Workflows aren’t just for process automation. They’re a great tool that you can use to update multiple records at one time. Especially records that one cannot update with the Edit button, you know, up there in that ribbon.
This past week, I was running CRM Lead reports around certain events. With the out-of-the-box CRM fields I can always find the leads I want and sort them by a single certain event, but it takes more work for me to group multiple events. Then I realized that sometime between the oldest set of leads and now, we created a new Event entity. Because we linked it to Leads, this entity made it easier for me to group different sets of leads together for my reporting. Unfortunately that Event entity field, although present and visible on the Lead form in the older records, did not contain the data all my other leads had. These older leads were also all different statuses—Open, Qualified, and Disqualified—so I couldn’t use the Edit button because it only updates Open status records.
No problem with the use of a quick Workflow. I went to Processes in CRM Settings and opened a new Process. I gave it a catchy name like “Update Event in Lead record,” set the Entity to “Lead,” and Category to “Workflow.” Once I’m in the Workflow set-up, I changed it to an “As On Demand” process only since it’s just for my personal use. Then, I only need to add one step for the whole workflow. Using the Update Record step, I set the Lead properties to the designated Event that I want in the Event field. Don’t forget to “Activate” the workflow.
Then, I headed back to my Advanced Find in CRM where I have gathered all the Lead records from that older event, and I’m able to run my workflow against all of them with one or two clicks of the Run Workflow button up there on that same ribbon as the Edit button.
It actually took me longer to write this blog than to update those 400 plus records for my reporting.
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Written By Adrienne Lilly, Client Services Manager at Rockton Software www.rocktonsoftware.com
Hi,
This example was right out of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 and would also work in 2013. Regarding your other question, it sounds like you are asking about a global search feature for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. I’m not familiar with any particular solution but there are some great blogs out there such as this one (below) that compares several options from established companies . Good luck with your search.
Adrienne Lilly
hello
Im using microsoft crm 2011 ,I want to ask does this work for this or just work on 2013?
another question ,Im looking for some thing can use for search in all areas in a similar time for microsoft crm 2011 do you know a good one?