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A Quick Tour of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 iPad App

Post Author: Joe D365 |

CRM 2013 is here, and as promised, it is truly revolutionary! You can find up-to-date information regarding this release on our CRM 2013 Overview page.

One of the most exciting features of this release is the in-built support for accessing Microsoft Dynamics CRM via mobile devices, especially via tablets. These mobile apps have some great characteristics, including:

  • A delightful user experience
  • Fast, fluid, and immersive look and feel
  • Optimized critical sales and productivity scenarios
  • Ability to design once and deploy across clients
  • An hybrid architecture to address new devices and form factors

In today's blog, we'll cover the exciting look and feel of the official Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 iPad app, with a screenshot tour covering some of the basics.

Before you get started, make sure that the Use CRM for Tablets permission is checked on in your security role settings.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 iPad App

Next, you'll need to download the app form the Apple app store.

Once the app is downloaded, enter the URL to the CRM instance and the associated user ID and password. You should be connected to your CRM instance at this point—quick and easy!

When you open the pap, the landing page is your default system dashboard. In this example, we see the sales dashboard. The iPad app renders the dashboard in a format consistent with the metro/modern look of Windows 8 applications, as you can see in the screenshot below.

Individual records can be opened by selecting the record on the dashboard, and drilldown capabilities of charts are maintained. For example, you can select a section of My Open Opportunities and your record list will be rendered next to the chart.

Click on the ellipsis on the lower right corner of the dashboard, to see additional options. One of the options is + New Record. Selecting this will bring up a menu to select the type of record to add. Once you choose the type of record, you'll see the Quick Create form, which allows you to quickly add a new record.


From the dashboard landing page, you can navigate to the various entities as shown below.

The out-of-the-box entities are available by default. Custom entities can also be made accessible via the app. For an entity to be enabled, the CRM for Tablets option needs to be selected on the entity information tab as shown below.

Now you can see that the custom entity Test-Entity is set to be accessible via the app as shown below.

The following table lists the entities that can be enabled/disabled for mobile access:

OOB Enabled for Read/Write OOB Enabled for Read Only Custom Others
Scope Read/Write Read/Write Read only Read only Read/Write NA
Permissions Disable-able Not Disable-able Disable-able Not Disable-able Disable-able Not Enable-able
Entity List Account, Contact,
Lead, Opportunity,
Opportunity Products, Competitor, Connections, Appointment, Tasks, Phone Call
Notes, Activities, Pointer
Base
Products,
Cases, Email
Activity, Attachment, System User, Teams, transaction, Currency Custom Entities, Custom Activities All other OOB entities in System, Sales, Service and Marketing

When you select an entity from the dashboard, the grid view for the entity is rendered. On selecting the ellipses on the lower right corner, you'll see settings options with various menu items including the option to select the view for the grid display.


Selecting the record from the grid opens up the record detail page as shown below. You can also edit field values on the record.


Similarly, the settings menu includes options to quickly add new record via the quick create form. There are also options to assign/re-assign the record to a user, deactivate the record, or delete the record if the user previliges allow the user to do so. You'll also see an option to open the record in a web browser.

A business process associated with an entity is also rendered on the entity record. The example below illustrates the business process stages for an opportunity record shown at the top and the steps belonging to the process.

The iPad app includes a global search feature. The search can be a global search, or can be restricted to an entity by applying the search filter as shown below.

There you go! With the release of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013, mobile apps rich with native features are now available for popular tablets and smart phones. The ability to access Microsoft Dynamics CRM on tablets and phones from the road will be a tremendous boost to the mobile workforce!

Want more information on CRM 2013 features and news? Here are few other blogs that you can reference:

Happy CRM'ing!

Joe CRM
By Joe D365
Joe D365 is a Microsoft Dynamics 365 superhero who runs on pure Dynamics adrenaline. As the face of PowerObjects, Joe D365’s mission is to reveal innovative ways to use Dynamics 365 and bring the application to more businesses and organizations around the world.

16 comments on “A Quick Tour of the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 iPad App”

  1. Hi am getting following error when am trying to configure CRM 2013 on iPad app. Can you please help.

    Error Message:Microsoft.Crm.CrmException: The field 'data' contains one or more invalid characters.

    at Microsoft.Crm.BusinessEntities.ValidateExtension.ValidateStringData(BusinessEntity entity, ValidationType validationType)

    at Microsoft.Crm.BusinessEntities.ValidateExtension.PreCreateHandler(Object sender, ExtensionEventArgs e)

    at Microsoft.Crm.BusinessEntities.BusinessProcessObject.PreCreateEventHandler.Invoke(Object sender, ExtensionEventArgs e)

    at Microsoft.Crm.BusinessEntities.BusinessProcessObject.Create(IBusinessEntity entity, ExecutionContext context)

    at Microsoft.Crm.ObjectModel.ApplicationMetadataServiceBase.CreateOrUpdateMetadata(BusinessEntity applicationMetadata, ExecutionContext context)

    at Microsoft.Crm.Application.WebServices.ApplicationMetadata.ApplicationMetadataSourceRetrieverBase.RegenerateApplicationMetadataRecords(IEnumerable`1 sourceObjectModels, Boolean createOrUpdateInDb)

    at Microsoft.Crm.Application.WebServices.ApplicationMetadataService.Sync(ApplicationMetadataSyncRequest applicationMetadataSyncRequest)

    2013-11-18 12:26:46 +0000 [INFO]: [PAL] | Error occured during complete refresh of Application/Entity/Attribute metadata.

          1. check you have read permission on following entities user application metadata, system application metadata, and organizational level read permissions user and usersettings.

          2. check your ipad version, app only compatible with 3rd and 4th generation only, which security you are on ? try these roles first

            CEO-Business Manager

            Salesperson

            Sales Manager

            Vice President of Sales

            System Administrator

            System Customizer , by default these are enabled for ipad app, try these first

            r u using online or on prem version?

  2. With CRM 2011 we had to set the Client as the "Synchronizing Client." Are we going to have specify which one of my devices is the synchronizing client if I have my Outlook Client on my laptop, and my iPad I would like to use as well? Also, is there an "Offline" feature to the iPad app?

    1. Hi Jon - Currently there is no true offline mode for the ipad app. However, we do have an offline cache that allows us to be occasionaly disconnected and work ok with cached conttent such as walking into an elevator. If you want this feature pls vote it in the connect microsoft web site as many of our customers also want this.
      Regarding the 'primary client', this setting is only needed if you use the outlook crm client to synchronize. If you use 'server side sync' then the 'primary client' no longer applies. YOu can have an ipad, phone, and outlook, and all hums along with the server side sync.

  3. I am facing issues with the iphone app for CRM 2013.

    None of the java scripts and business rules are not working.

    Please help.

  4. There is a global search in the ipad app... is there a global search on the Dynamics CRM 2013 web app? (I havent used dynamics since 2013 came out)

    1. I think we need to define Global Search. I am not aware of a search in CRM that looks across all entities. You will need to select which entity to search from and then input the variables or wildcards. search is even more restricted in the app as you can only search on a few core entities such as Account, Contact, User and Activity.

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