Microsoft dynamics integration

Introduction:

Running a business requires a lot of focus, dedication and hard work. Even when things look good, a business demands full and undivided attention from its owners and senior leadership members. To meet these needs of corporate life, businesses need the help of smart, productive and easy-to-use technology to achieve lasting success.

A product like Dynamics 365 for Outlook is a powerful tool that allows businesses to manage customer data and client interactions, all in one place. Most Dynamics 365 users do not take advantage of this feature because they have not integrated Dynamics 365 with Microsoft Outlook.

In this article, we walk you through how to integrate Dynamics 365 with Outlook and take advantage of its features.

Why use Microsoft Outlook with Microsoft Dynamics 365?
Dynamics 365 and Outlook work seamlessly together to make it really easy for you to actualize your business potential, and improve productivity. Integrating Outlook with Microsoft Dynamics 365, you can manage your work (create, view, edit, and track records) from the comfort of your Outlook.

Integration of Outlook in Dynamics 365 provides following features:

  • One platform access: All types of data on email, contacts, customer information and sales activities from both D365 and Outlook can be viewed from one place.
  • Manage contacts: The integration automatically brings Outlook and Dynamics contacts together without any need for manual data entry thereby preventing duplication of records and data loss.
  • Email registration: One-click saving of emails to be added to Dynamics 365 or automatically saving an Outlook email to D365 helps to consolidate the communication history of the client. It also allows users to set the preference for emails to be added to the CRM.
  • Integrating Third-Party Email Clients: It allows users to seamlessly integrate Gmail and other messaging applications with Dynamics CRM.
    Synchronising calendars: Syncing calendars with D365 CRM for Outlook, you can create meeting alerts, follow-up reminders, and notifications to keep your team working more efficiently.
  • Dashboard Customization: Outlook Dashboard can be customised as per preferences, allowing the user to view all the activities related to a specific role(s).
  • Offline Mode: All the data can be saved on the local server and can be accessed even when there is no network connectivity.

Benefits of integrating Outlook with Dynamics 365

  • Save time: Outlook Add-in for D365 helps businesses save significant time by automating tasks. For example, if you want to add an attachment to an existing record, you can do it all from within Dynamics 365 without having to switch between applications. Integration allows you to view Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files stored in OneDrive in the D365 directly from within Outlook without leaving your inbox, freeing up your time for other priority tasks.
  • Reduce error: Integration of Outlook with D365 reduces errors. For example, If you want to send an email to a customer, you can do it from within Dynamics 365 without having to manually copy and paste information from one application to another.
  • Enhanced productivity: Fewer errors and free time improves productivity. You don’t need to waste time opening multiple applications to find information. Using Outlook add-in for Dynamics 365, a solid interaction between the two applications ensures that everything is managed within a common interface.
  • Augmented efficiency: By sharing a common platform for exchanging data, you can see optimised performance and increased efficiency across the organisation. Since the integration works even in offline mode, progress is visible beyond network connectivity as well.
  • Centralise your work in one app: Microsoft Dynamics integration with Outlook allows users to create emails, schedule appointments, add attachments to records , capture customer discussions, all in one centralised app. It takes care of all aspects of the business cycle and acts as a single repository integrating processes and customer support activities.
  • Teamwork Boost: Sharing a single repository for exchanging information can have a positive impact on your teams. The lines separating departments are blurred, Outlook integration with Dynamics 365 encourages transparent communication across departments that allows for faster and happier workplaces.
    Process of Microsoft Dynamics Integration with Outlook

Prerequisite:

To install the Microsoft Outlook Add-in for Dynamics 365 and be able to access its full capabilities, you must ensure that you have a Dynamics 365 licence and an “Administrator” security role. If a user does not have this security role or its built-in privileges, they will receive an error that says:

You are not authorised to use this app!

In this case, contact your system administrator to update your settings and grant you the basic privileges you need to access the App for Outlook.

The process of integration is simple and takes only a few minutes to complete.

  1. Open Microsoft Outlook and go to the “Settings” menu
  2. Select “Add-ins”
  3. Find the “Dynamics 365 for Microsoft Outlook” add-in and click “Install”
  4. Follow the prompts to complete the installation
  5. Sign in with your Microsoft Dynamics 365 credentials

overview app for outlook

That’s it! You are all set to use the Microsoft Outlook Add-in for Dynamics 365 and take advantage of its useful features.

Email configuration: The Microsoft Outlook Add-in for Dynamics 365 uses the same email configuration as Microsoft Outlook. This means you can use the same email account that you have set up in Outlook. To configure your email, simply go to the “Settings” menu and select “Email Accounts.” From here, you can add, remove or modify your existing email accounts.

Identify active mailbox: Once you have installed and configured the Microsoft Outlook add-in for Dynamics 365, you will need to identify which mailboxes you want to use with the add-in. To do this, go to the “Settings” menu and select “Mailbox”. From here, you can choose which mailboxes you want to use with the Microsoft Outlook Add-in for Dynamics 365.

Conclusion:

Microsoft Outlook for Dynamics 365 is a great way to take your business to the next level. Whether you are an SME or an established business, you need a place to store data and access it on different devices, or to focus various client interactions, you will need this integration. It can help you organise custom-built processes to meet organisational goals and missions.

We highly recommend that you set up Microsoft Outlook app for Dynamics 365 to leverage its features and accelerate your business growth.

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