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PowerMailChimp 101: Starting the CRM 2011 and MailChimp Integration If You Already Have a Mailchimp Account

Post Author: Joe D365 |

If you are already a MailChimp user and you want to use the PowerMailChimp add-on for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 to send bulk emails out from within CRM, you may be wondering how you'll be managing your lists. With PowerMailChimp, a CRM 2011 and MailChimp integration, you'll use your CRM marketing lists to manage your list segments. Since you're already using MailChimp, all of your subscriber information is stored there. You'll need to export that data and import it into CRM to get started using PowerMailChimp. Once the initial import is done, you will use your CRM marketing lists to manage your subscribers going forward.

The first step in this process is to log into your MailChimp account and navigate to your list. Choose to view subscribers of that list, download that list and save it somewhere on your computer.

crm 2011 and mailchimp integration

Once you have your list downloaded, open it and delete any columns that contain information that you do not need to import into your Dynamics CRM.

The next thing you will need is a way to identify that these contacts were imported from MailChimp. We will use this information later to pull these people into a marketing list. In the example below, I've chosen to add a column called "imported on" and populated the field with a date. You could also choose to use a check box, dropdown or some other field to identify that there records have been imported from MailChimp. Once you've finished your changes, save the spreadsheet.

crm 2011 and mailchimp integration marketing lists

To ensure you're not creating duplicates in your CRM when importing this list, you'll want to double-check your duplicate detection settings and rules to make sure they're set up the way you want them. To do this, log into CRM and navigate to Settings > Data Management, then choose Duplicate Detections Settings.

Make sure the checkbox that says "Detect duplicates during data import" is checked. Then click ok.

Next, slide over to duplicate detections rules in the same screen as duplicate detections settings, and double check that duplicates are being detected the way you'd like them to be. These duplicate detections rules will be used during our data import, so it's important to make sure that they are sufficient.

After your list looks organized and your duplicate detection rules have been set, the next step is to import your MailChimp subscribers into CRM. To do this, navigate to Workplace > Imports and choose "import data."

crm 2011 and mailchimp integration - import data

You will now be walked through an Import Wizard that will assist you in importing your data. First, browse to the spreadsheet containing your MailChimp subscribers. Click Next.

Make sure that the file you've chosen to import is indeed the correct file. Click Next.

Choose your data mapping preference. For simplicity's sake, we've chosen to let CRM do the default mapping. Click Next.

Next, choose what entity you would like to import your subscribers as. In order to pull your MailChimp subscribers into a marketing list, you will need to import them as contacts, leads or accounts.

Next, CRM will ask you to map the data in the spreadsheet to a CRM field so that it knows where to put the data once it's imported. For the column in our spreadsheet that we're using to identify that these are imported subscribers (in our case "Imported on"), we will need to either create a field (if we don't already have a field in CRM to map this to), or map it to a pre-existing CRM field. Once you're finished mapping these fields, click Next.

You will see a screen stating that the data has been successfully mapped, or receive an error notification. Once your data has been successfully mapped, click Next.

You can then decide if you'd like to allow duplicates (our suggestion would be not to allow duplicates), and who the owner of the records is going to be once they're imported. Click Submit. Your import will now be submitted for processing.

You can keep track of your import in the Imports area of CRM. You can review the successes, errors, and partial failures of the import on this screen. Once the import has completed, the status will be updated to "Completed".

Once you have finished importing your list, it's time to create your marketing list. Navigate to CRM > Marketing > Marketing List and choose New.

Give the marketing list a name, choose the type of record you would like to include (contact, lead or account), choose type: static, and Save.

Next, choose marketing list members in the left navigation. Click manage members, and choose to add members using an advanced find.

Set up your query to pull in all of the subscribers that you just imported from MailChimp. You will use the field that they all have in common to pull them into this list. Click Find, and make sure you have the number of marketing list members that you expect to have.

If you are satisfied with the result, choose Add all members returned by the search to the marketing list and click Add to Marketing List.

The final step in this process is to sync this marketing list with your MailChimp account. To do this go to the general area of the marketing list and click "Select MailChimp List".

Now you can use this marketing list, along with other CRM marketing lists, to send bulk emails from your Microsoft Dynamics CRM. If you'd like to give PowerMailChimp a try, there is a free 30 day trial available on the PowerMailChimp web page.

Happy CRM'ing!

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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