Dynamics CRM: Set Title Case for a text field using JScript; but only once

Today I had to work on a interesting JScript for Dynamics CRM. When creating a new Contact record, the text values within the fields for First Name, Middle Name and Last Name should have a Title Case enforced to them. For example, if a user types “JOhN” in the First Name field, the case should be automatically corrected to “John”.

To make things more interesting, here is the second part of the requirement: After a case correction has been performed in a field, it shouldn’t be performed again. So if the user now proceeds to type “JOHN” in the First Name field after the first case correction, the system should leave the case as it is.

Now, I am not saying that I agree with this requirement, but it is a requirement nonetheless. I make no secret that I am far from having the JScript knowledge I aspire for, so this was a good exercise for me and I hope the community can benefit from it.

Warning EU Citizens: Avoid getting a Windows Phone (or Xbox Live for that matter)

One of the fundamental basis of the European Union is the principle of four freedoms: freedom of movement of people, goods capitals and services. As Europeans, we can freely move around member states and live in as legal residents.

However, if you’re planning to get a Windows Phone, prepare to have your rights as an EU citizen challenged by Microsoft. Read more >>

Dynamics CRM: JScript vs workflow – Caveats

JScripts in Dynamics CRM are a powerful feature to enhance the user interface in Dynamics CRM. We can use JScripts to perform calculations and validate fields in forms in order to introduce a better user experience. However, JScripts are a client-side based, and only work with the desktop-based (main) forms. In other words, if the user is accessing Dynamics CRM through a mobile device displaying the mobile forms, or using a 3rd party client for a tablet device, the JScripts will not be loaded at all. Workflows on the other hand are server-based, and they will execute no matter which device and client is used to access Dynamics CRM.

This often raises the question of JScript versus workflows when customising Dynamics CRM, particularly when designing a sales pipeline workflow. In this posts I explain how to combine the usage of both JScript and workflows in order to get the best of both worlds, and the most out of Dynamics CRM.

Dynamics CRM: Considerations when customising address fields

The perceived issue on customising address fields and how to store addresses in computer systems always fascinated me. Not because of any apparent complexity one might believe that exists when handling addresses, but mostly because of people’s undeserved anxiety around the subject. And in Dynamics CRM it is no different.

The issue tends to surround the myth that countries and regions with different subdivisions would require complex requirements for address handling. I came across a couple of clients who believe that they require such a complex solution that their Dynamics CRM deployments almost came onto a halt because of such hurdle. I the end, the solution relies not on complex customisation, but on standards compliance, a little bit of compromising, but most importantly: common sense.

Please note that while this post relates to address fields in Dynamics CRM perspective, the data management considerations presented here should be taken into account regardless of the applications. Read more >>

Dynamics CRM 2011: Diving into the sales pipeline – Part 3

In my previous post of this series we discussed how to apply our previously defined sales pipeline through the customisation of the Opportunity entity form. We went through the design of the Opportunity form, which included the addition of fields built-in fields which aren’t part of the default form, and we added some scripts for the calculation of our probability matrix.

Important Update: This article series has been written before the release of Dynamics CRM 2011 Update Rollup 12 (also known as Polaris). You might continue to read the articles in this series, but it is strongly recommended that you read this addendum before performing any customisations suggested in the series.

In this final post we will go through the creation of some workflows that will be part of our sales pipeline process.

Dynamics CRM 2011: Diving into the sales pipeline – Part 2

In my previous post of this series, we discussed some fundamental concepts of the sales pipeline and how Dynamics CRM handles the sales process. While considering the requirements of ACME (a fictitious company), we defined the stages of their sales pipeline, and started to outline the functional specification of the opportunity entity, including the elaboration of an opportunity probability matrix.

In this post we will discuss how to apply what have been defined so far by covering the customisation of the Opportunity entity form, including some scripting.

Steve Jobs: 1955-2011

I started using Windows 3.0 at the age of 12 and even though I worked with a lot of different systems, from Linux and OS/2 to BSD (and a few times, Apple OSes), I have pretty much solidified my profession career with Microsoft products.

I saw Jobs solely as a difficult man who mistreated his employees, and I never understood his value to the market. That is, until I did my Masters Degree and I was introduced to the concept of industry paradigms.

Regardless of any feeling of rivalry one can feel on “Apple Vs Windows” subject, Steve Jobs was undeniably a visionary and a paradigm pioneer who challenged concepts and developed new markets and trends. Before the iPod, the digital music players were all but a joke, and the iPad succeeded to launch the tablet industry where others previously failed.

The world will be less innovative without him. My sympathies to Apple Inc, his family and friends.

There is no such thing as “grey mail”

I just read today at the Windows Team Blog that Hotmail declares war on graymail. However, I assert that there is not such thing as “gray mail”.

It doesn’t matter if it is an email offering me dodgy Rolex replicas or dubious pharmaceuticals, or if it is a newsletter from a major and respectable institution. Any speculative email I receive that I haven’t explicitly subscribed to, is to be considered SPAM. Enough said.

Office colour scheme: How to make your data look pretty

When creating charts, I often find myself having to meddle with colours. This is particularly the case when I am creating complex charts for Dynamics CRM, or some KPI in Excel to be included in a SharePoint dashboard. If you want your dashboards, reports and charts to look appealing, you must know how to work with colours.

However the right colour combination goes beyond simple aesthetics; it helps convey the correct message. Colour can be used to identify the natural order of values, indicate figures that required immediate attention, and help differentiate neighbouring elements.

To find the correct colour combination can be a tedious choir. Particularly when you just want to get it over with. My trick is to use the default Microsoft Office colour theme as a reference. In order to make this task easier, I created a reference chart with listing the colours along with both RBG (red/blue/green) and hexadecimal values.

Dynamics CRM: Creating a radar chart

From all of the new features in Dynamics CRM 2011, the one that got me thrilled the most is charts. Dynamics CRM comes with a selection of charts for opportunities, leads, accounts and so on. It also allows users to create five different chart types straight from the Dynamics CRM interface: Column, Bar, Line, Pie and Funnel.

However, there is more to charts than it meets the eye. The charts functionality in Dynamics CRM leverages the ASP.NET chart controls, which means that we have at our disposal over 20 different chart types we could use. I decided to put the theory into practice and I created my very first radar chart for Dynamics CRM: Deals Won vs. Deals Lost by Territory. Read more >>