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Microsoft Teams Community Blog
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Effective Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM & Teams Collaboration: A Guide to the Basics and Beyond!

Sam_Kumar's avatar
Sam_Kumar
Brass Contributor
Jun 13, 2023

As of 2023, Microsoft Teams has 280 million daily active users with new users joining every day. And it amounts to 5.57% of the total collaboration software market.

 

One of the key drivers for the success of Microsoft Teams in organizations across the globe is its seamless integration with Microsoft Office 365.

 

But is merely quick access to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint enough in today’s AI-driven world?


So, how is Microsoft taking its already successful collaboration tool to the next level?


Microsoft has been pushing ONE MICROSOFT FAMILY and bringing all of its software together. This also aligns with the DO MORE WITH LESS vision of Satya Nadella.

 

And to further increase Microsoft Team’s collaboration capability, it enables integration between Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM. This integration brings two of the most common tools used by front-line workers and executive managers, together.

 

Integration of platforms/applications is an important step in any organization’s growth. As per Forrester Research, businesses with integrated business applications can save an average of $1.5 million per year!


Integration helps teams in:

  • Collaboration- Collaborate in-between the Teams or with Teams from other Departments.
  • Brainstorming- Brainstorming is easily initiated over crux issues, roadblocks, process blocks, etc.
  • User experience- Juggling between multiple systems now becomes less time-consuming. Overall
    business operations, organization, and management become simpler.
  • Insights- Insights from one platform to another become easier.

And because of such a wide range of benefits from integrating two platforms, there has been a significant rise in integration tools. Microsoft Teams, as we all know, has become an integral communication tool. From client meetings to customer support calls to team discussions, Microsoft Teams facilitates all. And when integrated with Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM, it becomes a lot more than just a communication tool. It becomes a collaborative tool with added capabilities.


Integration between Microsoft Teams & Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM

Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM have benefits on both ends of the integration.

 

Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM
When working on a CRM record, you can engage with the contact right using teams without switching the platform. Need to hop on a call with the contact right away? You have embedded calling for that!


Microsoft Teams
Get your CRM view on your teams as a tab, thereby whenever you are on a call and need a quick reference, you can do it right from your Teams, instead of switching back to the CRM. Or you are in a Teams meeting with a client, and he just shared some new updates to his order form, you can update the details on his Dynamics 365 CRM record right from within your Teams.


Amazing, right?


If you haven’t already integrated your Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Microsoft Teams, follow this guide!

 

In this blog, we will touch point some of these capabilities which have been making the life of users
easier.

 

1. Collaboration on Dynamics 365 Records

Using Teams integration, one can invite anyone in the organization to view and collaborate on customer records right within a Teams chat or channel. You can even view the associated files/records right there and then. Suppose you are working on a big deal and you need help from your superior. You can connect with them on a Teams call and edit the record right as the brainstorming is happening.


2. Connecting Teams Chat and Activities to CRM Record

Previously, the Teams Chat with a client had to be noted down and updated manually in CRM against the particular Account/ Record. This would be a hassle as the process needs to juggle between two platforms and is also time-consuming. But with this integration between Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM, keep track of the linked chat in the Dynamics 365 record’s timeline. The main purpose of this feature is to track all the activities, be it within Dynamics 365 CRM or Microsoft Teams, and show them on the timeline.

 

3. Rule-based auto-suggest contacts

Suppose you are working as a Technical Support Agent and you received a support case. The first thing you want to do is find out if the support case is connected to another agent. But instead of manually finding out these details, what if you could get an automated suggestion of the contact related to this support case? With Teams and CRM collaboration, this has become possible. To enable this feature, you would also need to connect Teams chat to Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM records. Resolve your support cases quickly and efficiently now!

 

These just skim the top of the benefits you get when you integrate Microsoft Teams and Dynamics 365 CRM. Explore the integration and let us know what’s making your life easier.

 

Microsoft Teams and Dynamics 365 CRM combination will enhance the way teams work together. So, imagine adding co-pilot capabilities to it. Yes, on May 9, 2023, Microsoft announced Microsoft 365 Co-pilot Early Access Program in which you can use Co-pilot on your Microsoft Teams whiteboard. From enhancing creativity to brainstorming right with the help of AI, this advanced integration will take collaboration to the next level. Read all about it here!

 

Updated Jul 10, 2023
Version 3.0