Haven't upgraded yet and wondering what's new in 4.0? Download our "What's New in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0?" pdf and learn what we think are the 12 greatest new features.

We are really pleased with the March release of "Working with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0" and are excited to report that it has sold more than 13,000 copies. Based on the success of the two versions of "Working with..." books, Microsoft has engaged us to write two more books!

	"Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Step by Step" Publish Date Sep. 2008 Finally, a book written for end-users of Microsoft CRM who want to learn more about the core sales, marketing and customer service functionality in a step-by-step fashion.
	"Programming Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0" Publish Date Oct. 2008 This book is for developers who want to learn the nitty gritty details of writing custom code and extending the Microsoft CRM platform.

Using the Native CRM 4.0 Import for Lookup and Picklist Values
We have recently been asked if you could use the native Tools-Import functionality of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 when importing records with lookup and picklist values. Our answer was "of course", as we use it all the time with our production CRM system internally. Read the rest of this tip

Two views causing you problems?
You might come across a scenario where you see that Microsoft CRM lists two different views as the "default" for an entity. Read the rest of this tip

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Resources 

Training
Microsoft recently posted the eLearning material in CustomerSource for the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Applications series (collection 8913). These sessions are a good introduction to the core functionality of Microsoft CRM.

Interested in learning more about specific CRM topic areas? 
We welcome you to view any of these webinars presented by Sonoma Partners:

• Improve Sales and Marketing Effectiveness with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0
• What's New in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 for Administrators
• What's New in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 for Users

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online is now here!

Still not sure if a full on-premise CRM is the right solution for your organization, but you like what you see with Microsoft Dynamics CRM?  Now you have a choice between on-premise CRM, hosted CRM, or online CRM - all with the trusted Microsoft name.  Better yet, if you choose to go with the online version and later decide to move to an on-premise solution, Microsoft is the only CRM provider to provide tools to simplify the transition.

Some facts about Microsoft Dynamics CRM online:

	CRM Online Professional	CRM Online Professional Plus
Per User/Per Month	$39	$59
Storage	5 GB	20 GB
Clients	Outlook, Web	Outlook, Web, and Offline
Features	Sales, Service, Marketing, Workflow, and System Customization	Everything in Professional, plus: Offline Synchorization, Additonal Customization and Additional Workflow rules

News at Sonoma Partners

What a great and hectic few months! With the release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0, the writing of the new books, and working with all of our great clients, we have been keeping ourselves busy around here!

A couple of highlights from the last few weeks:

• Last week we learned that we were ONE OF THREE finalists for the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner of the Year award. To be chosen as a finalist out of hundreds of entries from around the world makes us feel pretty good. Even better, we are a finalist because of our work with one of our amazing clients, Citizens Energy. The work we did with them helps Citizens Energy provide heating to those in need during the winter months in greater quantities than ever before.
• We also learned we were placed on "Chicago's 101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For" for the second time in a row. We love what we do and think we do it at a pretty cool company, but it is nice to hear someone from the outside agree. It's events like our office decorating contest that set us apart and keeps us energized to solve the toughest challenges.

As we head into summer, we are excited about learning the latest and greatest developments at the Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference in Houston July 7-10. We'll keep you posted with what we learn through our blog and our next newsletter. Until then,  pass along any thoughts you might have and enjoy the summer!

~The Sonoma Partners Team