MSCRM Leads Expansion of Small Business Channel

In a long-awaited step toward integrating the Microsoft Business Solutions (MBS) product line with its other enterprise server software, Microsoft is making its customer relationship management (CRM) server available through volume licensing channels. The change suggests how Microsoft will align MBS licensing with existing volume licensing, dramatically expanding the partner channel for MBS and introducing some new volume licensing features. However, the change could cause some confusion because standard volume licensing rules have been amended to fit MBS requirements.

Different Sales, Licensing Models

Microsoft CRM (MSCRM) is an application for customer relationship management, which organizations use for a variety of sales and support purposes—to track sales leads or manage warranty repairs, for example. Introduced in spring 2003, it was originally sold though MBS sales channels alongside other MBS products, most of which were acquired when Microsoft purchased Great Plains and Navision. To sell most of these products, resellers had to get a special certification which involved passing various tests and paying an annual fee.