Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution architecture. My thoughts around the solution architect role and the typical design considerations when it comes to Dynamics CRM.
2. Salim Adamon
▪ Independent CRM Consultant & Solution Architect
▪ 10+ CRM Deployments
▪ CRM Blogger @ http://salimadamoncrm.com
▪ Microsoft User Group regular speaker (Ottawa, Montreal, Online)
▪ Microsoft Dynamics CRM MVP
3. Presentation Plan
▪ Platform Overview
▪ What is CRM? What is XRM?
▪ Demonstration: System views, Configuration
▪ CRM Solution Architecture
▪ The Architect’s role
▪ The Architect’s tools
▪ Design Considerations
▪ Q & A
5. What is CRM?
▪ Customer Relationship Management
▪ Microsoft Dynamics CRM
▪ Account & Contact Management in a context
▪ Default Modules:
▪ Service (case, incident management)
▪ Sales (lead, opportunity, products, invoices)
▪ Marketing (activities, emails, campaigns)
▪ COTS product
▪ Cloud (Office 365 or Private)
▪ On Premise (local installation)
6. What is xRM?
▪ Represents extending an application on the CRM platform
▪ ‘x’ is a variable that means ‘any’
▪ Example: Citizen RM, Student RM, Dealers RM, etc.
▪ Also referred to as “Extended CRM”
▪ Not a COTS product
▪ “One Platform: Many Applications”
7. What’s new in CRM 2015 ?
▪ Hierarchy visualization
▪ Search across multiple record types
▪ Business Process improvements
▪ Create custom help for users
▪ Sales Product Taxonomy
▪ CRM Online Administration experience
▪ Lots of additional new features for developers
9. What is the CRM Architect’s role?
▪ Subject Matter Expertise
▪ Deep knowledge of ALL ASPECTS of the platform
▪ Provide guidance and best solution design
▪ Troubleshoot unexpected issues
▪ Provide long term vision and strategy for solution
▪ Speak both “business” and “technical” languages
10. What is the CRM Architect’s role?
▪ Delivery Methodology
▪ Project implementation methodology (Agile, Waterfalls...)
▪ Delivery Modules Management
▪ CRM Solution evolution framework
▪ Configuration, Dev, QA, Prod environments
▪ Deployment model
▪ Tool Box
▪ Configuration tools
▪ Development tools
▪ Debugging tools
▪ Accelerators
11. What is the CRM Architect’s role?
▪ Solution Planning PMO Support, Workforce Management
▪ Project Delivery Strategy
▪ People involvement (who, what, when)
▪ Mentor and guide junior resources
13. CRM Architect Tools
▪ Knowledge is POWER
▪ Learning resources
▪ Online Resources
▪ Microsoft Community Blogs
▪ Training, User Groups Conferences
▪ Practice – Use trial organizations
▪ Technical Architecture
▪ Extensibility points
▪ Implications of design decisions
14. CRM Architect Tools
▪ Knowledge is POWER
▪ Technical Architecture
▪ “The Ripple Effect”
▪ xRM Platform Components
▪ Data Modeling
▪ Entities, Fields, Relationships
▪ User Interface
▪ Forms, Views, Lookup
▪ Web and Outlook (including offline)
▪ Process Automation
▪ Workflows, Dialog, Business Process Flow
▪ Queues and Teams
▪ Plugins, Web Services
▪ Reporting
▪ SSRS, Excel
▪ Charts and Dashboards
▪ Security
▪ Roles, Organization-based
▪ Field Level
▪ Auditing
▪ Data Management
▪ Data Import/Export
▪ Duplicate Detection
▪ Web & Integration
▪ Portals
▪ SharePoint Integration
▪ Enterprise Service Bus
▪ Custom Integration (API, SDK)
17. Typical Design Considerations
▪ Automation Design – Client Side
▪ Form Scripting & Business Rules
▪ Ribbon customizations
▪ Sitemap customizations
▪ Business process flow
▪ Custom UI development
▪ Automation Design – Server Side
▪ Workflows, Custom Workflow Activities
▪ Plugins
▪ CRM Web Services (REST, ODATA)
▪ SQL Server
▪ SSRS Reports
18. Typical Design Considerations
▪ CRM Online vs CRM On Premise
▪ Different integration consideration
▪ Different security considerations
▪ Scalability control
▪ CRM Solution Components
▪ Consider ease of deployment
▪ Build automated deployment tools
▪ Limit the number of external elements in your solution
19. Typical Design Considerations
▪ Data Integration & Migration
▪ Dynamics CRM provide SQL views to READ CRM Data
▪ Create, Update, Delete must be done through Web Service
▪ Understand CRM Web Service limitations
▪ Retrieve Multiple Record Limit
▪ Using Third Party Software for Data Integration and Migration Jobs
▪ SSIS + CRM Add On (Kingsway Soft, others)
▪ Scribe Soft, Instance Adapter etc.
▪ Decision making for data integration and migration (technology, performance, immediacy
etc.)
20. Typical Design Considerations
▪ Buy vs Build?
▪ Lots of CRM Solution Add-Ons :
▪ Portals (ADX Studio, Parature)
▪ Mobility
▪ Project Management, PSA, Field Services Management
▪ Can you build it internally?
▪ Should you build it or buy an existing add-on?
21. Typical Design Considerations
▪ Infrastructure Design
▪ CRM Access points
▪ HTTP vs HTTPS
▪ Active Directory, Claim Based Auth, Internet Facing Deployment (IFD)
▪ Portal(s)
▪ Solution Sizing
▪ Single vs Multiple Server Infrastructure
▪ SQL Server features
▪ SQL Indexes
