CRM for Outlook

Applies To: CRM 2015 on-prem, CRM Online

Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook can synchronize email messages, contacts, tasks, and appointments between Microsoft Office Outlook and Microsoft Dynamics CRM (client-to-server synchronization). Similar to server-side synchronization, synchronization filters are used to synchronize messaging data from Microsoft Dynamics CRM to Outlook or Exchange. Manually tracked or Inbox-rule based tracking is used to synchronize messaging data from Exchange or Outlook to Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

When you use Dynamics CRM for Outlook, there are a few synchronization concepts that are helpful to understand. Notice that, to have any of this Dynamics CRM for Outlook functionality, each Microsoft Dynamics CRM user must run the Dynamics CRM for Outlook add-in and the Microsoft Dynamics CRM user mailbox record must be configured appropriately.

When you select Dynamics CRM for Outlook as the messaging data synchronization method in the user mailbox record, email, contacts, appointments, and tasks created in Outlook are synchronized with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online or Microsoft Dynamics CRM (on-premises).

CRM for Outlook synchronization concepts

Note the following concepts when you use Dynamics CRM for Outlook as the synchronizing agent:

1. Synchronizing organization. Only one organization can be designated as the synchronizing organization. If you have more than one Microsoft Dynamics CRM organization configured, you can view the synchronizing organization in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Configuration Wizard. The Configuration Wizard is an application included with Dynamics CRM for Outlook. Notice that you can still connect to additional organizations by using Dynamics CRM for Outlook. However, when an organization is not defined as the synchronizing organization in Dynamics CRM for Outlook, messaging data in Outlook does not synchronize with that organization.

2. Synchronizing mailbox. Only one Exchange or POP3 mailbox can be designated for a single Microsoft Dynamics CRM user. You cannot designate multiple mailboxes and you cannot map more than one Microsoft Dynamics CRM user to a single Exchange or POP3 email mailbox. This mailbox is referred to as the primary mailbox.

3. Synchronizing CRM for Outlook instance. Only one Dynamics CRM for Outlook instance can be designated as the Synchronizing Dynamics CRM for Outlook instance. When you sign-in to an organization from another PC that is running Dynamics CRM for Outlook that is not the synchronizing Dynamics CRM for Outlook instance you will receive a dialog message asking whether you want to designate the current Dynamics CRM for Outlook instance as the synchronizing Dynamics CRM for Outlook instance. Notice that, when you choose not to set the Dynamics CRM for Outlook instance as the synchronizing instance, you can still connect to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM organization and perform tasks, but messaging data in Outlook will not synchronize with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM organization.

4. Go Offline data sync. Go offline capability uses Microsoft SQL Server Express as the local data store. When you go offline or come back online, Dynamics CRM for Outlook synchronizes the records for the entity types you choose with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online or Microsoft Dynamics CRM (on-premises). When you go offline or come back online, a separate synchronization process takes place that is not part of the messaging data synchronization described here. Go offline capability allows users to create, modify, or delete records offline that can be later synchronized to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online or Microsoft Dynamics CRM (on-premises) when Dynamics CRM for Outlook comes online again.

See Also

Choose a method for message synchronization
Set up CRM for Outlook
Help & Training: Synchronizing data with Outlook or Exchange FAQ

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