she is offline.

NOTE: If you use the Change option instead of the Network ID option, it adds the
client to the domain. You must configure the machine so that Gail can log in with her
network credentials even when she is offline. Using the Network ID option does this
configuration for you.

4. On the Connecting to the Network page, accept the default option


("This computer is part of a business network, and I use it to connect
to other computers at work").
5. The next page asks you to select the option that describes your
company network. Accept the default option of "My company uses a
network with a domain."
6. Click Next on the Network Information page.
7. On the User Account and Domain Information page, leave
Administrator in the User Name field (or enter it if the field is
blank). Enter Pa$$w0rd as the password.

Change the value of the domain from Boston (the name of the client
machine) to ADVWORKS.MSFT, which is the name of the domain
in which the Microsoft CRM Server has been installed.
8. On the Computer Domain page, Windows cannot find the client
computer within the domain, because it has not been added to the
domain. Boston appears in the Computer Name field. Enter
ADVWORKS.MSFT in the Computer Domain field.
9. On the Domain User Name and Password page, enter Administrator
as the user name, Pa$$w0rd as the password, and
ADVWORKS.MSFT as the domain.

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10. On the User Account page, add Gail as a user on this computer for
classroom training. Verify the "Add the following user" option is
selected. Enter gail in the User Name field. Leave
ADVWORKS.MSFT in the Domain.
11. On the Access Level page, accept the default Standard User option.
12. Finish the wizard and restart the client machine.
13. Once the client machine has restarted, Gail is prefilled in the User
Name on the Log On screen. Change this to log on as the
Administrator. Do NOT log on as Gail. You need to log on as the
Administrator in order to perform the next step.

NOTE: When logging on, the Log on to field contains Boston by default. You must
change this to ADVWORKS to log into the Adventure Works domain.

Step 3− Perform Pre-requisites


The Windows Indexing Service must be running on the client machine to install
the Microsoft CRM Client for Outlook. Perform the following steps to verify the
service is running.

1. While logged on to the client as the Administrator, navigate to


Administrative Tools, Services.
2. Locate the Indexing Service.
3. Start the service if it is not running.
4. Change the Startup Type to Automatic if it is not set to this value.
5. Close the Install image and save the changes to your virtual hard
disk.

Step 4 − Log on to the client as Gail and Create the Outlook


Profile
Before installing the Microsoft CRM Client for Outlook, first create a Microsoft
Outlook profile for Gail Erickson on the Install Client machine.

1. On the Install Client image, log off the client machine as the
Administrator. Log back on to the client as Gail Erickson.
- username = gail
- password = Pa$$w0rd
- domain = ADVWORKS
2. Double-click the Microsoft Outlook icon on the Install Client
desktop. This starts the Outlook 2003 Startup wizard.
3. Set up the profile for Gail Erickson using the parameters defined in
the Goal Description.

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4. On the E-mail Accounts page, accept the Yes default to configure an


e-mail account.
5. On the Server Type page, click Microsoft Exchange Server.
6. On the Exchange Server Settings page:
a. Enter London as the name of the classroom's Microsoft
Exchange Server. Leave the Use Cached Exchange Mode option
selected.
b. Enter gail in the User Name field. Click Check Name. This
replaces the Microsoft Exchange Server name with
London.ADVWORKS.MSFT, and the user name is replaced
with Gail Erickson.
c. Click More Settings.
d. Click the Advanced tab.
e. Click Offline Folder File Settings.
f. Accept the default offline folder name and location.
g. You receive a message indicating the system could not find the
offline folder. Click Yes to create it.
h. Click OK to close the Microsoft Exchange Server window.
i. Click Next on the Exchange Server Settings page.
7. Click Finish to close the wizard.
8. Microsoft Outlook opens automatically and sets up the default
profile.

Step 5− Create Administrative Image for Client Setup


To install the client via the Windows Intellimirror tool and eliminate the
requirement that each user be a Local Administrator, run the Msiexec.exe
program via command line. For classroom training environments, run the
command line instruction with the minimum options. Perform the following
steps:

1. Go back to the Microsoft CRM Server on the Install Server VPC


image.
2. Open Windows Explorer. Create a folder on the Microsoft CRM
Server titled:

C:\ClientInstallShare
3. This is where the administrative image of the client setup program is
created. Share this folder so that all network users can access it.
Because the Microsoft CRM Server is also a domain controller,
adjust the sharing permissions. By default only the Allow Read
option is selected on a domain controller.

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Select the following permissions under the Allow column:


– Full Control
– Change

4. Change the CD drive to look at the client.iso image. Select CD on


the Menu bar, and click Capture ISO Image. Select the client.iso
image, which appears in the D drive in Windows Explorer.
If the Client Setup program starts because of the autorun option,
cancel the Setup program.
5. Open a Command Prompt, change the drive to D (your client iso
image), and enter the following command at the D: prompt:
msiexec.exe /a client.msi /quiet
This starts the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Outlook Client Setup program.
6. On the Select the Administrative Install Location page, you will
enter the path to the ClientInstallShare folder that you created on the
Microsoft CRM Server. This is where the administrative image of
the client setup program will be placed.

While you can browse through the network configuration to locate


the ClientInstallShare folder on the London server, it will be quicker
to type \\London\ClientInstallShare in the Administrative
Installation Location field. Click Next.
7. On the Specify Microsoft CRM Server page, enter
http://london:5555 in the URL field.
8. Once the Setup program is finished, verify the image was created by
navigating in Windows Explorer to the C:\ClientInstallShare folder.
Note the contents appear similar to the contents of the Microsoft
CRM Client CD.
For more information on creating the Admin image for client setup, see the
section titled Procedure: Publishing the setup image file via Group Policy on
page 199.
Step 6− Publish the Image Using Group Policy Objects
Once you create an Administrative image of the Client CD folder, publish this
image via Group Policy Objects. The image file is named Client.msi.

• During the publishing process, click the User Configuration node.


• You are prompted for the path to the Windows Installer file for the
package. This is the client setup image (Client.msi file). The file is
where you copied the Microsoft CRM Client folder, in the
\\London\ClientInstallShare folder.
• Select Published as the Deployment Method. This option specifies
that the application is deployed as published and that default settings
are used for deployment properties.

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For more information on publishing the image via Group Policy Objects, see the
section titled Procedure: Publishing the setup image file via Group Policy on
page 199.
Step 7 − Install Client Setup Program on the Client Machine
On the Install Client machine, log off as Gail and then log back in as Gail. When
each client logs in following publishing of an administrative image, the Windows
Intellimirror tool downloads a copy of the image to the client machine.

Once you have logged back in as Gail, run the Client Setup program via Add or
Remove Programs. The program can be found under Add New Programs.

NOTE: On the Systems Requirements page, you may receive a warning message that
recommends the installation of Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 SP2. Ignore this
warning message as we will not install this service pack on our client image for
classroom training environments.

Step 8 − Test the Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook


You are now ready to test the Microsoft CRM 3.0 laptop client for Outlook.
Perform the following steps to test the client in online mode only. The contact
and opportunity created here are used when you perform offline verification in
Lab 5.2.

1. Start Microsoft Outlook.


2. You may receive a Windows Security Alert message indicating that
Windows Firewall has blocked the Microsoft CRM Web Services
Hoster program. Check the box to not show this message again, and
click OK to unblock it.
3. In the Microsoft CRM folders, click the Contacts folder under the
Sales folder. This displays all of Gail's active contacts.

NOTE: This may take a minute or two to retrieve the contacts from the Microsoft
CRM database on the Microsoft CRM Server (in the Install Client image). Note that
you are connected online with the Microsoft CRM Server. On the CRM toolbar, note
the Go Offline icon. This indicates you are currently online. When online, all database
activity occurs directly against the Microsoft CRM Server database and not the local
MSDE database.

4. Select the New icon and create a new contact record. Enter your
name as the contact's name, then save the record. Verify the contact
record appears in the My Active Contacts view.
5. Click the Opportunities folder under Sales. Create a new opportunity
using the information found in the Goal Description. Verify the
opportunity appears in the My Open Opportunities view.

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Using the Microsoft CRM Laptop Client for Outlook


Since the Microsoft CRM Desktop Client for Outlook only functions in an on-
line mode, the user experience is similar to that of the web browser client in that
both are on-line at all times, and no off-line synchronization is needed. Although
the desktop client presents Microsoft CRM through the context of Microsoft
Outlook, no additional synchronization is required to use the client.

This differs from the Microsoft CRM Laptop Client for Outlook, which allows
the user to take the client offline and use Microsoft CRM while disconnected
from the company network. This section focuses on the tasks involved in the
process, including:

• Using the laptop client in an online state


• Using the laptop client in an offline state
• Taking the laptop client offline
• Synchronizing Outlook while working offline
• Performing Write operations while offline
• Synchronizing offline changes to the Microsoft CRM database
• Conflict checking during synchronization
• Synchronization after a connection failure

The Microsoft CRM Laptop Client for Outlook in an Online


State
The Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook can be used in both online and
offline modes. Working in an online mode may be optional for some users and
required of others.

Each user's security role includes a "Go Offline" privilege. This permission
dictates whether the client can only function in an online manner, or whether it
can switch between online and offline modes.

The following feature set applies when the client is online:

• The Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook continues to run on the
local computer and processes all application logic locally.
• The primary business logic processing occurs on the central
Microsoft CRM server.
• All database activity is performed against the Microsoft CRM
database.
• The local MSDE database is not used when the client is online.

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• If the Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook loses connectivity to


the server when online, the user is presented with the option to work
offline on previously synchronized data.

NOTE: No option is offered if a connection to the server is restored − there is no


continual seeking for server connectivity.

The Microsoft CRM Laptop Client for Outlook in an Offline


State
A user of the Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook can take the client offline
if their security role provides this privilege (see the "Go Offline" privilege). The
transition between online and offline modes is transparent to the user and all
client code.

FIGURE 5-10: MICROSOFT CRM LAPTOP CLIENT IN AN OFFLINE STATE

The following feature set applies when the client operates in an offline mode:

• All application and business logic processing is performed on the


client computer.
• The application logic uses a local instance of the Microsoft CRM
metabase, platform code, and business logic.
• All Microsoft CRM forms are rendered by the client's local web
server.
• All database activity is performed against the local Microsoft
Desktop Engine (MSDE) database.

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• For all "write" requests, a second update is made to a local store


known as a "playback graph." This is a queue used to synchronize
the local MSDE database with the Microsoft CRM database when
the client goes back online or the user synchronizes the client with
the Microsoft CRM database.
• A Microsoft CRM Server synchronization setting may be set to
determine the automatic frequency of synchronization to local
machines.

To work offline, the Laptop Client must be synchronized with the Microsoft
CRM Server database. Synchronization can occur in either of three ways:

• Go offline
• Schedule the Synchronization
• Click CRM, then click Synchronize

Taking the Microsoft CRM Laptop Client for Outlook


Offline
Each time that you go offline, you can select a new set of records to copy from
the Microsoft CRM database and store on your Microsoft CRM laptop client's
local MSDE database. Select a specific subset of data based on one or more pre-
defined filters and/or custom filters. These filters are referred to as data groups.

There are two types of data groups to select from:

• Pre-defined data groups. These are the pre-defined filters, such as


My Active Accounts, My Active Cases, My Recent Activities. Each
of these data groups can be edited.
• Custom data groups. You can use a filtering mechanism similar to
the Advanced Find tool to create custom filters.

To identify the predefined and custom data groups to use when going offline,
select CRM on the menu bar, and then select the Local Data option. As seen in
Figure 5-11, this option contains two tabs:

• Data Groups. The data extracted from the Microsoft CRM database
and synched to your laptop Client is based on ALL the data groups in
this tab. This includes both pre-defined and custom data groups.
When you create a custom data group, it is included in this tab by
default.

NOTE: Your security privileges are applied to the results of each data group query so
that only the records that you have access to are downloaded to your client.

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• Inactive Data Groups. If you do not want the data associated with a
specific data group copied to your laptop, select the data group from
the Data Groups tab and move it to the Inactive Data Groups tab.
To associate data with an inactive data group copied down to your
laptop client the next time you go offline, select the data group in
this tab and move it to the Data Groups tab.

NOTE: You can extract up to 2 gigabytes of data to take offline, since your local MSDE
database has a 2 gigabyte storage limit.

FIGURE 5-11: LOCAL DATA GROUPS

If you select the New icon, you are presented with a custom filter screen (see
Figure 5-12) that allows you to build your own custom data group.

FIGURE 5-12: BUILD A CUSTOM DATA GROUP

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The process of building your own custom filter is identical to building an


Advanced Find query. Click the Select option and define data group filtering
criteria, as seen in Figure 5-13.

FIGURE 5-13: DEFINE THE DATA GROUP CRITERIA

Once you select or build data group(s), select the Go Offline option on the
Microsoft CRM menu to initiate the offline synchronization process. When you
select the Go Offline option:

• Microsoft CRM constructs an offline data set based on ALL of the


data groups in the Data Groups tab.
• Your security privileges are applied to the results of each data group
query so that only the records you can access are included in the
offline data set.
• Microsoft CRM copies the offline data set to the client's local MSDE
database.

Microsoft CRM 3.0 features a newly developed Offline Synchronization process


that is simple, fast, and re-uses existing Microsoft CRM components. The
following tasks occur during the Offline Synchronization process:

• Prepare sync
• Propagate schema changes
• Move data

Each of these tasks appears in Figure 5-14, with the existing web services such as
PrepareSync, DiffBuilder, and MetadataHelper that Microsoft CRM 3.0 uses to
download server data to the client.

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FIGURE 5-14: MICROSOFT CRM LAPTOP CLIENT GOING OFFLINE

Offline Synchronization uses a SQL Bulk Copy (BCP) process to move data
from the server to the client. The BCP process performs the following tasks:

• It uses the existing SyncViews web service to provide a secured way


of accessing client data and creating the offline data set.
• The offline data set is stored as BCP files in C:\Program
Files\Microsoft CRM\Server\OfflineData.
• The BCP process inserts each offline data set record into the local
MSDE database.

SQL statements are performed to insert each record into the local MSDE
database:

• If the record being added already exists in the local MSDE database,
the existing record is deleted.
• The record is then inserted in to the MSDE database.

In the event of a conflict between an existing record in the MSDE database and
an updated version of the record being loaded from the server, the server record
is retained.

NOTE: Because the server's business logic and security checks were processed against
the data when originally entered into the Microsoft CRM Server, data written to the
local client database is not processed through the client's platform business logic and
security checks.

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During the synchronization process, you can click the Details button on the
progress screen to see the complete list of objects copied between the Microsoft
CRM server database and the local MSDE database. See Figure 5-15.

FIGURE 5-15: SYNCHRONIZATION DETAILS

Outlook Synchronization when Working Offline


Outlook Synchronization synchronizes Microsoft CRM tasks, appointments, and
contacts with default Outlook folders. While Outlook Synchronization occurs
when you go offline, you can also update Outlook folders when you are working
offline.

You can do this manually by clicking CRM, then clicking Synchronize. You can
also synchronize your laptop client through a new Schedulable Synchronization
feature.

• This allows you to define time intervals at which the Outlook


Synchronization automatically runs.
• This helps to keep your data automatically updated in the Outlook
folders while working offline.

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The Microsoft CRM 3.0 Outlook Synchronization process includes the following
features:

• Outlook Synchronization occurs automatically after the Offline


Synchronization process has finished running.
• Outlook Synchronization can be scheduled to run at periodic time
intervals to ensure the user always sees up-to-date Microsoft CRM
data in their Outlook folders.
• Outlook Synchronization runs in the background; it does not
interrupt the user from interacting with Outlook.
• Users can specify the time intervals at which Outlook
Synchronization occurs.

Performing "Write" Operations while Offline


When the Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook runs in offline mode, the
client's local platform layer makes one additional database write for all successful
data modifications against the local MSDE data store. This additional write
occurs against a second store called the playback graph.

The features of the playback graph include the following:

• The playback graph is an object update graph which tracks all


modifications against each object, including create, update, and
delete operations.
• The playback graph does not provide a complete serial recording,
such as a transaction log, of all actions against the local MSDE
database.
• Rejected transactions and query transactions are not recorded in the
playback graph.

NOTE: Workflow processes are stored on the Microsoft CRM server. Therefore,
workflow processes are not affected by transactions that occur when the client is
offline.

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Synchronizing Offline Changes to the Microsoft CRM


Database
At some point, offline users must synchronize changes made to their local MSDE
database with the Microsoft CRM database. Synchronization occurs in either of
two ways:

• When an offline user reconnects to the Microsoft CRM server.


• When an offline user selects the "Synchronization" option on their
Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook. The client remains in an
offline state following synchronization.

During synchronization, offline database changes are applied to the Microsoft


CRM database. If the Synchronization option was selected, the client's local
database and web server are updated with the latest data and web forms (similar
to when the client initially went offline).

However, unlike the process that occurs when disconnecting from the server,
synchronizing an offline client back to the server is somewhat more involved for
the following reasons:

• Microsoft CRM must guarantee that the latest Microsoft CRM


business logic is performed on every offline action submitted to the
Microsoft CRM Server.
• Microsoft CRM uses a method of "playing back" the changes as they
occurred offline.
• Each update transaction is submitted from the playback graph to the
Microsoft CRM Server as if the user entered the transaction in the
web browser at that moment.

FIGURE 5-16: SYNCHRONIZING THE OFFLINE CLIENT WITH THE MICROSOFT


CRM DATABASE

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This play back method guarantees that all business logic is performed on every
offline transaction submitted to the Microsoft CRM server. The data must be
validated by the Microsoft CRM server's business logic even though it was
validated by the client's business logic when the data was originally entered.
There are three reasons for this:

• A user's security privileges might have changed after taking the


client offline. Therefore, objects to which they originally had access
might have been modified and rendered the access obsolete.
• The playback process guarantees that the latest security privileges on
the Microsoft CRM Server are applied to each transaction before it
can be updated in the Microsoft CRM database.
• Additionally, performing the Microsoft CRM Server's business logic
on each played back transaction also guarantees that all objects work
within current workflow and callout process rules.

If an error occurs during synchronization, you are presented with an error


message outlining the problems encountered. This screen provides you with the
following options, as shown in Figure 5-17:

• Remain offline so that you can fix the errors causing the
synchronization problem. If the error cannot be fixed, you may need
to enter the change once you have gone back online.
• Go online and do not synchronize the change(s) causing the problem.

FIGURE 5-17: SYNCHRONIZATION ERROR WHEN GOING ONLINE

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Conflict Checking During Synchronization


Conflicts occur when a change is made to a record via an offline client and a
different change is made to the same field and record by someone using the web
browser or online client (or vice versa).

EXAMPLE: On Monday, Sales Rep A takes her Microsoft CRM laptop client for
Outlook offline. While offline, she changes the phone number for the Wingtip Toys
account to 555-1234. This change is made to her local MSDE database.
On Wednesday Sales Rep B uses the web browser client to change the phone number
for Wingtip Toys to 999-9876. This change is made to the Microsoft CRM database.
When Sales Rep A synchronizes at the end of the week, the change she made to Wingtip
Toys' phone number on Monday overrides the change made by Sales Rep B on
Wednesday. Following synchronization, Wingtip Toys' phone number in the Microsoft
CRM database is 555-1234.

The conflict occurs when the offline client synchronizes with the Microsoft CRM
Server. This is resolved in Microsoft CRM 3.0 in the following ways:

• When conflicts occur, the "last one in" rule applies.


• The changes made by the Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook
when it was offline always win and get updated on the Microsoft
CRM database.

In the example above, the offline update which occurs on Friday is the last one
in. In this case, the change made to the telephone number on Monday replaces
the change made to the telephone number on Wednesday.

NOTE: There is one exception to this rule. Sometimes the last operation that occurs on
the client cannot succeed because of the previous operation that occurred on the server.
For example, if a user closes a customer service case on the Microsoft CRM Server, a
later operation by an offline client that edits the case will not be applied when the client
synchronizes because the case is already closed.

IMPORTANT: The key point to remember with synchronization is that updates are
performed on a field by field basis. Therefore, the only time a conflict occurs is when an
offline user and an online user change the same FIELD on a record, which in the prior
example was the telephone number on the Wingtip Toys account record. If the offline
user changed the telephone number and the online user changed the account's address,
then no conflict occurs and both changes are applied.

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After a Connection Failure


If network failure occurs when the Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook is
going offline or is synchronizing offline database changes with the Microsoft
CRM database, the process fails, and it tries again the next time the process is
initiated. However, there is little chance of data corruption, as demonstrated in
the following scenarios:

• Going offline. Microsoft CRM 3.0 uses existing web services to


create the offline data set and copy it to the client's local MSDE
database. If a connection failure occurs during this process, the client
fails to go offline.

Once the connection is restored and the user attempts to again go


offline, the replication process starts over and any data that has
already been replicated is not extracted again.
• Synchronizing offline changes. During synchronization, no
transaction is removed from the playback graph until it is
successfully replayed to the server (this means either updated on the
server or rejected by the server due to changes in security or business
processing logic that occurred after the client went offline).

When connection is restored following a network failure and


synchronization is initiated, the process starts from where it left off.
This occurs because the transactions remaining in the graph are
limited to those not processed prior to the network failure.

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Lab 5.2 − Taking the Laptop Client Offline


Company: Adventure Works Cycle

Introduction
In this lab you continue testing the Microsoft CRM 3.0 Laptop Client for Outlook
installed in the previous lab. As you perform the instructions, use the information
in the Scenario and Goal Description to complete the lab.

See the Introduction to Training chapter for information about the two levels of
lab instruction and the lab solution in Appendix B.

Scenario
Adventure Works Cycle is implementing Microsoft CRM. As Technical
Consultant, you installed the Microsoft CRM server software and the Microsoft
CRM Exchange E-mail Router. You also created an administrative image of the
setup program for the Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook, which Gail
Erickson installed on her laptop (see Lab 5.1). You have asked Gail to verify the
offline functionality of the laptop client.

Goal Description
For Gail to test if her Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook is functioning
properly, you have asked her to perform the following tasks:

• Select predefined data groups and create a custom data group.


• Take the client offline and verify the correct data set was copied to
her local MSDE database.
• Perform offline updates and create a conflict situation.
• Go back online and verify the offline changes were applied in the
Microsoft CRM database.

Gail will apply the following information as she performs these steps:
Select predefined data groups and create her own custom data
group
Gail has decided she does not want to download the KB Articles, Sales
Literature, and Sales Literature Documents. She downloads all the predefined
data groups other than these three. She also downloads only Accounts with
estimated revenue greater than $100,000,000.

• Select the KB Articles, My Accounts, Sales Literature, and Sales


Literature Documents data groups and deactivate them. This moves
them to the Inactive Data Groups.
• Build a custom data group of Accounts, where the Annual Revenue
is greater than 100,000,000. Save this data group with the name
"Accounts > 100 Million."

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Take the client offline and verify the correct data set was
copied to the local MSDE database
Before going offline, review Gail's current active contacts and opportunities,
including the contact and opportunity added in the prior lab (Lab 5.1). Once Gail
has gone offline, she will verify these records appear in her local database.

Gail also reviews the list of active accounts to verify the only accounts copied to
her laptop client were the ones that met the criteria of the "Accounts > 100
Million" data group. The eleven accounts that appear in Figure 5-18 should
appear in the My Active Accounts view.

FIGURE 5-18: GAIL'S ACTIVE ACCOUNTS AFTER GOING OFFLINE

Perform offline updates


While offline, Gail changes the following data in the Tailspin Toys account:

• Annual revenue: from 510,000,000 to 600,000,000


• Relationship Type: from Prospect to Partner

Gail also updates the Test Opportunity (which was created in Lab 5.1) by adding
a Phone Call activity to the opportunity.

• Activity type = Phone Call


• Subject = Call Immediately

While Gail is offline, the CRM administrator deletes the Test Opportunity record
on the Install Server image to set up the conflict scenario when Gail goes online.

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Challenge Yourself!
Instructions
Perform the tasks outlined in the Goal Description to verify the laptop client is
functioning properly.

Need a Little Help?


Instruction
Using the laptop client on the Install Client image, perform the tasks outlined in
the Goal Description to verify the laptop client is functioning properly.
Step 1 − Select predefined data groups and build her own
custom data group

1. On the menu bar, click CRM, then click Local Data.


2. Create a New data group (Accounts > 100 Million) with the
condition defined in the Goal Description.
3. Select the My Accounts, KB Articles, Sales Literature, and Sales
Literature Documents and deactivate them.

Step 2 − Take the client offline and verify the correct data set
was copied to her local MSDE database

1. On the Microsoft CRM menu bar, click Go Offline.


2. On the Synchronizing Microsoft CRM Data window, select the
Show Confirmation when complete option and click Details.
3. Once the synchronization process is complete, close the
synchronization window and navigate to the Microsoft CRM
Contacts folder. Verify you see the contact added in Lab 5.1.
4. Navigate to the Opportunities folder. Verify you see the Test
Opportunity record created in Lab 5.1.
5. Navigate to the Microsoft CRM Accounts folder. In the Active
Accounts view, verify you see the accounts listed in the Goal
Description in Figure 5-18.

Step 3 − Perform offline updates and create a conflict situation

1. Apply the changes outlined in the Goal Description to the Tailspin


Toys account record.
2. Open the opportunity titled Test Opportunity. In the Details side tab,
click Activities.
3. Create a new Phone Call activity. Enter Call Immediately as the
subject.

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Microsoft CRM Installation and Configuration

4. To set up a conflict situation, switch to your Install Server VPC


image and using the web browser client, delete the Test Opportunity
record.

Step 4 − Go back online and verify the offline changes were


applied in the Microsoft CRM database.

1. Switch back to the Install Client VPC image. On the Microsoft CRM
menu bar, click Go Online.
2. During the synchronization process, you receive a Data
Synchronization Error. Why did you receive the error?

3. Click the Go online and do not save the changes made to data offline
option.
4. Once the synchronization is complete, navigate to the Active
Accounts view.
5. Verify the changes made offline to the Tailspin Toys account are
applied.
6. Navigate to the Opportunities and verify the Test Opportunity does
not exist.
7. Navigate to Activities and verify the Phone Call activity created
offline for the Test Opportunity does not exist.
8. Close the Client Install VPC image. Select the "Shut down Windows
XP and save changes" option. Verify the "Commit changes to the
virtual hard disk" option is selected on the Close window.

This saves your laptop client installation on the Client Install image.

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Chapter 5: Microsoft CRM 3.0 Client for Outlook

Summary
This lesson reviewed the following information concerning the Microsoft CRM
3.0 client for Outlook:

• The key features associated with the Microsoft CRM 3.0 client for
Microsoft Office Outlook.
• The installation procedures for the two types of Microsoft CRM
clients for Outlook.
• How the laptop client functions in an offline mode.

In addition, the client user should be familiar with the following best practices
concerning the Microsoft CRM client for Outlook:

• The Microsoft CRM server must be installed and running before


attempting to install the client.
• Do not install client on the Microsoft CRM Server. It is not
compatible with the Microsoft CRM server installation.
• Ensure both hardware and software requirements are met prior to
installing the client.
• The Indexing Services must be installed and running on the client
computer.
• Outlook must be started at least once to create a default profile prior
to installing the Microsoft CRM client for Outlook. During
installation, the Microsoft CRM laptop client for Outlook binds to
the default profile.
• Problems may occur which prevent the Microsoft CRM laptop client
for Outlook from functioning properly if you have or create
additional profiles and try to change or delete the default profile.
• The person installing the Outlook client must be a valid Microsoft
CRM user with roles and a license.

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Microsoft CRM Installation and Configuration

Test Your Knowledge − Installing the Microsoft CRM 3.0


Client for Outlook
1. What are the two Microsoft CRM clients for Outlook that are
available in Microsoft CRM 3.0, and how are they different?

2. You have just completed creating the Administrative image by


running command line setup of the Microsoft CRM client for
Outlook. What is the next step that you must perform?
a. Push the image out to each client machine
b. Publish the image via Group Policy Objects
c. Install the image on the client via Add or Remove Programs
d. None of the above

3. Which of the following are features of the Microsoft CRM 3.0


desktop client for Outlook? Select all that apply.
a. Intended for machines that never go offline
b. Provides new schedulable Outlook synchronization
c. Allows multiple installations of the client on the same machine
(for example, shift workers sharing a desktop machine)
d. Installation does not install the MSDE database or the local web
server

4. When installing the Microsoft CRM 3.0 client for Outlook directly
from the Client CD, what privilege must the installation user possess
on the client machine?
a. Domain Administrator privilege
b. Network User privilege
c. Local Administrator privilege
d. Power User privilege

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Chapter 5: Microsoft CRM 3.0 Client for Outlook

5. When the client image is published via Group Policy Objects, what
are the two options the administrator can choose from that indicates
how the image must be installed on the client machine?
a. Publish
b. Add or Remove Programs
c. Install on all clients
d. Auto install

6. Installing the Microsoft CRM client for Outlook via the


Administrative image eliminates what user requirement that must be
met if a user installs the client directly from the Microsoft CRM
Client CD?

7. What is the purpose of publishing the image via Group Policy


Objects?

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Microsoft CRM Installation and Configuration

Quick Interaction: Lessons Learned


Take a moment and write down three Key Points you have learned from this
chapter:

1.

2.

3.

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