03 December 2012

How to control what CRM records sync into Microsoft Office Outlook



With Dynamics CRM 2011 outlook client, users can view CRM data even they are not connected to CRM. Synchronized too much data might not be a good idea as it will reduce performance and user experiences.

In CRM2011, users can specify the filter on:
  • what data they wanted to take offline
  • what data they wanted to sync to their outlook’s folder
To configure Office Outlook 2010 filters,
1.       Navigate to File>CRM> Synchronize dropdown.

2.       After clicking the “Outlook Filters”. Users can change the filter to control what data sync into their outlook.
The dialog contains list of different entities type being configured and their status.

Offline Synchronization Filters
Outlook filters affect CRM items which have counterparts in Outlook, like Tasks, Contacts and Appointments. They control what data gets synced to Outlook folders, such as the Contacts folder or Calendar.
Outlook Synchronization Filters
Offline filters affect the CRM folders in Outlook, and they specify what data gets stored on your machine when you disconnect from the internet (Go Offline).

If user missing CRM data while Offline, we can modify the Offline filters.
If user is taking long time to Go Offline, we can deactivate some of the data filters to reduce amount of data being sync.
User Filters
These filters belong to you, and it defined what information gets synced down from CRM to Outlook.
Systems
These filters configured by the system administrator, and they apply to everyone.