Why Microsoft Dynamics CRM Users Need to Shift Focus from Applications to Scoping for Integration

The time of the standalone application is long past. Nowadays, in most projects, applications are expected to be integrated into the customer's architectural landscape.

The integration can be pretty basic, like integrating with Outlook or integrating with a website for retail purposes. Also very common is the integration with back office applications like Siebel, SAP or Dynamics ERP software (e.g. NAV, AX, GP).

The last couple of years, we are seeing an increase in collaboration with document management applications. One functionality that Microsoft Dynamics CRM is missing is solid solutions for document management. Certainly a logical (Microsoft) solution is SharePoint. These applications can be integrated and enhanced with accelerator Enterprise Search.

The combination delivers very nice functionality that would match the requirements of many customers. In demos of the previous and current version of Dynamics CRM, the integration is demonstrated by IFRAME integration and dashboards.

The implementation becomes complex in the enterprise market. The project organization is in most cases based on technology and not based on integration. A standard project approach would consist of Dynamics CRM and SharePoint implementation, with two teams being formed.

The integration between Dynamics CRM and SharePoint is more involved than is usually appreciated. Ideally, such a  project involves workshops for establishing the requirements, installing and customizing the software, some data migration and integration. It's the integration component that is mostly taken for granted...and underestimated.

The reason the integration aspect is underestimated is usually because of a focus on the applications themselves--e.g. SharePoint or Dynamics CRM. This has an effect on the scope, planning, collaboration and data migration. Let's consider how each is affected by a proper focus on integration:

Scope

The ...