Dynamics CRM Roadmap Update

The Dynamics CRM roadmap includes a new version in the fourth quarter of 2013 that will deliver major user interface and development platform changes. The Dynamics customer relationship management (CRM) software and Dynamics CRM Online Microsoft-hosted service help workers manage marketing, sales, and customer service processes. Dynamics CRM 2013 promises better browser and tablet interfaces and more communication options. However, major technical changes could complicate migration, and Dynamics CRM Online customers will probably need to move to the new version by the end of 2014.

Online Earlier and More Often

The current version of the software is Dynamics CRM 2011, which went live online in Jan. 2011 and was released for on-premises use a month later. It has received important updates since. Notably, an early 2013 update delivered a new browser interface that works with browsers other than Internet Explorer, enabling the application to reach Mac users as well as organizations standardized on other browsers. (Dynamics CRM does not have a stand-alone desktop client; users normally access it through the browser interface or through an Outlook plug-in that relies on content delivered by the browser interface.)