Microsoft CRM Lotus Notes Domino Connector FAQ

o          Messaging. Can MS CRM use Lotus Domino in lieu of Microsoft Exchange? Yes. MS CRM Lotus Domino connector allows you send messages from MS CRM objects: Lead, Account, Contact and all the future object, including Sales and Service modules

Microsoft Business Solutions CRM and IBM Lotus Notes Domino, being groupware products from competing program development leaders, however could coexist within organization computer network and even work together in collaboration. There perhaps multiple reason why corporation would use both products: licensing, dedication to IBM Lotus Notes as legacy product, risk balancing - staking on both Microsoft and Java/EJB/J2EE platforms, deploying Lotus advanced workflow to automate document management, etc. The necessity to synchronize MS CRM and Lotus Notes Domino databases is dictated by the ERP market and the connector is obtainable. In this tiny editorial we'll answer on the often asked questions.

o          Outgoing Messaging. When Microsoft CRM send e mail from Account, Contact, Lead - connector takes control over and sends e mail through Lotus Domino server. It's Java Agent at the Lotus side and MS CRM SDK custom piece at the MS CRM side. In case you compare outgoing messaging with standard MS CRM Exchange connector, then mechanism is slightly different. Microsoft CRM Exchange connector places GUID in the message header and makes use of this GUID to identify the object in the responding e mail to push it back to CRM and attach. MS CRM Lotus connector doesn't use GUID - in lieu it scans MS CRM objects (Accounts, Contacts, Leads) in smart cached way

o          Incoming Messages. When Lotus Domino server receives e mail - Java Agent side of the connector triggers checking with MS CRM if addressor e mail matches with any Contact, Lead or Account e mail. In the case of the match - e mail is transferred in to MS CRM in the type of activity of e mail type. Again - note that connector doesn't use GUID mechanism. They found that matching is better approach and they have Microsoft CRM Exchange advanced connector - which works with matching, without standard GUID mechanism.

o          Lotus & MS CRM Versions. Lotus ought to be version 6.0 or higher. The reason for this is simple - version 6.0 supports Java Agent expertise. MS CRM ought to be one.2 or three.0. Lotus could work in multiple hardware & OS platforms, such as Windows Server, AS/400, etc. Enterprise resource planning  o Microsoft CRM & Lotus Notes Events synchronization. Future version of the connector will synchronize MS CRM and Lotus Notes objects: Calendar, Appointment, Fax, Phone Call, etc. , note that Lotus has different objects - they have the matching table, check with us.o          Support. Product is installed Worldwide and supported in Europe from French office, in the USA and Canada from Houston and Chicago, in South The united states, Africa, Australia, Asia, New Zealand from office in Sao Paulo Brazil.

o          Product Pricing. It is US$3k basic pack, including 30 users and then $75 each additional user. In Europe cost is proportional in Euro.