Web-to-CRM Internet Lead Capture

How do you take the information submitted on a web form and pop it into Dynamics CRM? This feature – sometimes referred to generically as “web-to-CRM”, or “lead-to-CRM” – is not included in Dynamics CRM 4.0 on-premise, but has been added to Dynamics CRM Online. The built-in approach in the cloud version is better than nothing, but there’s a better solution, Web2CRM from CRMInnovation, if you’re willing to spend $495.

The Dynamics CRM Online implementation is a good start, but as I said it’s somewhat limited:

• The only entity a web form can push data into is the Lead entity. 
• Before going into the Lead entity, the data make a stop in a temporary holding place referred to as the “Internet Lead”. And these must be manually imported before they become “real” lead records. This is a big limitation, because it means you can’t have an auto-responder workflow run immediately after a visitor to your web site fills out a form.
• You can only have a maximum of ten lead capture forms.

On the positive side, the forms you can create are beautiful – much better than anything I could ever design, certainly. Here’s an example, the Dynamics CRM User Group February meeting registration form, in all its Emerald glory: https://img.leads.dynamicssite.com/DCRMUG-Registration.aspx

If you need a more flexible web-to-CRM capability, you should consider Web2CRM from CRMInnovation. (www.CRMInnovation.com). This add-on works with both Dynamics CRM Online and on-premise, and overcomes all of the limitations of the Dynamics CRM Online implementation. Here’s an article I wrote about it a while back: http://www.dynamicscrmtrickbag.com/2009/04/23/auto-responders/

Once you have a tool like this, you’ll be surprised at how useful it can be in various scenarios:

• You can use it to create surveys, pushing the survey results into a custom entity in Dynamics CRM. (Here’s one I made for the Dynamics CRM User Group Annual Member Survey)
• You can use it to create information request forms, allowing a visitor to your web site to request information on various products or services you offer. Here’s one I made that lets you select one of a couple CRM customization samples to get e-mailed back to you.  
• You could create a special offer form with a text field for an rsvp code. Send out the rsvp code in an e-mail so only your VIP customers get the rsvp. You’ll be redeeming rsvp’s for your VIPs ASAP! 

And of course, you can simply collect information from people who might be interested in your stuff. Here’s a form that lets you subscribe to the Trick Bag, created with the Web2CRM, humbly submitted for your form-submitting pleasure: http://www.dynamicscrmtrickbag.com/subscribe/