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Microsoft Dynamics CRM (Archived)

Better option than created multiple Opportunities?

Posted on by Microsoft Employee

The sales team at this client has opportunities that are sometimes one time events, and sometimes recurring opportunities that are going to be billed monthly, quarterly or annually. The sales team needs to be able to see revenue reports that take recurring revenue into account. 

Based on my research, I'm writing a Workflow Activity that will allow the sales guys to start a dialog, enter some information, and then have new opportunities created to represent the ongoing revenue opportunities. So, for instance, if there is an opportunity at a managed services customer that would be $5,000 a month for a year (Opportunity named Client A Managed Services), then the workflow would create 12 new opportunities called Client A Managed Services - November 2016 through Client A Managed Services - October 2017. The opportunities would be identical, except their Estimated Close Date would be the 15th of each of their respective months. That should let me build queries and reports to accurately reflect revenue projections that include recurring revenue. 

That all seems a bit convoluted for a process that almost certainly happens at other companies, but based on the articles and answers I've read it's my best option. My question is, am I missing some other method of handling recurring revenue opportunities that isn't quite as complicated? 

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  • JackAll Profile Picture
    JackAll 330 on at
    RE: Better option than created multiple Opportunities?

    Hi Raz,

    Long time since this post - but what did you mean "setup your Products as managed services" - How is this done?

    Thanks

    Stuart

  • Suggested answer
    Yadnyesh Kuvalekar Profile Picture
    Yadnyesh Kuvalekar 4,102 on at
    RE: Better option than created multiple Opportunities?

    Hi,

    I believe this is not correct way of handling opportunities. Opportunity means prospective project which we can win or lose. But in your case, you have already won the contract for 12 months and you just want to bill it monthly. So you can use below:

    Opportunity - To manage actual opportunities or projects or deals.

    Quotations - Standard use. For opportunity, you can quote the amount and decide the payment term (monthly/quartarly/yearly/one time etc.)

    Order - Create an order once quotation is accepted. Close opportunity as won.

    Invoice - Have separate invoice for each month which you can use to generate your reports.

    Correct me if my understanding is incorrect.

  • Suggested answer
    Wayne Walton Profile Picture
    Wayne Walton 13,726 on at
    RE: Better option than created multiple Opportunities?

    I've customized the Opportunity Line Items to handle month break-outs, but you could also just make your own custom subgrids if you don't want to implement Products.  

    Then report against the subgrids for revenue planning instead of the opportunities.

    Alternately, if you are using quotes and sales orders to sync with your ERP, you could just build out a quote for each month and set a flag on the Opp for the types of break-outs the revenue can do (one-time, monthly, quarterly, etc.).  This would require a plugin to create everything, but it would give you high reportability and good integration points with your ERP for invoicing.

  • Suggested answer
    razdynamics Profile Picture
    razdynamics 17,304 User Group Leader on at
    RE: Better option than created multiple Opportunities?

    Hi William, If you  setup your Products as managed services then you wont need to do the above approach, a single opportunity can be used and you would add the Opportunity Products against the single opportunity

    Best Wishes, Raz

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