Microsoft CRM Implementation & Customization: MS CRM Fax Gateway

With this small article we are continuing Microsoft Business Solutions CRM customization, development, modification, setup and implementation discussion.

Microsoft CRM at this moment doesn't have advanced fax automation - you can register the fact of fax receiving or sending, but it is not sufficient for your daily work with your clients. User should be able to send and receive faxes in her/his work environment - it is in MS CRM

Fax software automation market is very mature and we don't have to re-invite the bicycle here. All we have to do is - integrate one of the reliable solutions into Microsoft CRM. Let's look at the technical aspects of the integration:

? Modification should be based on the standard event Fax Activity logic alteration. Standard CRM version allows in- or out-going fax info saving into SQL database. Alternative form should have additional parameters for fax delivering

? Immediately after the moment of fax saving into CRM database, Albaspectrum MS CRM Universal Fax Connector takes over the logic, more precisely its fax sending portion of the logic, realized as MS CRM Post-Callout, registered for Fax Activity addition and update. At the moment of new fax activity creation, our module considers attached documents as subject to be transferred to the addressee.

? Depending on the fax application/extension you use, call parameters are transferred to the appropriate plug-in, which in turn communicates with fax application.

? Fax sending might be done through specialized systems or direct hardware control via MS FAX API.

? Initially we plan to support GFI FaxMaker and Captaris RightFax via their printing & integration system with email servers MS Exchange and Lotus Domino

? Documents, delivered or received through fax extension could be integrated into MS SharePoint via our proposed product Albaspectrum MS CRM Document Gateway. This allows you to revise and versionize document with automatic fax delivery to the addressees involved

? For incoming faxes we suggest capturing via special handlers on the MTA (MS Exchange or Lotus Domino) level - their task is to take over fax transfer and saving it for the addressee in CRM and Fax Activity creation in MS CRM

? This approach provides seamless incoming and outgoing fax document workflow in MS CRM.

Happy programming, implementation, customization and modification! If you want us to do the job - call use 1-630-961-5918, 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com

Andrew is Lead Software Developer in Alba Spectrum Technologies - USA nationwide Oracle, Navision, Microsoft CRM, Microsoft Great Plains customization company, serving Chicago, California, Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Georgia, Florida, New York, Canada, Australia, UK, Russia, Europe and internationally ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ), he is Oracle, Unix, Microsoft CRM SDK, Navision, C#, VB.Net, SQL developer.