Dossies @ Work: Dynamics 365 CDS

In the beta version of MS CRM 4.0 it was possible to update CRM data from Excel: you could export data to Excel, change the data in the Excel file, save it as an CSV file and import it back into CRM through the 'Data Management' -> 'Import' option. Sadly enough, with the official release of CRM 4.0, this useful feature of updating data from Excel was left out... But apparently, this is not completely true. You just need to know how to 'enable' the feature. So here we go: - Export the data you like to update to Excel (go to the grid or create an advanced find, select the records you want, click 'Export to Excel' and choose static worksheet). - In the Excel file, add a column to the left with the name of the entity as column name. In this column, add the Guids that correspond to the records. - Update some values and save the excel as a CSV. - In CRM, go to Settings -> Data Management -> Imports and create a new import record. - Select the CSV you ...

I've been invited to join the Scribe MVP program! And guess what... I've accepted the invitation :-) See here for the complete Scribe MVP list. Scribe MVP... sounds nice, doesn't it? ;-)

Another Scribe tip: If you need to import Excel files with Scribe don't forget to give a name to your data range. Otherwise Scribe won't recognize your file. In excel 2003 you can do this as follow: Insert > Name > Define; in excel 2007: Formulas > Define name. Also when you notice that not all of your lines are imported, make sure that your data range is big enough (make sure it includes all of your data lines). Happy Scribing!

When you need to extend the length of the address fields on the account entity (or the contact entity), don't forget to also extend the length of the corresponding fields on the customeraddress entity. The address values are also saved in there... So to avoid error messages saying that the length isn't long enough (although you changed it for the account entity), be sure to update both entities!