I’m excited about the next release; I think Microsoft is really going to push this XRM concept, and make the platform both easier to customize and more powerfully extensible. There are also some interesting licensing considerations: think of what it would look like if you could license it without some of the core functionality, or perhaps with some additional functionality.

An early example of a shipping XRM app is Dynamics CRM Online for Non-Profits, which is available now on the Dynamics CRM Online platfrm, and can be licensed for $9.99 per-user per-month. According to Microsoft, “The solution provides out-of-the-box constituent relationship management functionality as well as customizations for donation and pledge management, basic membership management, basic volunteer tracking, campaign management, dashboard reports, and support for online payment solutions.”

But in the meantime, we’ve got the 4.0 release, and if you are new to customizing CRM, or if you need to pass the Dynamics CRM 4.0 Customization and Configuration exam (30-631), here are some suggested ways for you to learn what you need to know:

If you want to pass the 631 exam, I’ve got an E-Learning library we sell on a subscription basis, including the full recorded instructor-led training sessions from a certification bootcamp training class I used to run. Here are a couple samples from the subscription:

• Core customization topics. Watch this video for Dynamics CRM 4.0 core customization concepts. This is a good 30-minute (or so) overview of the various ways you can customize Dynamics CRM: form and view customizations, entity and attribute customizations, entity relationships and mappings, workflows, .NET extensions.
• Here’s a detailed (and longer!) video that covers configuration topics (business units, users, security roles). Even though they aren’t really customization topics, per se, you really do need to understand them to be an effective customizer of Dynamics CRM. The first 10 minutes covers program-related information, so you can skip that if you want to go directly to the meat of the content!
• Here is a walk-through of a 631 practice test, with commentary (from me). These practice tests were posted on Microsoft.com/learning for a while, but I think they took them down — at least I can’t find them. (If you ever find them, please let me know where they are! )

A 6-month subscription to the E-learning Library costs $100, and if you want to subscribe or have questions, please e-mail Mary Annino at marya@imginc.com

If, on the other hand, you simply need to learn how to customize Dynamics CRM 4.0, I recommend the Customizing Dynamics CRM and the xRM Platform class from my Dynamics CRM Essentials series. This is a one-day live online class I deliver monthly. The registration fee is $300, and starting in June 2010, this registration fee includes a private one-hour session (phone and Live Meeting) during which we discuss and prototype your “XRM” requirements.  Most people are pleasantly surprised (some are blown away) by how much can be accomplished in an hour-long session with somebody that knows the platform as well as I do. Here’s what you get with your registration:

• Attendance at the one-day live online session, plus you can re-attend of the other regularly scheduled sessions for the next 6 months.
• I record the sessions and circulate links to each month’s participants.
• The one-hour design/prototyping session I mentioned above.

Here’s a link to the outline of topics for Customizing Dynamics CRM and the xRM Platform, and here’s an 8-minute video that describes what you’ll learn.  

Richard

Recently I started experimenting with a test authoring tool included in an Adobe app called Captivate. Here’s my first public unveiling of some practice test content for the Dynamics CRM certification exams. I’m not very good yet at the test authoring tool, but I think the content is good, in the sense of being close to what the actual test questions are like.

Links to all of the practice tests can be found on the new Certification Prep page hosted on www.IMGinc.net

Let me know what you think!

Applications

• Course: Applications in Dynamics CRM 4.0
• Link to MS course page: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/syllabi/8913b.aspx
• Certification exam: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/dynamics/632.mspx
• Editorial comments:  The Applications class is quite good (if you get a good instructor!), but it is not sufficient to prepare you for the Applications exam, which in my opinion is the hardest of the three core exams to pass! You will need a lot of Dynamics CRM experience, and you will need to know the web and Outlook UI’s very well to pass the exam.
• Here’s an article I wrote on this exam that a lot of people tell me they’ve found helpful.
• Here’s a link to the Applications practice test for Dynamics CRM 4.0.

Customization

• Course: Customization and Configuration in Dynamics CRM 4.0
• Link to MS course page: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/syllabi/8912a.aspx
• Certification exam: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/dynamics/631.mspx
• Editorial comments: The Customization and Configuration exam is an excellent exam, in my opinion: it’s relatively difficult, but it’s well-written and it tests concepts that you actually need to know to be an effective customizer and configurator (if that’s how you’d say it). The Configuration part is what’s new in the 4.0 exam compared to the 3.0 version: to pass this exam, you need to understand business units and security, system settings, and multi-currency and multi-lingual issues (in addition to the core customization topics).  
• Here’s an article I posted recently specifically on The Dynamics CRM Customization Platform and Exam 30-631. (But be forwarned: I reveal my true inner geek in the videos linked to from the article) 
• Here’s a link to the practice test for Customizing and Configuring Dynamics CRM 4.0.

Installation

• Course: Installation and Deployment in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0
• Link to MS course page: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/syllabi/8911B.aspx
• Certification exam: http://www.microsoft.com/learning/en/us/exams/dynamics/633.mspx
• Editorial comments: Installation and Deployment is an OK exam – not fantastic but not terrible either. The trick about this exam is preparing for it. I always emphasize to students that the single best resource for preparing for this exam is the Dynamics CRM 4.0 Implementation Guide – not the Microsoft Official Curriculum course. Memorize the Planning and Installing chapters and you will get at least a 40% on the exam (of course, you need another 30 points to pass it!)
• Here’s an article I wrote specifically on preparing for the Installation and Deployment exam.  
• Here’s a link to the Installation and Deployment practice test for Dynamics CRM 4.0

In my opinion, however, the most exciting role for Dynamics CRM is as a “customization platform”. Recently we’ve started to see people referring to it as “XRM”, with the “X” indicating its adaptibility to any line of business application area. Essentially, if you need to build a database application and use the Internet as your delivery platform, you should consider Dynamics CRM as your app foundation.

I’m excited about the next release; I think Microsoft is really going to push this XRM concept, and make the platform both easier and more powerfully extensible. But in the meantime, we’ve got the 4.0 release, and if you are new to customizing CRM, or if you need to pass the Dynamics CRM 4.0 Customization and Configuration exam (30-631), here are a couple sample videos I’ve recorded on the topics:

• Core customization topics. Watch this video for Dynamics CRM 4.0 core customization concepts. This is a good 30-minute (or so) overview of the various ways you can customize Dynamics CRM: form and view customizations, entity and attribute customizations, entity relationships and mappings, workflows, .NET extensions.
• Here’s a detailed (and longer!) video that covers configuration topics (business units, users, security roles). Even though they aren’t really customization topics, per se, you really do need to understand them to be an effective customizer of Dynamics CRM. The first 10 minutes covers program-related information, so you can skip that if you want to go directly to the meat of the content!
• Read this article on Status and Status Reason values on the MS Dynamics CRM Resource Center, and then save it to your Favorites for a reference. Having this link handy has saved me lots of time over the years, and if you need to customize CRM, you’ll find it useful too!

And finally, if you really DO want to take the exam, click this link for a walk-through of a 631 practice test, with commentary (from me). These practice tests were posted on Microsoft.com/learning for a while, but I think they took them down — at least I can’t find them. (If you ever find them, please let me know where they are! )

And even more finally, here’s the practice test I wrote for the CRM 4.0 customization & configuration exam. Enjoy!

I hope you found this useful; and if you do take the exam, good luck!

Richard