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In this blog we will demonstrate how to install and configure the Outlook Client for connecting to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015.
Install the CRM client
Install the correct CRM plugin (64bit v 32bit):
You will be given the choice of which version to install:
- 64 bit: CRM2015-Client-ENU-amd64.exe
- 32 bit: CRM2015-Client-ENU-i386.exe
Extract the files to a suitable location and then install following the on screen instructions. Close and re-open Microsoft Outlook to complete the installation.
Please ensure that you install the correct version to match the version of Microsoft Outlook you are running.
If you are unsure what version you are running then open an Office application e.g. Word and click on File -> Account and then the “About Word” box. You will see a screen similar to below. The 32 or 64 bit version is detailed.
Enable the CRM add-in within Outlook:
Once installed the plug-in should be enabled, but if it does not show then check the following.
- Click the "File" option in Outlook
- Click "Options"
- Click Add-ins
- Click the [Go] button at the bottom of the screen beside “Manage: COM Add-ins”:
- Ensure that the Microsoft Dynamics CRM option is enabled:
If there are multiple entries for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, then ensure that both are enabled.
Configure CRM Client to connect to your CRM
Inside Outlook, there should now be a CRM option added to the top menu ribbon:
- Click the CRM option on the menu ribbon
- Click the “Configure Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook” icon
- Add a CRM Organisation to connect to.
a. Enter the web address (URL) of your CRM organisation (if using CRM on premise):
b. Or select “CRM Online” from the drop list (if using CRM Online):
4. Click the [Connect] button to connect to the CRM.
5. Log in to your CRM organisation using your personal login details
6. Once logged in the CRM Outlook ribbon will be displayed:
7. Click the “Synchronise with CRM” button on the menu ribbon to sync contacts. This option will not be shown if you are using server to server synchronisation option.
Set Personal Options in Outlook:
- Click the "File" option in Outlook
- Click the "CRM" option
- Click on "Options" [Set Personal Options]
- Click the "Email" tab
- Select whether to “Allow other Microsoft Dynamics CRM users to send email on your behalf”
- Select which “email messages to track in Microsoft Dynamics CRM”:
- All email messages. Track all email messages (both sent &received) which are related to CRM email messages. If selected, CRM will track ALL mail including junk.
- Email messages in response to CRM email. Only replies to and/or forwards of email messages that have previously been tracked, will be saved as email activities in CRM. This is the option that most users will use.
- Email messages from CRM Leads, Contacts, and Accounts. Track emails only if they come from someone with a Microsoft Dynamics CRM lead, contact, or account record.
- Email messages from Microsoft Dynamics CRM records that are email enabled. Tracks email messages from any record type that contains an email address field (including custom record types).
7. Select whether to “Automatically create records in Microsoft Dynamics CRM”
- When this option is enabled, CRM for Outlook will attempt to match recipients to an email address in CRM. Subject to the personal options selected, it will automatically create a contact or lead record if no current record can be located.
8. Click the [OK] button to save the Personal Options page
Configure how emails will be processed by CRM
In order to allow CRM users to send and receive emails via CRM, the type of connection to your email service needs to be assigned in the System Settings.
- Open “Settings >> Email Configuration” inside CRM
2. Select “Email Configuration Settings” from the Email Configuration options to open the System Settings
3. Select which option the CRM should “Process Email Using”:
- Server-side synchronization is used to integrate CRM with Exchange servers. If available Server-side synchronization is the preferred option.
- The Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 Email Router provides centrally managed Exchange Server and POP3/SMTP-based email server routing for users, queues, and forward mailboxes. The Email Router runs continuously as a service and only synchronises email messages. You cannot use it to synchronise, appointments, contacts, or tasks. These will rely on the Outlook client to synchronise these records.
4. Select the “default synchronisation method” that will be applied to new user accounts when they are created:
Recommended settings for CRM 2015:
- Server Profile: Select the Email server profile to use.
- Incoming Email: “Server-Side Synchronisation or Email Router”
- Outgoing Email: “Server-Side Synchronisation or Email Router”
- Appointments, Contacts, and Tasks: “Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook”
Please find a description of each option below:
- None. Users or queues that will not use CRM to track email messages should use this.
- Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook. Only available for users and is not available for queues.
- Server-Side Synchronization or Email Router. When you select this option, the server-side synchronization or Email Router will process Microsoft Dynamics CRM email messages directly from the user's or queue's inbox, without using a forward or a sink mailbox. Although this option does not require a sink mailbox, it does make troubleshooting server-side synchronization or Email Router issues more complex for larger user bases (10 or more users) because each incoming email message is processed by the server-side synchronization or Email Router in every user's mailbox instead of in a single dedicated mailbox.
- Forward Mailbox. To use this option, you must install the Email Router. This option requires a sink mailbox, which is a dedicated mailbox that collects email messages transferred from each Microsoft Dynamics CRM user's mailbox by a server-side rule. Although this option does not require users to run Outlook, it does require that the rule be deployed for each user. You use the Rule Deployment Wizard to deploy rules to each Microsoft Dynamics CRM user mailbox.
Enable server tracking of emails for each user in CRM:
- Locate the User/Contact’s “Mailbox” inside CRM
- Open the Mailbox and scroll to the ‘General’ settings
- Set the “Synchronisation Method”:
Recommended settings for CRM 2015 if Server Side Synchronisation is available:
- Server Profile: Select the Email server profile to use.
- Incoming Email: “Server-Side Synchronisation or Email Router”
- Outgoing Email: “Server-Side Synchronisation or Email Router”
- Appointments, Contacts, and Tasks: “Server-Side Synchronisation”
If you do not have an Exchange server or Email Router installed then select Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook. The email will then be synchronised on a scheduled basis by the Outlook client.
4. Save and close the mailbox settings
Please Contact Us for more information on Outlook Client for Microsoft Dynamics CRM or for further information visit the Video Tutorial page. If you would like to try out Dynamics CRM, we offer a 30 day free trial.