CRM Online 2011 | Plan ahead for e-mails

As with the On-premise deployment, CRM 2011 offers many scenarios to enable receiving and sending e-mails from CRM Online. With this flexibility comes the requirement to configure several aspects of the E-mail Router for the ways your organization uses it.

There are essentially three options:

1. Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook
2. The Microsoft Dynamics CRM E-mail Router
3. Forward mailbox

It is generally a best practice to plan for your option well in advance since e-mail communication is a critical part of almost every CRM deployment. The scenario that you deploy will depend on several factors such as:

1. Type of organization
2. Existing mail infrastructure (server and client)
3. Performance considerations
4. Business needs (scenarios for using e-mail communication)

It is also possible to select multiple options in the same organization. For example, within one organization, some users can use the Microsoft Dynamics CRM E-mail Router for sending and tracking e-mail in Microsoft Dynamics CRM and other users can use Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook for that purpose. A multi-national deployment frequently combines components. Couple of years ago, I ran into a situation where one country was on exchange and other lotus notes. The exchange users were interested in using outlook client but the lotus notes users got the e-mail functionality using the router. Sounds familiar?

On the other hand, a large user base presents a good argument for using router with a forward mailbox. It is better to run the rules on a forward mailbox than running it across all mailboxes. It also provides better management capability to the IT administrators. Strong workflow usage typically works better with router as well. It is more stable and can cover all scenarios without introducing a risk of mail client being shut down.

Here is a quick snapshot of the deployment scenarios for users of Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online:

• Online Scenario 1: Configuring Microsoft Dynamics CRM to use Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook as the incoming and outgoing e-mail client

In this scenario, all of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM users in the organization will use Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook as the e-mail client. You do not have to install the Microsoft Dynamics CRM E-mail Router or the Rule Deployment Wizard, but Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook must be installed for every user in the organization.

• Online Scenario 2: Configuring Microsoft Dynamics CRM to use the E-mail Router for incoming and outgoing e-mail

In this scenario, the E-mail Router is used to process both outgoing e-mail that users create in Microsoft Dynamics CRM and incoming e-mail that will be received into and tracked in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Before you begin this scenario, you must install the Microsoft Dynamics CRM E-mail Router. This scenario does not require a forward mailbox, it does not require users to install Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook, and it does not require that you install the Rule Deployment Wizard.

• Online Scenario 3: Configuring Microsoft Dynamics CRM to use the E-mail Router for outgoing e-mail and a forward mailbox for incoming e-mail

This scenario illustrates the use of a forward mailbox. A forward mailbox receives incoming e-mail and transfers it to Microsoft Dynamics CRM for individual users of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. The E-mail Router is used to send outgoing e-mail that users create in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Before you begin this scenario, you must install the Microsoft Dynamics CRM E-mail Router and the Rule Deployment Wizard. Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook does not have to be installed.

Reference:

Microsoft TechNet article (http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh239570.aspx)