The release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM – Spring 2015 includes a helpful new feature; Immersive Excel. This functionality allows a user to manipulate Dynamics CRM data in MS Excel, without the cumbersome “Export to Re-import” process required in the past. The Spring release handles this process behind the scenes now, giving the user a multi-record, frictionless data manipulation experience. However, this feature is only available using Dynamics CRM Online and O365 MS Excel Online.Here are the requirements to take advantage of this new, powerful feature:
- Dynamics CRM Online
- Separate O365 License required
- Export to Excel Security Role Privilege
- Available in the Web Client
Let’s dive right in to demonstrate what can be done with the new Immersive MS Excel. This example contains a list of Leads that need some manipulation. Within browser session of Dynamics CRM, there is now an option to ‘Open in Excel Online’.
After a few simple prompts, the CRM data is displayed in MS Excel Online, embedded directly into the Dynamics CRM browser session. Now the user can make edits to the data, taking full advantage of all the capabilities of MS Excel. All of the field validation rules remain in place while the user is making edits, as a result there is no cause for concern when the data is saved back to Dynamics CRM.
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Once the user has finished making edits to the data (in this example the last name was edited and the status was changed), he/she simply selects the ‘Save Changes to CRM’ button. This does not edit the data directly within CRM, but submits a job to import the changes. The user can view the progress of that job as needed. Once the job completes, the changes are made to the CRM data and visible for the user to consume
Courtesy Dave Baker @ C5Insight 7/30/2015
