Microsoft CRM To Update Mobile Support, Office Links

The incremental update will include Microsoft CRM Mobile 1.2, which is designed to deliver contact and task information to mobile sales professionals, according to Microsoft.

The faster synching between desktop data and mobile devices is a much-anticipated improvement, said Andy Vabulas, CEO of IBIS Inc., a Norcross, Georgia-based Microsoft business partner.

In addition, the software also is slated to support the Redmond, Wash.-based company's emerging Information Bridge Framework (IBF). Plans for IBF were publicly disclosed last week, and the technology is due in July.

A Microsoft spokeswoman said the IBF support, as well as new support for the Office Solution Accelerator for Proposals means users will not have to toggle back and forth between their CRM module and their other applications.

"I'm happy that they're doing something. The mobile support and Office ties are helpful, but we need more features and functions," said one East Coast CRM solution provider, who requested anonymity. "I guess partners always want more, but I really expected that Microsoft would deliver more features [to Microsoft CRM] faster than they have."

Some industry observers have criticized Microsoft CRM as being light on features and heavy on having an Outlook-like graphical user interface so that it's familiar to Outlook e-mail customers. They also noted that Microsoft CRM has lacked key tie-ins to other Microsoft products.

"It's really easy to take an Act group and do a quick mail merge with Word," the East Coast solution provider said. "It isn't very easy with Microsoft CRM even a year after its release."

Act, a popular personal information manager from SalesLogix, is a key competitor of Microsoft CRM.