CRM and SharePoint will be converging more and more, they have a great deal in common in that they track information in real time around people and business processes. CRM is about tracking people more, and SharePoint information, but I think they could eventually become the same think, with CRM built on the SharePoint platform. CRM 4.0, codenamed Titan is being built now, and it will be available in the 1st quarter of 2008. MS will also be making it available via SaaS, in other words software as a service.

This means you will pay per user and MS will host it. This will lead to better profit margins for MS, once the setup costs of the huge server farms is covered. For the companies it will mean faster setup, deployment and cheaper ongoing costs. And they will have all the failover, backup and capacity they could want. It will alsomean no more incomprehensible licencing. If you want CRM it will just be 100 employees = $50 per month. This is the future of software my friends, soon most software will be sold this way. Don't say I didn't warn you :-)

Here are some useful links:

Integration of CRM and SharePoint announced:
http://rehmangul.wordpress.com/2007/05/08/ms-crm-and-sharepoint-2007-integration/

How to configure a CRM Web Part in MOSS 2007:
http://blog.sonomapartners.com/2007/08/microsoft-crm-w.html

Here is a useful blog on the subject full of useful information:
http://sharepointsix.blogspot.com/

Note also that the next version of Microsoft Dynamics CRM will be offered via the web, or SaaS as MS is calling it: Software as a Service.
http://searchcrm.techtarget.com/originalContent/0,289142,sid11_gci1198320,00.html

And here are those TechEd presentations, look at the Dustin Miller one it is good fun!
http://www.microsoft.com/events/series/teched07.aspx?tab=overview

Enjoy!

Update: Here is an interesting post on SharePoint and CRM integration. Thanks for sending me the link Gustaf!

Labels: Microsoft Dynamics CRM