Quick tip: Connect to multiple Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 organizations

http://www.dynamicsconsulting.de/2011/12/28/quick-tip-connect-to-multiple-microsoft-dynamics-crm-2011-organizations/

One particularly nifty feature included with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 and CRM Online 2011 is the ability to connect to multiple organizations using a single Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Microsoft Office Outlook client. Only one organization can be configured as the “synchronizing organization”, the organization you’ll actively track Microsoft Exchange Server items in as CRM Online 2011 records. What you will be able to do is navigate and work in multiple organizations using the client.
We just discovered this and wanted to pass along the tip, as versions of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Microsoft Office Outlook client previous to 2011 required manual reconfiguration every time you wanted to use a different organization. We’ll walk you through the configuration of an additional organization below.
Some of the steps in this guide require elevated computer privileges. If you find yourself stuck during any steps of this guide, we recommend contacting your IT department.
We assume you have already installed the Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Microsoft Office Outlook client and configured it to connect to your synchronizing organization.
Open the Start menu, click All Programs, click Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, and click Configuration Wizard.
The Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook Configuration Wizard window opens (see below). Your synchronizing organization should already be listed and marked with the green checkmark icon. Click Add.

The Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook window opens and prompts you to Configure Organization (see below). If you are adding a CRM Online organization, select “CRM Online 2011” from the drop-down menu and click OK.

Alternatively, our readers who subscribe to partner-hosted Microsoft Dynamics CRM should type the Server URL: provided to them by their system administrator. For example, hosted customers of xRM.com should type “https://example.hosted-ms-crm.com” (see below) but with “example” replaced by the special name for their organization. Then click OK.

The Connect to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online window opens (see below) and requests your authentication credentials. If you subscribe to CRM Online 2011, enter your Windows Live ID and Password and then click OK. If you subscribe to partner-hosted Microsoft Dynamics CRM, enter the username and password provided by your system administrator for authentication.

The Connect to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online window closes. If you subscribe to multiple Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online organizations, you will be prompted to make a selection from the Organization drop-down menu (see below). We’ll select “xRMDemo2” in our example. Leave the Synchronize with this Organization checkbox un-checked, unless you prefer to change your synchronizing organization. Then click OK.

The Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook window closes and the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook Configuration Wizard refreshes (see below). You should see the newly added organization (“xRMDemo2” in our example) included in the list. Click Close.

Launch Microsoft Office Outlook, and click the Solutions button circled below to navigate to Microsoft Dynamics CRM or CRM Online 2011. The Solutions button should have replaced any prior organization button, as it contains both your synchronizing organization and any other configured organizations.

We’ve just configured the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Microsoft Office Outlook client to connect to multiple organizations. If you’re looking for more creative ways to use CRM Online 2011, then you should visit the Microsoft Dynamics CRM success portal. It contains plenty of helpful videos and walkthroughs aimed at users of all skill levels.







http://www.dynamicsconsulting.de/2011/12/28/quick-tip-connect-to-multiple-microsoft-dynamics-crm-2011-organizations/

Posted in: CRM 2011 Client Deployment