While it has been a while since Dynamics CRM 2011 update rollup 12 was initially released, a number of re-releases have caused some confusion in the community as to exactly what feature updates and enhancements rollup 12 has brought along.
So, what’s new with Dynamics CRM Update Rollup 12?
User Interface
- Streamlined UI – Graphics are flattened down and icon redundancies are removed, edges and extra padding are also removed to allow for more content to be displayed on the forms. And finally the green spinning wheel is gone and has been replaced by the Windows 8 progress bar.
- CRM Forms have been retooled – UR12 includes cross browser capabilities, Flow UI and the ability to set and restrict browser access to Dynamics CRM.
Interoperability
- Office 2013 compatibility – this allows for better integration with Outlook 2013 for the CRM Outlook Client.
- Activity Feeds update – allowing for the “like” and “unlike” functionality for activity feeds if this feature is installed in the environment.
Security
- FIPS 140-2 Security Requirement compliance – this allows for the adoption of the FIPS 140 requirement for Cryptographic Modules in a US Federal government standard implementation which defines a minimum set of security requirements for any product that implements cryptography to protect sensitive but unclassified information.
Performance
- Web Interface – deprecated form API calls are now disabled (but can be turned back on only for supported javascript). The use of Xrm.Page in javascript are now the only allowed way, hence CRMForm calls are now disabled.
- Query Enhancements – an enhancement which is controllable via an OrgDBOrgSetting or the “EnableRetrieveMultipleOptimization”. This optimizes performance of queries against larger datasets and allows for adjusting “statistical” settings. See Pages 29, 30, 31 of the document.
- Bulk Data API – for custom WCF endpoint calls, this allows for a combined call to a similar WCF operation thereby significantly reducing latency of having to perform a number of similar or identical WCF calls repeatedly.
Dynamics CRM Online Specific Updates
- The use of “Flow-UI” – a new process driven interface for sales entities
- Custom Workflow Activities – pre UR12, only on premise offered this feature
- Skype Outbound Call Integration
- Out of the box Bing Maps integration
Side Notes:
When using UR12, you are opening your custom JavaScript calls to other browsers such as Safari, Chrome, Firefox, etc. (click for a list of supported browsers). This can cause specific browser related issues depending on how your Javascript was initially designed and coded; i.e. if it was only tested for IE, you will need to test your settings for additional browsers. You can, however, specify which browsers to support and thus ensure sufficient testing on your JavaScript code prior to adding a new browser. Check out this on how to do so. Upon testing your JS compliance for other newly supported browsers, you may also want to use the .
Also, the notes interface has slightly changed on the associated record view; it now displays only the “Modified” fields (modified on and modified by). If a deployment is highly using the notes entity, this may pose as a critical deal breaker as you may lose visibility into the original author and date of a note. When re-assigning records to another user, the system relationships in place will allow for the notes view to all have the same timestamp and ‘modifier’ – this forces the user to individually click on each note to find out when it was initially created and by whom.
Do not hesitate to to learn more about CRM 2011 Update Rollup 12.
Written by:
Dexter Domingo, Senior CRM Consultant
FMT Consultants
FMT Consultants is a leading Microsoft Dynamics CRM partner located in Southern California. FMT Consultants is serving hundreds of clients in the US and Canada, with a significant presence in San Diego County, Orange County and Los Angeles County. Learn more at
