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Dynamics app for Outlook question

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Posted on by TedW

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Our Sales team have a process where they send an email to a Customer though their Contact record on the CRM. The replies from the Customer will then come into the Sales agents personal email in Outlook.

My question is, is it possible to reply to emails without having to open the Dynamics app each time and use the Set Regarding option. So for example, one email added to the Dynamics record, the reply comes back to the personal email, when the agent replies, how do we get the reply to appear on the Contacts record? Does the Set regarding just has to be set just once and that will cover all replies or does it have to be done for each reply?

The Sales team seem to think that up until last week, when they replied to an email, it would automatically be added to the Contacts timeline in dynamics, and I am not sure if that is correct.

Thanks

Ted

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Dynamics 365 Sales

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Daivat Vartak (v-9d... 5,970 Super User 2025 Season 1 on at

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Dynamics app for Outlook question

Hello Ted,

You've hit upon a common challenge in integrating email communication with Dynamics 365: bridging the gap between personal Outlook inboxes and CRM records. Here's a breakdown of the situation and how to address it:

Understanding the Current Process:

Email from Contact Record:

When Sales agents send emails from the Contact record in Dynamics 365, it establishes a link between the email and the record.

Replies to Personal Inbox:

Replies from customers go to the Sales agents' personal Outlook inboxes.

Manual "Set Regarding":

Currently, Sales agents are manually using "Set Regarding" to link replies to the Contact record.

Addressing the Challenges:

Set Regarding Behavior:

Single "Set Regarding" Is Not Sufficient:

Unfortunately, setting "Regarding" on the initial email does not automatically link subsequent replies.

Each reply must be linked to the Contact record using "Set Regarding" or a similar method.

This is the main reason why your sales team are having to do this manually.

Options for Automating Email Tracking:

Server-Side Synchronization with Folder Tracking:

This is the most effective way to automate email tracking.

How it Works:

Configure server-side synchronization between Dynamics 365 and Exchange Online.

Create a folder in the Sales agents' Outlook mailboxes (e.g., "Dynamics 365 Tracked Emails").

Configure folder tracking in Dynamics 365 to link this folder to the Contact entity.

When a Sales agent moves or copies an email (or reply) to this folder, it will automatically be tracked in Dynamics 365 and linked to the corresponding Contact record.

Advantages:

Automates email tracking.

Reduces manual effort.

Provides a consistent and reliable way to track email communication.

Disadvantages:

Requires configuration of server-side synchronization.

Sales agents need to move or copy emails to the tracked folder.

Dynamics 365 App for Outlook:

The Dynamics 365 App for Outlook allows users to track emails directly from their Outlook inboxes.

How it Works:

Install and configure the Dynamics 365 App for Outlook.

When a Sales agent receives a reply, they can use the app to track the email and set the "Regarding" field.

Advantages:

Provides a convenient way to track emails from within Outlook.

Reduces the need to switch between Outlook and Dynamics 365.

Disadvantages:

Requires installation and configuration of the app.

Still requires manual action to track emails.

Power Automate (Potentially Complex):

You could potentially use Power Automate to automate email tracking, but it would be complex.

How it Would (Potentially) Work:

Create a flow that triggers when a new email arrives in the Sales agents' Outlook inboxes.

Use the email sender's address to search for a matching Contact record in Dynamics 365.

Use the Dynamics 365 connector to create an email activity and link it to the Contact record.

Disadvantages:

Complex to set up and maintain.

May not be reliable for all email scenarios.

Could result in many false positives.

Third-Party Email Integration Tools:

Several third-party tools specialize in integrating email with Dynamics 365.

These tools often provide advanced features for automating email tracking and linking.

Sales Team's Perception:

It's unlikely that replies were automatically added to the Contact timeline without any manual action or configuration.

They may have been using a previous configuration or a third-party tool that automated email tracking.

It is possible that the sales team where using the dynamics 365 app for outlook, and where very used to pressing the track button, and now that habbit has been lost.

Key Recommendations:

Implement Server-Side Synchronization with Folder Tracking:

This is the most reliable and efficient way to automate email tracking.

Consider the Dynamics 365 App for Outlook:

Provides a convenient way to track emails from within Outlook.

Investigate Any Previous Configurations:

If possible, investigate any previous configurations or third-party tools that may have been used.

Train Sales Team:

Provide training to the Sales team on how to use the chosen email tracking method.

By implementing one of these solutions, you can streamline the process of tracking email communication in Dynamics 365 and improve the efficiency of your Sales team.

If my answer was helpful, please click Like, and if it solved your problem, please mark it as verified to help other community members find more.
If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me.

My response was crafted with AI assistance and tailored to provide detailed and actionable guidance for your Microsoft Dynamics 365 query.

Best Regards,
Daivat Vartak
Suggested answer

Dharanidharan 621 User Group Leader on at

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Dynamics app for Outlook question

Hi Ted,

Yes, it is possible to track replies without manually opening the Dynamics app each time. The behaviour depends on how email tracking is configured in your Dynamics 365 and Outlook integration settings.

How Email Tracking Works in Dynamics 365:

Set Regarding Behaviour:

If an email is tracked in Dynamics and has the "Set Regarding" field assigned to a Contact, only that specific email and its thread (if tracking is enabled) will be associated with the Contact record.

However, by default, replies to a tracked email do not automatically inherit the Set Regarding value, so each reply would need to be manually tracked unless auto-tracking is enabled.

Automatic Tracking Possibilities:

If "Track email messages in response to Dynamics 365 emails" is enabled in Personal Settings > Email Tracking, then responses to a tracked email should be automatically added to Dynamics.

If this was working until last week and has stopped, it might be worth checking if this setting was changed.

Best Solution for Your Scenario:

If the Sales team wants all replies to be tracked without manually setting "Regarding" each time, you might need server-side synchronization and auto-tracking rules enabled.

Another option is using Exchange rules or Power Automate to track email conversations related to Dynamics records automatically.

It would be good to check the Personal Options > Email settings for the users to see if their tracking preferences have changed.

Let me know if you need further clarification.

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