Saratoga Technologies Microsoft CRM Blog

Easy Alerts and Notifications (with little overhead) in Microsoft CRM

Ok, so one of the main features in Microsoft CRM is to be alerted when specific things occur within the platform. For example when a specific item that you are selling has a renewal that is upcoming, possibly yearly maintenance, or anything and everything.

 So you have a ton of options, i mean literally you could create workflows that sat around and waited to be fired in Microsoft CRM. But if you do not want tons of workflow processes hanging around there is a different approach that i suggest.

In this example a customer was looking for a way to be updated when a specific renewal was within so many days of expiring.

So in .Net this was really easy to create a console application that runs on whatever interval that you decide (Daily, weekly, monthly, etc.) That will search out and send information or an alert that something is happening in the system.

Just a note as this is not specific to only Microsoft CRM, it could be Dynamics GP, or any  type of database that you can connect to across your entire organization.

So on with the .Net Code right? Ok.

//Pull Renewals that are expiring in the next 0-30 Days completely Configurable

string connString = @”server = CRM;integrated security = true;database = SaratogaTechnologiesIncTEST_MSCRM”;string sql = @”select * from FilteredServiceRenewalsForService where sti_serviceexpires > dateadd(day, datediff(day, 0, getdate()), 0)and sti_serviceexpires <= dateadd(day, datediff(day, 0, getdate()), 30)”;

SqlConnection conn = new SqlConnection(connString);//Mailing Loop, Start for Application to Mail Service Reports

try

{ //Open MY Connection to Microsoft CRM DS

conn.Open();

SqlDataAdapter da = new SqlDataAdapter(sql, conn);DataTable dt = new DataTable();//Fill Data in DT

da.Fill(dt);

foreach (DataRow row in dt.Rows){

foreach (DataColumn col in dt.Columns)Console.WriteLine(row[col]);//Default Message Information

//Pause Mailer for 5 seconds (Optional)

//System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(5000);

/* CRM DataSet Fields – From View* 20 – Company Name

string compname = “”;string Service = “”;

string ServiceStart = “”;string ServiceExpires = “”;

string SKUPART = “”;string USERS = “”;

string RenewalDetails = “”;string RenewalStatus = “”;

string SalesPersonName = “”;string SalesPersonEmail = “”;

string EmailAddress = “”;string URLStringVAR = “”;

string URLString = “”;/*Set Variables to values */

compname = (row[23].ToString());

URLString = “http://crmserver1:5555/SaratogaTechnologiesInc/userdefined/edit.aspx?id={”;URLString = URLString + URLStringVAR;

URLString = URLString + “}&etc=10007#”;System.Net.Mail.MailMessage message = new System.Net.Mail.MailMessage();System.Net.Mail.

SmtpClient smtp = new System.Net.Mail.SmtpClient(“exchange”);message.Subject = Service + ” Renewal Alert For “ + compname.ToString() + “”;message.From =

new System.Net.Mail.MailAddress(renewals@clientsite.com);message.IsBodyHtml = true;message.Body = SalesPersonName +

“, Microsoft CRM has found a “ + Service.ToString() + ” renewal upcoming for “ + compname + ” <br><br> <u>Service Renewal Details:</u><br><br> <b>Renewal Type:</b> “ + Service.ToString() + “<br> <b>Renewal Details:</b> “ + RenewalDetails + “<br> <b>Expires on:</b> “ + ServiceExpires + “<br><br> You can take a look at the service renewal details at the link below.<br><br> <a href=’” + URLString + “‘>View Renewal in CRM</a><br><br> Please remember to update Microsoft CRM after you have completed contacting the client, so that you are not notified again going forward.<br><br> Also, do not reply to this email address as this does not go to anyone at this time.” ;//Send Sales Person Notification about Upcoming Service Renewals

string recipientemail = SalesPersonEmail.ToString();string bcc = “nicholas.cole@saratogaus.com”;

Like i said this is for a simple custom renewal application, but can be applied to literally anything across your organization.

Enjoy!

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