consolidating e-mail threads

When you are automatically tracking CRM mail (either via the Mail Router or
via Outlook), and when you have a lengthy back-and-forth exchange with a
customer, the CRM tracks each of these emails as a separate activity in CRM.

Has anyone run across a solution (ISV or otherwise) that will consolidate
those activities into one activity? It would seem possible, especially if
using the tracking tokens.

Thanks

Dave Ireland

Michael
Thu May 08 17:05:10 CDT 2008

Hi Dave,

I think it's very hard to develop. Outlook has a conversation id (an email
thread id) which could be used to identify emails being replies to other
emails and if this information is tracked in CRM, then it may be possible to
identify emails that can be removed. However, not all people choose to add
the original email in their own response, so an automated solution also
needs to scan the contents of the emails to ensure (in some way) that the
previous information is not lost.

This is not a trivial task, but your question in general is very fair. I
have the same issue in my system, though my biggest concern is that nobody
changes the subject line after hitting the reply button. This makes it
almost impossible to easily find the information you are looking for in the
history view, because you may have 20 emails with subjects of "RE: RE: RE:
FW: RE: RE: original subject". If people were changing the subject to a
summary of what they tell you in the body, it would help me even more than
less emails.

But to be honest, I'm changing the subject in maybe 5% of my replies.

--
Michael Höhne, Microsoft Dynamics CRM MVP

CRM Blog: http://www.stunnware.com/?area=blog

----------------------------------------------------------

"Dave Ireland" <direland@salentica.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:%23Tg798PsIHA.3804@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
> When you are automatically tracking CRM mail (either via the Mail Router
> or via Outlook), and when you have a lengthy back-and-forth exchange with
> a customer, the CRM tracks each of these emails as a separate activity in
> CRM.
>
> Has anyone run across a solution (ISV or otherwise) that will consolidate
> those activities into one activity? It would seem possible, especially if
> using the tracking tokens.
>
> Thanks
>
> Dave Ireland
>
>

kenakamu
Fri May 09 01:46:53 CDT 2008

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Hi all,

Thanks for posting in. This is Ken in Online Partner Support.

To tell you the truth, I have no idea on it since it is unfeasible by
normal customization in CRM. Using SDK may achieve this but I don't know
how. As Michael mentioned, it should be difficult task and in case not
everyone want to track e-mail like this, you should do it by manual.

Also, please note that the partner newsgroups are provided for specific
break/fix issues.

For assistance with this coding issue, please consider these resources:

1. MSDN newsgroups
http://msdn.microsoft.com/newsgroups/default.asp

2. Public newsgroups for peer experiences and recommendations:
microsoft.public.

3. ISV Advisory Services
If you have the ISV Competency, Microsoft Global Partner Support
Delivery ISV team offers the advisory services to your development projects
with best practices, .Net migration guidance, architecture guidance, code
samples and technology workshops.
Advisory services are offered as part of the partner benefits at no
extra charge.

The services can be accessed either by email or phone:
isvgold@microsoft.com (for Gold Partners)
isvcert@microsoft.com (for Certified Partners)
isvreg@microsoft.com (for Empower Partners)

Phone: 1-800-426-9400, option 4, your partner level member services,
and follow the instructions for ISV advisory services.

I hope this information is helpful in getting started and we invite you to
post again with any specific break/fix issues.

Kind Regards,
Ken
Microsoft Online Partner Support
======================================================
PLEASE NOTE: The partner managed newsgroups are provided to assist with
break/fix issues and simple how to questions.
======================================================
We also love to hear your product feedback! Let us know what you think by
posting from the web interface: Partner Feedback from your newsreader:
microsoft.private.directaccess.partnerfeedback. We look forward to hearing
from you!
======================================================
When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so
that others may learn and benefit from this issue.
======================================================
This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
======================================================

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\viewkind4\uc1\pard\lang1041\f0\fs20
\par Hi all,
\par
\par Thanks for posting in. This is Ken in Online Partner Support.
\par
\par To tell you the truth, I have no idea on it since it is unfeasible by normal customization in CRM. Using SDK may achieve this but I don't know how. As Michael mentioned, it should be difficult task and in case not everyone want to track e-mail like this, you should do it by manual.
\par
\par Also, please note that the partner newsgroups are provided for specific break/fix issues.
\par
\par For assistance with this coding issue, please consider these resources:
\par
\par 1. MSDN newsgroups
\par http://msdn.microsoft.com/newsgroups/default.asp
\par
\par 2. Public newsgroups for peer experiences and recommendations:
\par microsoft.public.
\par
\par 3. ISV Advisory Services
\par If you have the ISV Competency, Microsoft Global Partner Support Delivery ISV team offers the advisory services to your development projects with best practices, .Net migration guidance, architecture guidance, code samples and technology workshops.
\par Advisory services are offered as part of the partner benefits at no extra charge.
\par
\par The services can be accessed either by email or phone:
\par isvgold@microsoft.com (for Gold Partners)
\par isvcert@microsoft.com (for Certified Partners)
\par isvreg@microsoft.com (for Empower Partners)
\par
\par Phone: 1-800-426-9400, option 4, your partner level member services, and follow the instructions for ISV advisory services.
\par
\par I hope this information is helpful in getting started and we invite you to post again with any specific break/fix issues.
\par
\par Kind Regards,
\par Ken
\par Microsoft Online Partner Support
\par ======================================================
\par PLEASE NOTE: The partner managed newsgroups are provided to assist with break/fix issues and simple how to questions.
\par ======================================================
\par We also love to hear your product feedback! Let us know what you think by posting from the web interface: Partner Feedback from your newsreader: microsoft.private.directaccess.partnerfeedback. We look forward to hearing from you!
\par ======================================================
\par When responding to posts, please "Reply to Group" via your newsreader so that others may learn and benefit from this issue.
\par ======================================================
\par This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights.
\par ======================================================
\par
\par
\par }
------=_NextPart_0001_C57B69DA--

Dave
Fri May 09 14:52:31 CDT 2008

Hi Michael - thanks for confirming my suspicions and for raisnig a few
potential issues that I hadn't even thought of yet!!

Dave

PS, I love stunnware.com, keep up the good work!


"Michael Höhne" <michael.hoehne@nospam.nospam> wrote in message
news:%23psh2eVsIHA.2188@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> Hi Dave,
>
> I think it's very hard to develop. Outlook has a conversation id (an email
> thread id) which could be used to identify emails being replies to other
> emails and if this information is tracked in CRM, then it may be possible
> to identify emails that can be removed. However, not all people choose to
> add the original email in their own response, so an automated solution
> also needs to scan the contents of the emails to ensure (in some way) that
> the previous information is not lost.
>
> This is not a trivial task, but your question in general is very fair. I
> have the same issue in my system, though my biggest concern is that nobody
> changes the subject line after hitting the reply button. This makes it
> almost impossible to easily find the information you are looking for in
> the history view, because you may have 20 emails with subjects of "RE: RE:
> RE: FW: RE: RE: original subject". If people were changing the subject to
> a summary of what they tell you in the body, it would help me even more
> than less emails.
>
> But to be honest, I'm changing the subject in maybe 5% of my replies.
>
> --
> Michael Höhne, Microsoft Dynamics CRM MVP
>
> CRM Blog: http://www.stunnware.com/?area=blog
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
>
> "Dave Ireland" <direland@salentica.com> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
> news:%23Tg798PsIHA.3804@TK2MSFTNGP02.phx.gbl...
>> When you are automatically tracking CRM mail (either via the Mail Router
>> or via Outlook), and when you have a lengthy back-and-forth exchange with
>> a customer, the CRM tracks each of these emails as a separate activity in
>> CRM.
>>
>> Has anyone run across a solution (ISV or otherwise) that will consolidate
>> those activities into one activity? It would seem possible, especially
>> if using the tracking tokens.
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Dave Ireland
>>
>>
>
>