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    Infor CRM Mail Merge – No Longer Tied to Internet Explorer
    August 19th, 2021 by

    That’s right! Mail merge is now available in a way that eliminates the browser restriction

    Infor has released an answer to the mail merge issue that has plagued the software since Microsoft announced the retiring of Internet Explorer.  Previously if you needed to use the web mail merge function in the CRM you were restricted to Internet Explorer and 32 bit Office.   NOW with this new release, not only is 64 bit Office compatible but it is no longer browser isolated!

    Compatibility is listed with Office 2016 and 2019 (Office 365), but we also tested on Office 2013 and it worked as expected.  This new functionality is appropriate for Infor CRM Web Client version 8.3.0.0 and later.

    This new mail merge function is installed as an add-in to Microsoft Word and it adds additional settings to the Mailing ribbon in the Word application.  Configuration is remarkably similar to the XBar and merely requires the SData portal and a user log in.

    Templates created from an earlier version will need to be converted and if you are adding a table to display multiple items we recommend re-creating the template in the new function rather than adding a table to the converted template.  We have had some issues with adding tables but the adding fields works fine in a converted template. A new template created in the new function works great when adding a merge table.

    Converting…

    You can still map fields from the CRM, associate specific user information for a signature, and generate the layout that you have used in the past.

    Send the information to a single person based on a specific record, or merge to a whole group.  Regular dynamic groups and Ad-hoc groups are available.

    Want to send it out as email or print a letter or create a document, no problem!  It also still creates a history record and an activity follow-up in CRM if you wish.

     

     

    Some configuration items to consider to allow the CRM and Office Outlook to work together for mail merge:
    When the two programs wish to work together you may get a window asking you to allow or deny access to the Office program when you run the mail merge.  This form will pop-up for EACH email that you are trying to send!  There is a way to allow the two programs to work together in the Office Trust Center permanently.

    To do this, in Outlook open File > Options > Trust Center> Trust Center Settings button, Then programmatic Access > Mark the ‘Never Warn me about suspicious activity’ radio button.
    *There may be caveats to this permission depending on your company policy.

    If you are interested in this add-in to Word or have questions please let us know and we will be glad to help.

    Would you like to discuss the bigger picture with Infor CloudSuite CRM at your company? Connect with a Simplesoft Consultant at support@simplesoft.net

    Simplesoft Solutions, Inc. is a customer relationship management (CRM) business consulting and software development firm in Cincinnati/Dayton region and offices in Cleveland, OH  and Charlotte, NC. We provide implementation, integration, development and training for Infor CloudSuite CRM. We have built our business on an ability to creatively adapt CRM to meet the varying needs of our customers’ businesses. We have been helping our customers develop stronger relationships with their customers through improved sales, marketing, customer service, and support processes since 1994.

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    CRM Deployment – Where should you start?
    July 28th, 2020 by

    Let’s take a look at an approach you can take for assessing how your company can leverage customer relationships with CRM. Our consultants have found organizing the people by the processes they are tasked with helps segment the learning curve, saturate CRM knowledge and procedure of each system contributor. Depending on the depth of employment at each organization, Simplesoft can fill in gaps related to users positions and how to best align their CRM role.

    Potential Business Tiers

    Executive Level – Leverages Account, Contact, Opportunity information aggregated in CRM to trend enterprise activity.

    • Business Owners
    • Chief Executive Officers (CEO)
    • Chief Information Officers (CIO)
    • Division Managers

    Key User Level – Administers pre-sales, sales and post sales information about prospects, creating a complete contact management solution

    • Business Use Administration
    • End User
    • Sales People
    • Customer Service Representatives

    Technology Level

    • Technology Administration
    • Business Analysts
    • Developers

    CRM Data Capture

    Consider which fields you need to track on each Infor CRM record to achieve your goals. For example, you may be taking a phased approach by leading with an initial sales team deployment so consider what fields will be tracked on your records for accounts, contacts, opportunities and leads. This includes defining what type of field will be used, for example the options that will appear in pick lists and which fields should be set as mandatory to ensure consistent data quality. It can be tempting to go overboard but remember an excessive number of fields may prove a barrier to early user adoption and will add to the administration overhead.

    Prepare your Data

    The resources needed to consolidate and prepare existing data for migration to a new CRM system is often underestimated. To ensure your readiness consider these points:

    • What data needs to be imported into Infor CRM?
    • Where is data currently stored?
    • How good is the data quality?
    • Does your data need cleansing?
    • How far back do you want to go with relationship history? 1 year, 2 years, or longer…?
    • What duplicate matching rules need to be set?

    Integrating CRM

    If one of your goals is to create a single view of each relationship, integrating Infor CRM with an external data source is likely to be a high priority. Another point to consider is Infor CRM can push data to other sources. For example to create a new order in the back-office ERP system when a CRM opportunity is converted. Other CRM integrations can include email marketing, web forms, call center extensions and eCommerce platforms.

    • Which applications will Infor CRM need to integrate with?
    • What direction will the data flow into and out of CRM, ERP or any other system?
    • Where is the source of truth?

    By stepping back to assess an organization, the long view will reveal antiquated job tasks, out dated systems and unnecessary activity misaligned to system goals. A balanced approach keeps focus on the company as a linear process. We  identified the importance of a planned out software implementation including Strategy, People, Processes and finally Technology.  The information presented here will help create discussion around better internal collaboration leading to higher revenue while lowering operating costs.

    Would you like to discuss the bigger picture with Infor CRM at your company? Connect with a Simplesoft Consultant at support@simplesoft.net  Don’t miss a blog post, subscribe now!

    Simplesoft Solutions, Inc. is a customer relationship management (CRM) business consulting and software development firm in Cincinnati/Dayton OH surrounding areas. We provide implementation, integration, development and training for Infor CloudSuite CRM (formerly Saleslogix). We have built our business on an ability to creatively adapt CRM to meet the varying needs of our customers’ businesses. We have been helping our customers develop stronger relationships with their customers through improved sales, marketing, customer service, and support processes since 1994.

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    Infor CRM Mobile 4.0 has arrived!
    October 28th, 2019 by

    Hello everyone! Infor CRM Mobile 4.0.0 for v8.3.0 and later is now available for download on the Infor Xtreme website. Watch a quick demo now!

    What’s New in this Release?

    This release contains the following enhancements:
    -Modifications to support improved translations when a language pack is applied.
    -Fixes to address broken Quote dashboards in the Mobile Client when Infor CRM v8.4.0.1 is integrated with a supported ERP sytem.

    The following new enhancements were added in Mobile v3.6 and will be in v4.0:
    -Two new files: configuration/development.default.js and configuration/production.default.js, will enable preserving modifications to default settings (such as to enable Multi-currency) in future upgrades.
    -Field level security: Settings made in Infor CRM Web Administrator for the Web Client will now cascade into the Mobile Client. This is only available if your version of Infor CRM is 8.3.0.5 or later.
    -Mobile can now use the 24 hour clock. Settings enables the user to manually change between the 12 and 24 hour
    clocks. The default setting is specified by regional settings.
    -Settings contains two new offline options: users can clear their Briefcase and clear Recently Viewed records as well as clearing all records and showing record usage.
    -Integrations with ERP LX support “Availability to Promise” in Mobile: New Click to check warehouse availability enables users to verify if the warehouse selected has the requested volume of inventory on hand.

    The following new enhancements were added in Mobile v4.0 (includes updates from 3.6.1):
    -Users can look up Contacts based on the Accounts to which they are associated.
    -The Infor CRM Mobile Client supports single sign-on when Infor CRM is integrated with Infor Ming.le. For more
    information, see “Enabling single sign-on using Infor Ming.le” on page 12.
    -The new Contour feature enables searching the Infor CRM database for other accounts that are in a specific
    geographical proximity.
    -The Contour feature is only supported if your version of Infor CRM is 8.3.0.4 or later.

    The following are defects fixed in the new v4.0

    INFORCRM-2928: In list views, Quick Actions are not always visible.
    INFORCRM-3048: Add the ability for users to change regional format settings.
    INFORCRM-3074: When refreshing KPI charts, the “loading” message is blurry.
    INFORCRM-3268: All instances of “log in” or “log out” should be changed to “sign in” or “sign off”.
    INFORCRM-3784: The Ticket Activities view title should be the Ticket ID.
    INFORCRM-4698: Spell check works differently in iOS7 than iOS8 and iOS9.
    INFORCRM-5085: Moving from one account to another account may display the Account title as the previously opened account.
    INFORCRM-5086: After pressing a contact’s phone link, canceling, and closing the phone call note, and then clicking an email link for a different contact, the note displays the phone call contact, not the email contact.
    INFORCRM-6394: In an iPhone 5, iPhone 6, or iPhone 6+ environment in landscape mode, the Calendar control hours and minutes drop-down lists may not open.
    INFORCRM-6395: In an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6+ environment in landscape mode, pressing the Calendar control changes the position of the hours and minutes drop-down lists.
    INFORCRM-6428: In an iPhone 5 environment in landscape mode, the Calendar control month drop-down list detatches from the field.
    INFORCRM-11027: In a localized offline environment, on the Recently Viewed right menu, “KPI ‘Total Recently Viewed'” contains untranslated strings.
    INFORCRM-11688: In a Spanish environment, upon opening the help, “[object Object] displays instead of the Help.
    INFORCRM-11846: In a Windows Simplified or Traditional Chinese environment, the sign in screen contains untranslated strings.
    INFORCRM-12730: When selecting an additional item for a multi-select pick list, previously selected items are no longer selected.
    INFORCRM-12891: In a localized environment, when scheduling or editing a recurring activity, the recurring options are difficult to understand when translated.
    INFORCRM-12915: In an IE 11 or Edge browser environment, when creating a lead, the word “null” is inserted in the Business Description and Note fields.
    INFORCRM-13067: In a German environment, when scheduling or editing a recurring activity, the recurring “on” list contains unexpected items.
    INFORCRM-13081: In a German environment, on the Recently Viewed right menu, “KPI ‘Total Recently Viewed'” contains untranslated strings.
    INFORCRM-13107: In a French environment, on the Recently Viewed right menu, “KPI ‘Total Recently Viewed'” contains untranslated strings.
    INFORCRM-13117: In a localized environment, the Contour Help title contains untranslated strings.
    INFORCRM-13171: In an offline Russian environment, the Options Show Usage list contains untranslated strings.
    INFORCRM-13205: In an offline Chinese environment, the Options Show Usage list contains untranslated strings.
    INFORCRM-13585: In an offline environment, users should be able to add a note.
    INFORCRM-14194: Numeric ranges should include operators “Greater than” and “Less than”.
    INFORCRM-14198: When creating a new sales order or quote, the number that displays is for the previously viewed record, not the new record.
    INFORCRM-14200: Quotes with a status of ‘Awarded’ should be read-only.
    INFORCRM-14471: The Mobile client should use SoHo Xi controls and stylesheets.
    INFORCRM-14569: On the Lead detail view, quick actions ‘Send email’ and ‘Call main number’ do not display as history records.
    INFORCRM-14570: On the Lead list view or group view, after performing an email quick action or clicking an email link, the history record that displays should be populated with the lead and company information.
    INFORCRM-14571: On the Contact list view or group view, after performing an email quick action or clicking an email link, the history record that displays should be populated with the contact information.
    INFORCRM-14693: Refreshing a list view before it fully loads causes the list to display duplicates.
    INFORCRM-14725: In a French or Italian localized environment, currency is not in the expected format.
    INFORCRM-14920: The Mobile client should be responsive for tablet and desktop views.
    INFORCRM-14958: The “Log Out” label should be changed to “Sign Off”.
    INFORCRM-15142: In a localized environment, the Contacts group “Missing Emails for Customer Portal” is not translated.
    INFORCRM-15235: When adding a product to a quote or sales order, the warehouse field displays incorrect data.
    INFORCRM-15270: Open (Open, PartialPaid, Dispute) invoices should be displayed in appropriate age groupings, not just the All Ages grouping.
    INFORCRM-15283: In an offline localized environment, the Options Show Usage list contains untranslated strings.
    INFORCRM-15826: In a Japanese environment, the Complete Activity tooltip is not translated.
    INFORCRM-15832: In a Japanese environment, the Sales Information page contains untranslated strings.
    INFORCRM-15880: In a Japanese environment, the Opportunity Product Info label should not contain a space before “Info”.
    INFORCRM-16008: When creating a new sales order, clicking the Save button before entering any data causes the error “A server error occurred while requesting data.”
    INFORCRM-16145: In a Thai or Chinese Simplified environment, My Notes/History does not display any records when data should display.
    INFORCRM-16147: In a Chinese environment, on the Add Attachments page, there is no space between the Upload and Cancel buttons.
    INFORCRM-16151: In a Thai environment, the date format should be D/M/YYYY not M/D/YYYY.
    INFORCRM-16153: When uploading an attachment it is unclear what to click in order to select a file to attach.
    INFORCRM-16156: In a Dutch environment, the Calendar contains the incorrect date format.
    INFORCRM-16158: In a localized environment, in the Phone Call details view, the name of the person and the action for Called may be in the wrong order in some languages.
    INFORCRM-16159: In a Dutch environment, Opportunity dates and currency fields are not formatted correctly.
    INFORCRM-16162: In a Dutch environment, the currency decimal separator is incorrect.
    INFORCRM-16165: In a localized environment, on the Account Information Dashboards, the labels for the “Total” are not formatted correctly for translation.
    INFORCRM-16169: In a Dutch environment, performing a Hashtag search does not return results.
    INFORCRM-16176: In a Dutch environment, when editing a private activity, the title of the screen is incorrect.
    INFORCRM-16182: In a localized environment, when viewing Account KPIs, the KPI “Avg Time” contains a hardcoded character to represent thousand (K), million (M), and billion(B).
    INFORCRM-16193: In a localized environment decimal values cause incorrect number formatting and calculations.
    INFORCRM-16430: In a localized environment, the My Schedule Setting, all KPI chart contains untranslated strings.
    INFORCRM-16514: In a localized environment, the Accounts Near Me dialog box Account Type label is not translated.
    INFORCRM-16663: When adding products to a quote, more products are listed when editing a quote than are listed when adding a quote.
    INFORCRM-16672: On the Calendar in Month view, orange dots representing activities no longer appear after reselecting Calendar from the menu.
    INFORCRM-16684: In an Offline environment, users should be able to delete a note.
    INFORCRM-16813: Accounts Nearby searches fail to display records correctly when the selected Type is Customer and there are more than 100 accounts in a 500 mile radius.
    INFORCRM-16828: Users should not be able to click the Quote Edit button when the Quote Edit security action is disabled.
    INFORCRM-17564: In the help “Working Offline” section, Windows Phone 8 should not be listed.
    INFORCRM-17693: When manually typing a date or selecting a date value from a modal window, the onChange function does not fire.
    INFORCRM-17823: In Settings, Language and Culture label should renamed to Language and Regional Format
    INFORCRM-18007: The Language and Regional Formats list should list language names not codes.
    INFORCRM-18106: The “More…” tooltip is not translated.
    INFORCRM-18108: The “Refresh” tooltip is not translated.
    INFORCRM-18248: When an Offline Note is created, a time stamp should be added to the card so it is easy to see when it was created.
    INFORCRM-18416: When the Lead Edit view is opened from the list view or group view Quick Actions list, no data displays for Address or Owner.
    INFORCRM-18514: in a Chinese environment, on the Accounts, Group, Settings, the tooltips for Cancel, Complete, and More are not translated.
    INFORCRM-18684: On the Calendar, after adding an event, and then adding an activity, the event no longer displays on the Calendar.
    INFORCRM-19263: On some views, the label “acct” should be “account”.
    INFORCRM-19300: When performing a Hashtag search for alarm,any activities that were updated to include an alarm are not returned in the search results.
    INFORCRM-19859: In the error message “A server error occured while requesting data.” “occurred” is misspelled.
    INFORCRM-19995: In the Help, all instances of “tap” should be replaced with “click”.
    INFORCRM-20205: When using an Internet Explorer browser to add or edit a ticket, blank fields are populated with “null” and save to the record.
    INFORCRM-20269: In a Dutch environment, in View Accounts Nearby, the decimal character for kilometers is incorrect.
    INFORCRM-21223: In an iPhone 8 environment, the error “Unable to pull your current location” may occur frequently.
    INFORCRM-21704: When viewing an attached .pdf file the document is not fully visible and scrolling or pinch to zoom does not work.
    INFORCRM-22026: When in phone size, the menu does not have an easy way to close.

    The Infor CRM Back Office Extension, or ICBOE, feature contains the following improvements:
    -ICBOE is now part of the Mobile Client. It is no longer necessary to install a separate bundle. ICBOE for the Mobile Client enables the Mobile user to drill through account-related information available in back office integration.

    When the Back Office Integration is configured in the Infor CRM Web Client, users can see the following entities in Infor CRM for Mobile:
    – Invoices l Shipments
    – Quotes l Receivables
    – Sales Orders

    The Working Offline ‘Recently viewed’ and ‘My Briefcase’ features are now available for ICBOE records.
    The ICBOE feature in Mobile no longer needs to be activated in the Application Architect. In version 3.5, the feature is dynamically visible if ICBOE has been configured in the Infor CRM.
    The ICBOE for Mobile feature is only supported if your version of Infor CRM is 8.3.0.3 or later.

    Prerequisites
    Before installing this Infor CRM Mobile Client upgrade, you must:
    -Ensure you meet the system requirements. See the Infor Online Compatibility Matrix (OCM) available on Infor Xtreme.
    a. Sign in to the InforXtreme Portal web site: www.infor.com/inforxtreme.
    b. Expand the Environment menu, and then click Online Compatibility Matrix.
    c. (Optional) Click Help for a video explaining the features of the OCM.
    – Ensure that you are using a version of Infor CRM that is supported for the features you will be using:
    – For Mobile functionality, ensure the version of Infor CRM installed is v8.2 and later.
    – Back Office Extension feature (ICBOE): the version of Infor CRM installed must be 8.3.0.3 or later with SNC, Web Core, and Web Model Updates applied, and ICBOE enabled in the Infor CRM Web Client.
    – Contour feature: the version of Infor CRM installed must be 8.3.0.4 or later with SNC, Web Core, and Web Model Updates applied, and Contour enabled in the Infor CRM Web Client.
    – Ensure that you have a functioning Infor CRM Web environment. (This is required even if your Infor CRM implementation is Windows Client only.) See the Implementation Guide for your installed version of Infor CRM for information on setting up a functioning Web environment.
    – Understand the requirements for upgrading customizations.
    -Understand the Infor CRM Mobile Client upgrade process. Read this document and develop a plan before proceeding. Understanding the content of the release and planning your installation are key to success.

    Additional resources and documentation are available on the Infor Xtreme Support Portal web site at www.infor.com/inforxtreme. Help is available in each application. And of course us here at SimpleSoft are always available if you have any questions!

    Let us here at Simplesoft know if there is anything we can do to assist you with this!

    Simplesoft Solutions, Inc. is a customer relationship management (CRM) business consulting and software development firm in Cincinnati/Dayton OH surrounding areas. We provide implementation, integration, development and training for Infor CRM (formerly Saleslogix). We have built our business on an ability to creatively adapt CRM to meet the varying needs of our customers’ businesses. We have been helping our customers develop stronger relationships with their customers through improved sales, marketing, customer service, and support processes since 1994.

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    Infor Contour for Infor CRM v8.3.0.04 and Higher
    August 17th, 2017 by

    What is Infor Contour?

    As Teri said in her blog titled, “Infor v8.3.0 Update 05 – This one packs a Wallop“, Contour integration provides the ability to map contact and account addresses in order to vastly improve vicinity-related scheduling.   You also have the ability to add places that are not contacts or accounts, such as a hotel or airport.

    • Contour is only available in Infor 8.3.0 update 04 or later and it is a free feature.
    • It geo-codes all the addresses of your accounts in Infor CRM.
    • Once implemented, you navigate to “Places” in your left-hand side sales navigation of the web client. This is where the ‘FROM’ directions can be stored, such as your home or office address, this will be useful when you plan visits to accounts and need directions to get there. It is also possible to use a temporary position as needed.

     
    (Click on image to view larger)

    • If you open the detail view for a specific “account“, notice you now have an option towards the bottom right-hand corner that says “Show on map“. This will allow you to see exactly where that account’s address is on a map and from there you can get generate directions.


    (Click on image to view larger)

    • Also, if you click on the “Tools” tab in the top toolbar pane, you can select “Contour distance search“.  In this section you will be able to define an area and map all accounts that are within that area. For example, say you are traveling from your office to Dayton OH and you want to plan visits to all the companies in that city, this tool will show you where they are and even create a logical path for you to take to visit them all.


    (Click on image to view larger)


    (Click on image to view larger)

    • This functionality is also available in the mobile client.

    Contour for Infor CRM is a mapping tool built right into the application.  Sales and support visits can now be scheduled with vicinity-related accuracy to better utilize your business resources and increase coverage availability.  Contour does rely on Bing and Google API accounts for the trip mapping and some cost can be accrued for the ‘calls’ to the API, but there is a free level of API from both providers that will allow you to test the system functionality.  Additional plans for increased usage can be purchased directly from each provider and they are based on transaction rates.  Google API information HERE and Bing API information HERE

    Here is a step by step guide to implement in Infor CRM  :  Infor Contour

    If you would like to have a demo or get more information on the Contour feature, please let us know and we will be glad to help.

    ***

    We recommend and encourage you to review the update documents to keep abreast of all defects and issues that have been corrected.  Contact Simplesoft Solutions to discuss an upgrade for Infor CRM(Saleslogix), and to review any new features or updates with your version of Infor CRM(Saleslogix).

    If you would like to discuss upgrading your system, or to see a free demonstration, please contact Simplesoft Solutions.

    Also, if you would like to learn more tips, or have a CRM topic you would like us to write about, please contact Simplesoft Solutions, Inc.

    Remember to check our CALENDAR and register for free training, demo sessions, and the Heartland Users Group Events.

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    Dayton/Cincinnati, OH | Charleston, WV | Charlotte, NC

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    Infor v8.3.0 Update 05 – This one packs a Wallop
    March 9th, 2017 by

    Unger_Teri This update from Infor for CRM is a doozy. This action-packed update carries some heavy changes to the SData back-end that has shown to have a 41% increase in speed. That’s 41%!

    What’s the new features in v8.3.0.05?

    • API Field Level Security
    • Tech Stack Provisioning simplification
    • User and Role sync between Infor CRM and Ming.le
    • Job Server Clustering
    • Performance Improvements for Sdata portal
    • Show Account/Contact completed activity in the calendar
    • LX Q/O Bidirectional maters data
    • A+ Bidirectional master data
    • Language Packs:  Polish v8.3.0, Simplified and Traditional Chinese for v8.3.0.04
    • Completed meetings now display contact and account information on the Calendar.
    • Job Server clustering to allow load sharing across multiple machines or multiple nodes on the same machine and to monitor Job Server statistics using SData or Windows Performance Counters.

     

    New Features included in Update 05 from in previous updates

    Updates are cumulative, so Web Update 05 for Infor CRM 8.3.0 also contains features released in previous updates:

    • Contour integration provides the ability to map contact and account addresses in order to view contacts and accounts that are near one another. You can also add places that are not contacts or accounts, such as a hotel or airport. Contour requires 8.3 Model Update 04 or later.
    • The ability to remove bad records from the Sync Digest table.
    • Added the Back Office Extension option Numeric Culture to parse international numeric BOD values.
    • Ability to refresh pricing for sales orders and quotes when using a price service.
    • Creating an ad hoc group with a large number of records now uses the Job Manager.
    • Improvements to Reporting performance.
    • Ability to change the ad hoc group number of record threshold in Application Architect.
    • A new tool to simplify the Infor Ming.le provisioning process.
    • For Infor Ming.le integrations, users and roles are now synchronized between Infor CRM and Infor Ming.le.
    • Field level security information can now be queried and returned through SData.
    • Integration with Infor Ming.le including:
    • Sharing records and notes and history items
    • Creating and managing bookmarks
    • Links in Infor Ming.le that link to Infor CRM
    • Adding Infor CRM Dashboard widgets in Infor Ming.le
    • System of record support for Inbound Process BODs to create or update Infor CRM content.
    • Addition of Discount Charge Item entity properties for Sales Order and Quotes list levels -DocUnitAdjustmentAmount, UnitAdjustmentAmount, and Method.
    • System of record – Enables Infor CRM to function as the authoritative system of record for Opportunities in an integration between Infor CRM and a supported ERP system through Infor ION.
    • Added a Test Link button to the Price Service detail view to test the price and availability end points.
    • Added logging and exception handling for Price and Availability.
    • Enhanced the Account detail view Sales Order tab to include additional information.

     

    List of Issues completed in this update below
    Read the rest of this entry »

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    6 Tips for a Successful On-Premise Launch of Infor CRM
    February 2nd, 2016 by

    Installation Secrets from the Pros at Simplesoft
    by Paul Hansford

    Over the last few years, installations of Infor CRM have been shifting from On-premise into the operating cost bucket (CAPEX to OPEX). We do see more new deployments launched in the Cloud (SaaS – Software as a Service) than ever before. However, this trend is not universal to all customers because on premise has not gone away.  Infor CRM is one of the few solutions available in both On-premise and Cloud. Infor CRM is flexible and with its single tenancy model in the Cloud, a database can be moved either direction. One strong advantage to the On-premise story is that integration is a bit easier behind the firewall.

    At Simplesoft our deployment pros have installed Infor CRM in many different ways including DMZ, with various proxies, Windows Authentication, and security ports like SSL for encryption and even with front end servers for the load balancing of web servers, etc.  Bottom line:  We find ways to make the Infor CRM installation work successfully and can think outside the box.

    Today’s article provides some tips and hints to prepare for a successful On-premise installation.

    1. Prepare the hardware platform / provision the servers

    Starting with the compatibility guide, a customer can get a feel for the hardware needs, operating systems, and database editions and versions for the latest editions of Infor CRM.  There are many factors that make up the final configuration recommendations.  For example, the number of users can have a huge impact on how many servers are required for high demand setups or even how much data and which technologies need integrated.

    2. Download the software needed and have the licenses ready

    Infor offers a great portal for the management of items like licenses, software, patches, knowledgebase articles, and how to references via documentation.  The software and patches can be downloaded from the Xtreme Portal for installation.  The exact files and steps will depend on the version of Infor CRM that is needed.  We are happy to guide customers in all aspects of the software.

    3. Prepare for the configurations

    Here are few of the basics that need to be prepared before the installation to maximize the results:

    • Service users setup and reviewed
    • SQL Native client software installed on non-database servers
    • Turn off windows firewall, UAC, ESC settings with exceptions configured (for various connectivity and security)

    These steps will help avoid issues in the installation process.

    4. Consider the prerequisites

    With each version of any software there are various components that, when installed properly, make the general software install go smoother and reduce waiting time.

    • Install the software required for the various components of Infor CRM like web services
    • Install the software for testing features (browsers, PDF readers, and installer software)
    • See the implementation guide for the exact details for the latest version.

    5. Installation and configuration

    The installation varies for the version of the software and how many servers are needed for a particular configuration or security requirements.   A 200 user setup is different than a 10 user setup.  We are experienced at many complex configurations.

    6. QA the results

    Follow the standard Simplesoft quality checks to ensure the software is installed, services running, and features configured properly for optimized results.

    With any enterprise tool there are potential pitfalls with the preparation and installation steps.  With the guidance of Simplesoft Solutions, you can avoid a long deployment cycle and will have your users in the tool faster than without us.  Take our tips into consideration for long term success and getting things installed right from the beginning.

    Mentally, the only players who survive in the pros are the ones able to manage all their responsibilities.
    -Tom Brady

    If you would like to discuss upgrading your system, or to see a free demonstration, please contact Simplesoft Solutions.

    Remember to check our CALENDAR and register for free training, demo sessions, and the Heartland Saleslogix Users Group Events.

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    Dayton/Cincinnati, OH | Charleston, WV | Charlotte, NC

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    Add Users to Infor CRM Via LAN Administrator for On-Premise Deployments
    January 18th, 2016 by

    Dear Paul,

    Is there a practical way to use active directory for creating user profiles in Infor CRM (Saleslogix) for my on-premise deployment?

    Absolutely, thanks for asking!  Remember you can always reference the Help files, but please find the step-by-step instructions below.

    Overview

    The ability to login and use Infor CRM is determined by user profile in the Web Client.  There are additional actions that are determined by roles. You can create any number of users to Infor CRM if you have at least one concurrent license type added.  Typical users are setup with a Network license type.  With an “on premise” deployment, the most effective way to create a user profile is using the LAN Administrator and using the Windows import option using a template at the same time.  This allows the employee information to come from Windows AD settings and the rest of the tabs are set by a template setting.  Lastly, add the appropriate role to the user profile in the web client.

    Scenario

    One of the best practices for settings up users is to setup the user via the LAN Administrator. In this how-to document we will outline the steps to create a user profile to provide individuals who should have access to Infor CRM the access they need to get started.

    Assumptions:  Windows Active directory users are accessible with employee information, licenses are available, template is setup, and administrative login credentials are available to the Administrator and Web client.

    Overview Steps

    Use the following steps to complete the setup confirmation:

    • Login to the server with the LAN Administrator.
    • Create the new user or users.
    • Confirm the tab settings.
    • Login to the Web Client.
    • Add Standard User role to user profile.
    • Test the user Access.
    • Share the results to the end user(s).

    Detail Steps

    Login to the server with the LAN Administrator.

    1. Connect RDP to the server with the LAN administrator installed.
    2. Login to the Administrator as admin user.

    Create the new user or users.

    1. Select the Users icon on the right navigation.
    2. From the menu, Insert | Import Users -> From Windows…
    3. In the Search For area, type the name for setup
    4. Select the user Type option
    5. Select the template
    6. Uncheck Use Windows Authentication
    7. Select Create user(s) icon
    8. Choose OK

    Confirm the tab settings.

    1. In the list of users, double click the user profile
    2. Select the Client System tab
    3. Confirm the Default Owner settings.
    4. Review the employee settings.

    Login to the Web Client.

    1. Open Firefox and go to the URL of the web client.
    2. Login as the admin user.

    Add Standard User role to user profile.

    1. Select administration.
    2. Select Roles.
    3. Select Standard User role.
    4. Select the ‘+’ icon to search for new user profile added.
    5. Add the new users to the Standard User roles.
    6. Select the Save icon to confirm the changes are saved.

    Test the user Access.

    1. Login as the newly created user.
    2. Confirm the access to the menus and buttons on detail screens.
    3. Select Sales on the navigation.
    4. Confirm items include (Accounts, Contacts, Leads etc.) to confirm the typical Standard user access.

    Share the results to the end user(s).

    1. Communicate to the end users and let them know that they have the ability to login and perform their routine sales, marketing, and support actions.

    This is the best practice to create a standard user for a situation in which the business administrator has access to both the LAN Administrator and the web administrator access for setting up new users.  Additional considerations may need to be factored for custom configurations or differences in versions/releases over time.

    If you would like to discuss upgrading your system, or to see a free demonstration, please contact Simplesoft Solutions.

    Remember to check our CALENDAR and register for free training, demo sessions, and the Heartland Saleslogix Users Group Events.

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    Dayton/Cincinnati, OH | Charleston, WV | Charlotte, NC

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    Outlook Integration with Infor CRM (Saleslogix) – A Detailed Summary
    August 26th, 2015 by

    In this blog article we have summarized the functional aspects of the four utilities/solutions for integrating Infor CRM (Saleslogix) with Outlook and Exchange.  We have included a brief description, the use cases for each, and reference sources for additional information.  Please keep in mind they can all be deployed and used in any combination, depending on your users’ business needs.

    – Desktop Enhancements:  designed to record e-mail in Notes/History for a Contact; provides Word and Excel integration

    – Outlook Sync:  designed to sync/exchange Contacts and Calendar items for the purpose of portability in Outlook, which is often not necessary with the deployment of the Mobile client

    – Xbar:  designed to allow users to quickly access/manage Infor CRM (Saleslogix) data directly in Outlook WITHOUT having to switch to the Infor CRM application

    – Exchange Link:  provides server-side integration directly between Infor CRM (Saleslogix) and Exchange Server (similar to Outlook Sync but server-side)

    Desktop Enhancements

    Desktop Enhancements provides the most basic integration between Infor CRM for the purpose of sending and recording e-mail.  Installing this component is done by the user when logging into Infor CRM.  On the login webpage, the user simply clicks the ‘Install Enhancements’ button, which installs an add-in to the Outlook client in Windows.

    Once installed the user has the ability to click the e-mail link or envelope icon on a Contact record to create a new e-mail message, click the “Send to CRM” button on the Message toolbar ribbon in Outlook to send and record the e-mail to the Contact Notes/History, select an e-mail received from within Outlook and click the “Record to History” toolbar button on the Home toolbar ribbon, and, lastly, drag-and-drop e-mails from the Outlook client directly to the browser to record to Notes/History (MS Internet Explorer only).

    For more information, select the Options button on the Outlook Home toolbar ribbon and in the Infor CRM Connector Options dialog box, select the ? icon in the upper right corner of the dialog box.

    Outlook Sync

    Outlook sync allows users to configure the synchronization of Contacts, Appointments, and Tasks between Outlook and Infor CRM, either bi-directional or one-way from one application to the other.  Users can configure options by selecting the Options button on the Outlook Home toolbar ribbon, including defining synchronization rules for which folders in Outlook to sync, the frequency for the synchronization in minutes, configuring options for prompting for duplicate and unresolved Contacts, and displaying the History Details dialog box from Infor CRM to enter additional details.

    For more information, please reference the Help content in the Infor CRM web client by selecting the ? icon in the upper right hand corner, selecting the “Search” button on the Help toolbar, and entering “Outlook Sync”.

    Xbar

    Xbar is an add-in for Infor CRM that allows users to view, modify, and enter Infor CRM data directly from within Outlook.  By clicking on an e-mail message in Outlook, Xbar will query Infor CRM to find Contacts for each of the individual e-mail addresses included in the From, To, and CC lines in that e-mail.  Some of the information displayed includes Activities, History, Notes, Tickets, and Opportunities associated with a Contact.  From there, the user can update the Contact details, schedule Activities, create Tickets or Opportunities, and click to go directly to the Contact in Infor CRM.  If a Contact is not found for an e-mail address, the user has the option to Create a Contact or Lead by dragging and dropping an e-mail signature line, parsing the data into the proper fields and allowing the user to enter all additional fields.

    For more information on Xbar, please reference the Help content included with Xbar by selecting the three bars menu icon and selecting the Help menu item.

    Exchange Link

    Exchange Link provides server-side integration between Infor CRM and MS Exchange, synchronizing the same information as Outlook Sync.  This solution is appropriate for customers using web mail clients such as Outlook Web Access (OWA) or Apple mail where the traditional Outlook client is not installed.  It is compatible with customers hosting Exchange locally or by a third-party.

    If you would like to discuss upgrading your system, or to schedule a demonstration, please contact Simplesoft Solutions.

    Remember to check our CALENDAR and register for free training, demo sessions, and the Heartland Infor CRM Users Group Events.

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    Dayton/Cincinnati, OH | Charleston, WV | Charlotte, NC

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    Bad Things Happen to Good CRM Systems When You Add Data – Prevent Data Nightmares
    May 19th, 2015 by

    What happens when you have a system like Infor CRM and you add users?  Not just add users, but make sure they are not trained and there are no policies and procedures for them to follow.  Compound this scenario with no concept of data and how the data will be used to create outputs (analytics, dashboards, and reports etc). Well, bad things can and do happen to good systems.  This is not the way to make smart business decisions, grow your business, or utilize a CRM investment in your front office functions.

    Infor CRM is an incredible system that allows for customization flexibility and process management.  However, if you unleash a system to users without any guidance or usage basics there will be consequences for storing all that mismanaged data.  Through many unintended actions you will have created a hot data mess.  A hot data mess can dramatically affect your bottom line in expected and unexpected ways.  It is already a challenge when introducing a new system to users so make sure that you have put some thought into how you are launching and the process to make it more manageable.

    How does an Infor CRM Administrator or an application Data Steward manage the expectations upfront and create a well-oiled machine (to prevent a nightmare on Elm St)?

    • Have a governance plan in place
    • Identify a Data Steward
    • Build a set of policies and procedures
    • Configure the system tools
    • Train to the usage procedures (initial, refresh, new employee)
    • Monitor the results (using tools like KnowledgeSync, or data cleanup tools like DQ Global)
    • Offer incentives for winning (keeping customers happy with high quality results)

    With interactive systems, like CRM, we are constantly adding, removing, updating, and importing records. This is called Data Management and your company should have a plan in place to make sure the data changing is not causing the system usage issues.  This will have a positive impact on acquisition of new customer as well as maintaining profitable relations with customers, partners, and vendors alike.  If you find yourself unsure about where to start, we are encouraging our customers to start by identifying a Data Steward for each user group of CRM within their organization. The Data Steward can begin to define the data requirements for their user group and then work backwards to clean up what has gone astray.  If you need assistance from Simplesoft, we have various levels of Data Cleanup Services.

    Data management does not have to be complex, but it does need governance and care.  Taking care of data is one of the three pillars to CRM success that helps to support user adoption. CRMs are always pushing the limiting of technology and with platforms expanding (mobile, tablets and others) we must make sure the tools keep step with the users to enhance productivity.  Good things will happen when CRM is put into place with users trained, processes documented, and a data maintenance plan in place.
    “Are you upset little friend? Have you been lying awake worrying? Well, don’t worry…I’m here. The flood waters will recede, the famine will end, the sun will shine tomorrow, and I will always be here to take care of you. -Charlie Brown to Snoopy”
    — Charles M. Schulz

    If you would like to discuss upgrading your system, or to see a free demonstration, please contact Simplesoft Solutions.

    Remember to check our CALENDAR and register for free training, demo sessions, and the Heartland Saleslogix Users Group Events.

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    Dayton/Cincinnati, OH | Charleston, WV | Charlotte, NC

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