Have you visited CodePlex lately?

I dropped by CodePlex the other day and was amazed to find no less than 73 CRM 2011 related projects available.  The site has tools and utilities to fit needs from the simple to complex. 

Here is a list of a few that I’ve used and pointed others to as well as some that fill a need that I often here people request

SiteMap Editor for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

SiteMap Editor for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 helps developer and customizers to configure the Site Map in a graphical way. You’ll no longer have to create solution, add component, export, update Xml and reimport the solution to update the SiteMap.

Metadata Document Generator for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

Metadata Document Generator makes it easier for Dynamics CRM 2011 integrators to generate documentation about entities and attributes metadata. You’ll no longer have to write “by hand” these awful tables full of metadata information. It’s developed in C#.

CRM 2011 Visual Ribbon Editor

Visual Ribbon Editor is a tool for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 that lets you edit CRM ribbons. This ribbon editor shows a preview of the CRM ribbon as you are editing it and allows you to add ribbon buttons and groups without needing to fully understand the ribbon XML schema.

Diagnostics Tool for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

Diagnostics Tool for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 helps CRM developers and administrators to enable trace and dev Errors on CRM server. It also generates an HTML report file with information about the CRM deployment.

View Layout Replicator for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

View Layout Replicator make it easier for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 customizers to copying the layout of a view and paste it to the layout of other views in the same entity

If you haven’t visited CodePlex lately, you might want to drop by and spend some time perusing the many useful tools.  If nothing else, add the site to your favorites and drop by monthly to discover what is new.

Cheers

Microsoft CRM Dynamics – Update Rollup 6

As most know, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Update Rollup 6 (UR6) hit a bump coming out of the gate.  Fortunately, the Microsoft team caught the issue quickly and immediately pulled UR6 from availability.

The good news is that the issue was corrected and UR6 is re-released.  There are a couple of items worth noting about the re-release:

• If you installed the initial release of Update Rollup 6 then you should install the re-released version immediately. 
  • If you previously installed Update Rollup 6 you will be able to install the re-released version on top of it.
• If you receive the error message, “Microsoft.Crm.UpdateWrapper.MspInstallAction” when attempting to install Update Rollup 6 or higher, then you need to uninstall the Dynamics CRM application and reinstall using a more recent download of the software package. 
  • Please see KB 2668504 for more information about the error message and resolution.

A few items to note regarding UR6:

• UR6 cannot be removed once installed.
  • Specific database updates are applied in Update Rollup 6 that will not allow you to uninstall UR6.
  • You should back up your databases before you install UR6.
• CRM Online server-side updates are planned for implementation beginning mid-February.
• CRM Online customers should apply the CRM Outlook Client updates at your earliest convenience. 
• You can use the Windows Update service to install UR6.  UR6 will be available from the Windows Update service beginning on January 24, 2012.
• UR6 contains the Dynamics CRM Q4 Service Update features(Update Rollup 5).
  • UR6 is a cumulative update that contains fixes included in UR1 – UR5.

As always, I encourage you to read through the list of fixes included in the UR to see if there are any you need.  There is one I have been waiting on with regard to Dynamic Marketing Lists so I’m eager to test that issue once I install the update.

Cheers,

What are Richard Knudson, Matt Wittemann, and John Gravely doing next week?

What do you get when you bring together two really smart Microsoft Dynamics MVP’s and one awesome Marketing Automation solution?  You get the right ingredients for a lively and enlightening discussion on how to effectively leverage marketing automation in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM application.

If you have a desire or need to learn about how to more effectively use Microsoft Dynamics CRM for sales, marketing and service then the “What Works in CRM & Marketing Automation” is the right Webinar for you.  Who better to learn from than a couple of Dynamics CRM MVP’s and a marketing solution expert; Matt Wittemann, Richard Knudson, John Gravely.

The webinar date is fast approaching so get registered today!