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Using Dynamics CRM Offline for the Outlook Client

Post Author: Joe D365 | May 3rd, 2012

Did you know that you can use Dynamics CRM offline?  You can! To be more specific, the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Outlook Client offers the ability to take Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook offline.

Get the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Outlook Client directly from Microsoft.

What does going offline mean? When you go offline, Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook copies a subset of the Microsoft CRM database to your machine.  While offline, you can perform almost all of the same functionality as you can online.

Before you go offline, we recommend these steps to prepare:

1. Check to make sure your entities are enabled to go offline

2.  Set the appropriate filters to take only the information you need

Going offline the first time could take a long time depending on the amount of data in your CRM system, which is why we recommend you prepare before going offline. While Microsoft Dynamics CRM is syncing with your local data, Microsoft Dynamics CRM is not available.

1.  Make sure the entities you want to access are available Offline.  To check or to enable an entity for offline access, go to Settings > Customization > Customize the Solution > Entities > in the information section for the entity, towards the bottom of the screen will be a checkbox for offline access.  By default, custom entities are not ‘enabled’ for offline access.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Outlook Client

2. Set filters to bring only the information you need Offline. (Note: Filters are a personal setting.)

To set filters in Outlook 2007, in the CRM menu select Offline Filters

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 Offline

In Outlook 2010

Go to File > CRM > Go Offline > Offline Filters

Outlook for Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Filters can be reset every time that you go offline to give you flexibility to download only the data that you need.

To create a new filter:

  • File > CRM > Go Offline > Click on Offline Filters
  • Click New.  This allows you to define what records you want to bring offline.  By default CRM has out of the box filters, you can use or deactivate if they do not apply

Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Note: You can update Filters for all users using Script – Click here for more information Update users Outlook Filters via Script

Once filters are set, you are now ready to Go Offline.

There are 2 ways to get Microsoft CRM 2011 Outlook with Offline access:

  1. During installation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook.
  2. After installation has completed, a user can add offline capability by clicking Go Offline in Microsoft Outlook.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook 2007

Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 for Outlook 2010

Clicking on Go Offline for the first time will install any additional required components and stores a copy of the user’s Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online data locally. Subsequent offline sessions require no additional installations, but may require updating the local copy of the user’s data.

A few points to remember while offline:

Microsoft Dynamics CRM applies all your additions and changes to the Microsoft Dynamics CRM server in the same order that you entered or updated it. If you made a change to a record while you are offline, and another user changes the same record during that time, when you go back online, your change will overwrite change made while you were offline.

Workflows- When you are working offline, workflow notifications are not generated until you go back online

Duplicate Detection- There is no duplicate detection while you are working offline. Duplicate detection is triggered automatically when you go back online or synchronize

Offline Security Permissions- You have the same security permissions and rights offline as when you are online

How has your experience been with the Outlook client for CRM? Please comment with the pro's and con's.

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.

15 comments on “Using Dynamics CRM Offline for the Outlook Client”

  1. very nicely presented...
    will you please help how to install and complete the Offline component if not connected to internet? cuz it asks to connect to internet.
    i mean is the installer available as a separate component?
    next regarding to the data synch to CRM, will you please ellaborate how things updated if the records are closed, means these is a change in the status?
    if i am not wrong, the oflline changes will not be reflected, if the same record is already closed. so no workflow triggers no plugin etc...
    Thanks,
    yes.sudhanshu

  2. My comment - There is a "Synchronization" button, and an "Offline" button. Really confusing for Sales people that clicking "Synchronize With CRM" will not push their offline changes online. That should be possible (meaning - I should be able to synchronize my local changes up to the Server without having to switch "online" - I should just have a button. This is a feature of Lotus Notes)

  3. I have 4 CRM areas that I use, 2 Live and 2 Test, I want to go offline from the test area but as I was originally offline in the live area I get an error. any ideas?

  4. I want to restrict go offline feature in outlook. I want to enable it only for registered machines in domain. How can i achieve this?

    1. Hi Tom - you can restrict a user from going offline via security roles. However, restricting from going offline based on pc is not easily be done. This would involve 3rd party addons or custom code. One possibility is a plugin in crm that somehow checks this and aborts if the pc is not joined to the domain.

      1. I am looking for this 3rd-party add-on. If you know anyone please share.
        And regarding plugin, if i do the code then problem is the "event" on which plugin need to be registered.

  5. I went offline in outlook...and that happens to alle the entities 🙁
    What went wrong?
    Can anybody help or had the same problem?

    1. Hi Eva - check that your outlook crm client has the latest update rollup. If you have crm on prem/partner hosted also check that the server has a recent update rollup.

  7. If there is an unexpected service interruption in connecting to the CRM Online 2013 server, are we able to take CRM Outlook offline? Is the CRM feature/data still available based on last synchroization? Can we still track email?
    Thanks

    1. Hi Nicole - Yes - the outlook crm client does have an 'off line' mode. This does require a bit of setup to get good 'rules'. These rules determine the types and amount of data that is available in your offlinle outlook crm client. You can then have the outlook crm client synchronize in teh background every x nbr of minutes/hours. IF you work with it offline when you are back with an internet connection it will synchronize all the changes.

  8. When I sync Appointments to Offline, the filter seems not to work: all Appointments are synched (also when the Online filter is inactive). E.g. I changed the "Modified On = Last X Days 180" to "Created On = Today".
    Even then, all Appointments are synched offline. I would expect that only Appointment fulfilling the query would be synchronized?

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