Save and link Outlook contacts in Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Can I do this task?

You can save Outlook contacts as new Microsoft Dynamics CRM contacts. You can link the newly saved record to another Microsoft Dynamics CRM record, such as an account or contact.

1. Start Outlook. (Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook must be installed.)
2. In the Outlook contacts folder, select up to 20 contacts.
3. If you have Outlook 2007 installed, on the CRM Toolbar, click Track in CRM.

   - OR -

   If you have Outlook 2010 installed, in the CRM group, click Track.

   In the Outlook Contacts folder, if the contacts are displayed in a list, the Tracked in CRM icon is displayed and indicates that the contact is tracked.

   The contacts appear in the Contacts area in Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

4. To link the contacts to a parent record, in Outlook, in the CRM group, click Set Parent. Click the type of record. In the Look Up Record dialog box, click the record that you want, and then click OK.

   Tip

   Click Regarding, Set Regarding, or Set Parent first, and Track in CRM is automatically activated.

   Notes

   • Duplicate detection Process of automatically identifying potential duplicate records. identifies duplicate records when a record is tracked. Microsoft Dynamics CRM also checks for duplicates when you synchronize or go back online.

   Resolve potential duplicate records.

   When you publish a duplicate-detection rule A rule that specifies criteria for identifying a record as a duplicate., a matchcode A code that is created for every record that a duplicate-detection rule might apply to, used as part of the process of detecting duplicates. is created for every record in the matching record type for that rule. Publishing occurs in the background as a system job.

   1. To open a record to make sure it is a potential duplicate, in the Potential duplicate records list, double-click the record.
      • If the duplicate-detection rule A rule that specifies criteria for identifying a record as a duplicate. identified potential duplicate records in other record types, review records from each record type listed.
   2. If your new or updated record is not a duplicate, to create the new record, click Save Record.

      - OR -

      If your new or updated record is a duplicate, to cancel your changes, click Cancel.

   Note

   Duplicate detection can take place only if duplicate detection is enabled in Duplicate Detection Settings and if at least one duplicate-detection rule A rule that specifies criteria for identifying a record as a duplicate. exists for the record type.More information: Avoiding Duplicate Records

   • To add additional information to the Contact form in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, click the contact in Outlook and then, in the CRM group, click View in CRM.
   • If the contact is linked to a parent record, you can open the parent record from the Outlook contact record. In the Outlook contacts list, click or open the record. In the CRM group, click View Parent.
   • The Company field in an Outlook contact is not automatically added to the parent account An account that has other dependent accounts associated with it. The dependent accounts are considered to be child accounts. of the new Microsoft Dynamics CRM contact. More information: Set Personal Options