Chapter 8: Workflow

Highlights

We were recently speaking with a prospect who had been using the Microsoft CRM 1.2 software for several months. He asked us to create custom code to automatically create follow-up activities and other similar automation processes. We asked him, "Why not use workflow?" and a blank look developed on his face. He didn't know what we were talking about. It turns out that this Microsoft CRM administrator, like many others we suspect, didn't know that Microsoft CRM includes an incredibly powerful workflow engine to help automate and standardize business processes!

You might wonder how this could be possible. Well, the workflow tools are not included in the user interface of the Web client or the Microsoft CRM clients for Microsoft Office Outlook. Instead, the workflow tools are separate applications that run on the Microsoft CRM Web server. Because you can access the workflow tools only by logging on to the server, some people never even know that they exist. This is quite a shame because the Microsoft CRM workflow tools give you some of the most powerful customization functionality available.

Of course you know that Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 includes workflow features, so let's discuss the benefits and details of setting up and using these features in the following topics:

• Overview

• Events

• Conditions

• Actions

• Sales process management

• Dynamic values in workflow

• Custom assemblies

• Workflow Monitor tool

• Importing and exporting workflow

• Workflow examples