Martin
Thu Oct 25 09:58:03 PDT 2007
On 23 Oct, 23:02, michael b <micha...@discussions.microsoft.com>
wrote:
> Martin, any luck finding a suitable add-on for this? This is really
> frustrating my users.
>
>
>
> "Martin" wrote:
> > On 31 Aug, 13:56, Carsten <Cars...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> > > "Martin" wrote:
> > > > On Aug 31, 1:04 pm, Carsten <Cars...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> > > > > "Carsten" wrote:
> > > > > > "Martin" wrote:
>
> > > > > > > On 30 Aug, 17:48, Carsten <Cars...@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote:
> > > > > > > > Hi,
>
> > > > > > > > where4s the problem with? You can reopen a case, clone a case with one or
> > > > > > > > more service acitivities, use a customized entity...
> > > > > > > > So again - where4s the problem?
>
> > > > > > > > "Martin" wrote:
>
> > > > > > > > > Apologies for the number of (exasperated) posts lately! Having frankly
> > > > > > > > > an awful day of discovery of the things that we are absolutely relying
> > > > > > > > > on CRM to be able to do, but that it does not seem to....!
>
> > > > > > > > > Does anybody have a need to add recurring service activites?? We do!
> > > > > > > > > We have service contracts we need to honour on an annual, quarterly,
> > > > > > > > > and sometimes weekly basis. These services really need to be scheduled
> > > > > > > > > in advance. I'm getting very very concerned at this point!!! If anyone
> > > > > > > > > can provide guidance I would be most appreciative!
>
> > > > > > > > > Regards,
>
> > > > > > > > > Martin.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > > > > > > - Show quoted text -
>
> > > > > > > Carsten,
>
> > > > > > > The 'problem' is that we have hard and fast service contracts with a
> > > > > > > number of companies. We know now that every Friday morning, for
> > > > > > > example, from now until the year 2009, will be occupied by a certain
> > > > > > > predifined service activity for a certain client, hence that time for
> > > > > > > that service engineer is booked out. Without the ability to be able to
> > > > > > > add recurring service appointments, do I have to add x number of
> > > > > > > entries to the service calendar for every friday morning for the next
> > > > > > > 1, 2 or 10 years?
>
> > > > > > So what you need is something customized like this:
> > > > > >
http://blogs.msdn.com/midatlanticcrm/archive/2006/04/10/Fun_with_JScr...
>
> > > > > or something like this nice little add-on
http://www.mscrm-addons.com/Default.aspx?tabid=86(serializingactivities)
>
> > > > > > > Secondly, our engineers have to honour quarterly and yearly service
> > > > > > > contracts. I'm fairly new to CRM, but I would have thought that as
> > > > > > > there is a 'Service' area in CRM, that this area/function should be
> > > > > > > able to operate proactively rather than reactively - I.e. that it
> > > > > > > should manage multiple forthcoming dates for ongoing service contracts
> > > > > > > that we have with our clients, automatically.
>
> > > > > > > Is this reasonable? Or am I looking at it the wrong way? Be interested
> > > > > > > to hear your response.
>
> > > > > > > Best Regards,
>
> > > > > > > Martin.
>
> > > > > > And of course this is also a part of customization. Something with using of
> > > > > > worflow-manager, something with JavaScript like the example above.
>
> > > > > > I do understand your 'problem' because you4ve expected to find this by
> > > > > > default. But it4s not. It4s just to customize your business situation.
>
> > > > > > Best Regards,
> > > > > > Carsten.- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > > > - Show quoted text -- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > > > - Show quoted text -
>
> > > > Thanks Carsten,
>
> > > > These are certainly interesting example, but not really what i'm
> > > > looking for. I like the idea of having sub-cases and master cases, but
> > > > really my main concern is to have a system that can schedule recurring
> > > > tasks into the future. You're absolutely right, I did expect this
> > > > functionality to be in as standard. There are two reasons for this...
>
> > > > 1) My Blackberry can do it, my Windows Mobile can do it, My Outlook
> > > > can do it, and I don't really see why my CRM, a supposedly far more
> > > > advanced scheduling tool, cannot do it.
>
> > > > 2) Say for example we have a pre-scheduled service every week at the
> > > > same time, we know that in 4 weeks time we will be doing this service,
> > > > but unless we enter it manually for all future dates, our CRM does not
> > > > know this and may schedule other activities that clash with this
> > > > activity that should should have been pre-scheduled in the CRM, but
> > > > has been forgotten because it has to be done manually.
>
> > > > I found an addon called 'Scheduling Assistant for Microsoft CRM' by
> > > > 'Vertical Marketing Inc.'. It claims to be able to do what i'm looking
> > > > for, but i've so far been unsuccessful installing it. I'm about to get
> > > > in contact with them but think i'll be having problems... The user
> > > > guide says it was developed for MS CRM version 2.00. Am I right in
> > > > saying there was no version 2.00??
>
> > > > Thanks again,
>
> > > > Martin.
>
> > > Use the second link I4ve posted and take a look at "documentation". If you
> > > download the groupcalender documentation for users you will find "serialize
> > > appointment". I think this is something usefull for you.
>
> > > And of course you4re right (1) . Something for the upcoming version ;-)- Hide quoted text -
>
> > > - Show quoted text -
>
> > It's working, and it's the closest i've seen to a useful, functioning
> > way of dealing with recurring activities. I do thank you for this, but
> > it is far from perfect. Firstly, it doesn't work with service
> > activities, only appointments - so resources cannot be allocated; and
> > secondly, you have to specify an end date - this has to be done by
> > clicking through the months one at a time. If the contract is 5 years,
> > this means clicking 60 times, each time waiting for the server to
> > catch up.
>
> > I'm still amazed and fairly appauled that this functionality isn't in
> > CRM 3.0 as standard. A CRM customised for Service industries is bound
> > to need this by default. Services are not just reactive things. On the
> > contrary, they are often pre-scheduled and recurring (i.e. Service
> > contracts).
>
> > Thank you Carsten, it's the closest functionality i've seen, but it
> > would be a big compromise in our functionality to use it.
>
> > Come on Microsoft/Third party add-on providers... Not good enough!!
>
> > Martin.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -
Unfortunately not. It still remains, to me, as a glaring omission in
CRM 3.0
I have had a couple of offers from developers willing to program this
functionality in but they've generally sounded a bit messy to me -
involving 'call-outs' scheduled to run on the server to duplicate
service activities as needed into the future. I'd certainly be happier
if this functionality were embedded programmatically in the system/
database.
Anyway we've turned our attentions to other things, i'm working on a
custom entity for fire alarm servicing. I'm hoping that going through
the motions of understanding the structure of of how our data will be
held in this CE will help me come up with a simpler way of managing
recurring activities. If there's one thing i've learnt it's that in
CRM there are always multiple ways to skin the same cat.
I'd still be more than interested to know if you find a good way of
creating recurring items.
All the best,
Martin