CRM 2016 Online
Learn the what, why, and hows of CRM 2016 Online.
Microsoft has made substantial investments in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online to provide a cost-effective and full-featured experience for users. The integration with Microsoft Office 365 Online has streamlined the process and provides an opportunity for organizations to consolidate their Office 365 and Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online experiences.
This chapter is devoted to the Online version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016. In some places, this chapter explicitly notes differences between On-Premises and Online, but where it doesn’t, you can assume that the text is about CRM Online.
For more information about On-Premises installations of CRM, SEE CHAPTER 29, “On-Premises Deployments.”
Overview of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2016 Online
Microsoft Dynamics CRM is available in three basic installation options: On-Premises, CRM Online, and partner hosted. This chapter covers CRM Online, including licensing, benefits and limitations, an operational overview of the services provided by Microsoft, and a guide on how to sign up and manage a CRM Online instance.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online is a Microsoft-hosted service that offers tight integration with the Office 365 platform. Microsoft started offering CRM Online during the CRM 4.0 days, with close feature parity with what you would receive using an On-Premises or partner hosted implementation. With the release of CRM 2011, the Online offering was also updated, and the differences between the options narrowed, but limitations imposed because of a shared hosting environment kept some organizations from using this service offering. In 2012, Microsoft rolled out updates that further narrowed the differences and improved security, allowing CRM Online to be a true first-class citizen in the Microsoft CRM world.