New Microsoft Dynamics CRM Statement of Direction Sets Focus on Microsoft Technology, Agility, Flexibility

Microsoft has released a new statement of direction document for Microsoft Dynamics CRM. The document describes a vision that extends many existing initiatives like more business intelligence, smoother deployment practices, and increased adoption, as well as positioning Dynamics CRM as part of a Microsoft technology stack. At the same time the company is trying to set a more focused course on things like social collaboration and support for the use of Dynamics CRM on more devices and platforms.

The document explains plans for a more agile development process in the future, including a standardized approach to updating Dynamics CRM Online starting in the next few quarters. The next Automatic Service Update is currently planned for Q4 CY2011. The next Scheduled Service Update is currently planned for Q2 CY2012.

Social Collaboration

Microsoft boasts “significant collaboration assets” already in its toolbox.  Unfortunately many of these capabilities live within other products that it will have to extend in various ways that so they can bubble up into future Dynamics CRM releases.   Many of the social capabilities Microsoft refers to are here today thanks to add-ons for micro-blogging and activity feeds (Pulse, Vibe), as well as SharePoint integration strategies.  Given the improving social capabilities of competitors’ CRM solutions, Microsoft will be challenged to pull together evolving, and perhaps disparate, new social features arising from SharePoint, Linc, Office, and other products.  As they work toward this goal, the ISV ecosystem of social tools will also continue to evolve with new social and collaborative offerings that Dynamics CRM customers ...