Microsoft CRM Integration with Lotus Notes Domino: Messaging Connector - Future Directions

IBM Lotus Notes Domino and Microsoft CRM (Client Relation Management) from now on can work in tandem. Microsoft CRM Lotus Notes Domino connector from Alba Spectrum Technologies provides seamless messaging in MS CRM through Domino. Our customers suggest future direction for the connector. Considering our consulting practice experience in MS CRM and Lotus Notes customization, upgrade, integration - in this small article we'll reveal our half year development plans

? Messaging Servers. Former idea was to have MS CRM SDK side standard and develop plug ins for all the other email server: CommuniGate Pro, Sendmail, PostFix, Exim, Oracle Collaboration Suite, GroupWise. Probing the market in earlier 2005 we realized that Lotus Domino is 90% of the requests and Novell GroupWise has the rest of the market responses, however in the case of GroupWise customers, realizing the connector development phase decided to switch to Microsoft Exchange. So at this moment we decided to stick to IBM Lotus Notes Domino and support other email platforms, if customer is willing to pay for the plug-ins development (abut $4k)

? MS CRM and Lotus events two-ways synchronization. This is out of question and will be done. Lotus Notes serves large corporations, investing into Lotus user licenses and the synchronization is the must

? INI file. Where you can select if you would like to store in Lotus outgoing email, sent from MS CRM

? Support Contracts. We do understand that our connector will work in the MS CRM environment with 30+ users, which means that it will be midsize or large corporate business. If MS CRM is business critical and Lotus investments should be protected - we recommend our customers Lotus Notes Domino support contract.

? Annual Maintenance Program. If you purchase Microsoft Great Plains, Oracle eBusiness Suite, PeopleSoft, or other ERP application - you will have to pay one or another type of annual fee to get new version and regular support from the software vendor. We'll try to be more liberal to our clients, but considering large demand - we'll have to implement the plan to improve the service to existing clients.

Andrew is Great Plains specialist in Alba Spectrum Technologies ( http://www.albaspectrum.com ) - Microsoft Great Plains, Navision, Microsoft CRM Partner, serving clients in California, Minnesota, Illinois, Washington, Florida, Arizona, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, Georgia, Louisiana, Texas, Canada, UK, Australia, Brazil, Germany, Russia. Alba Spectrum serves corporate clients in Aerospace & Defense, Oil & Gas, Chemicals, Manufacturing, Transportation & Logistics, Pharmaceutical, Food Processing, Placement, Healthcare & Medicine, Beverages, Agriculture, Non-profit, Distribution & Supply Chain Management, Financial Services, Furniture, Textile, Apparels, Conglomerates, Wholesale & Retail.