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Outlook Microsoft CRM Client and Email Router Deployment Options

Post Author: Joe D365 |

The CRM 4 Email Router is super flexible. In this blog, we'll try to explain the commonly used deployment scenarios.

The crm router for crm 4 has many deployment options. The vast number of deployment options are often confusing. Furthermore, each component exchangeemail servers, crm server, and email router can be either on premises or partner hosted independent of the location of the other components; any combination is supported. Most of our hosted Microsoft CRM clients also have hosted email router, but many have email router on premises or in other combinations.

When discussing email options there are two types:

Inbound Emails. Inbound emails need to be checked to see if they should be tracked in crm. If they should be tracked in crm a copy of the email is placed in crm. This copy contains the full email including any attachments.

Outbound Emails – Outbound emails are emails generates from crm itself. These emails can be generated from workflows, campaigns, etc.

Every user and every queue COULD have its own method for inbound and outbound. Typically all users are configured the same, but unique configurations per user can be made.

Below are the most commonly used deployment options. These are not all the deployment options, but a summary of the most commonly used options. These are the high level options and do not include all the different connection methods that can be used within each option.

For a good technical reading refer to:

CRM 4 Implementation guide

CRM 4 Email Router Configuration XML file

CRM Team Blog on Email Router

CRM 4 Email Router Configuration Guide

CRM 4 Email Router

The crm 4.0 email router is a windows service with a configuration GUI. It can be installed in any server such as a new server all by itself, the crm server, or in the exchange server. It does not need to be installed in the exchange server. Typical mid/small sized installations have the email router in the crm server. The crm email router can connect to crm using on premises authentication OR partner hosted spla authentication.

The sections below discuss the inbound and outbound configuration options

Outbound – Outlook CRM Client

When outbound emails are processed by the outlook crm client, the outlook crm client sends all emails that are generated by the crm system.

Advantages and disadvantages:

  • No email router is needed
  • All sent emails from crm appear in the user's outlook sent items (good and bad)
  • Emails generated from CRM such as in workflows are ONLY sent when the user is online. This can cause a delay.

Impact on Exchange or Email servers:

  • None

Outbound - Email router

This is one of the most common deployment options for outbound emails. Emails generated by the crm server are sent immediately by using the email router. The email router can then relay this to any smtp server OR send it by using a locally install smtp service.

Advantages and disadvantages:

  • Emails generated from CRM such as in workflows are send right away
  • All sent emails from crm DO NOT appear in the user's outlook sent items
  • The email router can relay emails to any server.

Impact on Exchange or Email servers:

  • If choice to relay via exchange/email server is selected, then exchange/email server needs to allow relay from server where crm router is running.

Inbound – Outlook CRM Client

When inbound emails are processed by the outlook crm client, the outlook crm client determines when the emails should be placed in crm and does so accordingly. Using this option inbound emails are only added to crm for a user when their outlook crm client is running.

Advantages and disadvantages:

  • No email router is needed
  • All sent emails from crm appear in the user's outlook sent items (good and bad)
  • Emails generated from CRM such as in workflows are ONLY sent when the user is online

Impact on Exchange or Email servers:

  • None

Inbound – Email Router

Inbound emails are processed by the email router. This means that the email router needs to access the server or servers where these emails are located. The email router needs to access:

  • A single mailbox where every user forwards emails to

    OR

  • The actual end-user's mailbox

The email router can support these protocols for accessing the mailbox or mailboxes:

  • POP3
  • Exchange Web Services (exchange 2010 and exchange 2007)
  • Exchange WebDav (exchange 2003 and exchange 2007)

In addition both http and https and non-standard ports are supported

This scenario is most often used in cases where:

  • Users are not using the outlook crm client OR use primarily the web client
  • A queue is being used.
  • Users are not using outlook as their email client

Impact on Exchange or Email servers:

  • A dedicated mailbox is often required if a queue is being used OR forwarding mailbox is being used. This dedicated mailbox is a standard user mailbox without any additional configurations. Accessing can be via exchange native protocols or pop3.
  • If using a forward mailbox, then a forwarding rule needs to be added to all users' mailbox. This can be done manually or with a small program that can be installed on the exchange server.

We hope that you find this information helpful – we work with many folks doing ISV Hosting, XRM hosting, or everyday Hosted Microsoft CRM…if you need help with this and are looking for a firm to work with contact us at PowerObjects.

Joe CRM
By Joe D365
Joe D365 is a Microsoft Dynamics 365 superhero who runs on pure Dynamics adrenaline. As the face of PowerObjects, Joe D365’s mission is to reveal innovative ways to use Dynamics 365 and bring the application to more businesses and organizations around the world.

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