Article

How Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 tablet apps improve offline content handling

by Joel Lindstrom
Solution Architect, Hitachi Solutions,

NOTE: The following article is adapted from Microsoft MVP Joel Lindstrom's new book CRM Mobile Survival Guide. MSDynamicsWorld.com readers can use the code ‘FriendofJoel' for a discount on the paper version of the book.

The Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 tablet app makes significant progress in its handling of offline content. Most importantly, it introduces the ability to create draft records while disconnected from the internet on Windows 8.1, IOS, and Android versions of CRM for Tablets. As with any new software, there are some details for users to be aware of, as well as even more areas to be excited about for the future.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 tablet app - offline content

In CRM 2013, users of tablet applications could view read-only copies of recently viewed records. These records were stored in HTML in the user's browser cache. While the user could view read-only copies of the records, he could not edit or create new records.

In CRM 2015, when disconnected from the internet, the user can click the new record (+) button from the dashboard to create a new draft record.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2015 tablet app - sales dashboard

Draft records can also be created from the quick create button on the command bar.

CRM for Tablets for CRM 2015 changes the way that disconnected records are stored. They now use a SQL database, not ...

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About Joel Lindstrom

Joel Lindstrom is a Solution Architect and seven‐time Microsoft Dynamics CRM MVP. He has  worked for Hitachi Solutions (formerly Customer Effective) for the past 8 years. In this role he has participated in hundreds of successful Dynamics CRM deployments, leading requirements gathering, design, configuration, integration, reporting, installation, and training. 

Before working as a CRM consultant, Joel worked for Datastream Systems selling Asset Management software. Using multiple CRM systems in his job gave Joel an appreciation for CRM  software, and how CRM system design choices can impact user experience. He is passionate  about CRM user experience, as it drives user adoption of CRM.

Joel enjoys empowering users by making complex topics easy to understand. That is why he  loves Dynamics CRM: it empowers customers to make the system fit their business processes  without having to be developers. But with this power comes some considerations. It is very easy  to configure a form in Dynamics CRM, but it is also very easy to configure a form badly. 

By sharing lessons learned from many Dynamics CRM implementations, Joel's goal is to help  others learn from mistakes that he and others have made and ensure that their deployments are  successful. Joel blogs regularly at crmtipoftheday.com and blog.customereffective.com. He is a  frequent speaker at Microsoft Dynamics conferences, like the CRMUG Summit and Microsoft  Convergence. He also regularly tweets original Dynamics CRM content @JoelLindstrom.

On mobile:

Joel's first "mobile devices" were the original Diamond Rio MP3 player and a Palm Pilot in 1998.  Since then he has used ...

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