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Dynamics 365 Community / Forums / Microsoft Dynamics CRM (Archived) / CRM 2011: Quote & ...
Microsoft Dynamics CRM (Archived)

CRM 2011: Quote & Mail Merge drama - should I give up?

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Posted on by Luc @ IT creation D... 1,360

Ok guys,

So I was asked to research the Quote Mail Merge posibilities within CRM because my manager got tired of handcrafting quotes.

One of the things that he does is building a Virtual Server Configuration in Excel, then pasting it to Word.

So I went and did some research.

Check the image for the Excel set-up:

 

Now my conclusion is......without any customizations this would be impossible to make.

Product kits?

--- Nope, they dont do the same.

 

Quote products + Mail Merge?

--- Nope, no way to set-up the table in the same lay-out.

 

I check out some solutions but the free ons dont give us what we need.

 

I'm about to give up, posting here is my last resort.

 

If nobody has an answer what I'll do is......make a Mail Merge for a Quote + abandon Quote products and just past the Excel table into the Mail Merge afterwards.

 

I'm not afraid to spend money on a really really good CRM solution but so far I've not seen anything close to what we need.

 

Wondering what you guys can come up with.

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  • Luc @ IT creation Dell Premier Partner Profile Picture
    Luc @ IT creation D... 1,360 on at
    RE: CRM 2011: Quote & Mail Merge drama - should I give up?

    All right guys, thanks a bunch!

    Did not expect to get excited for Reports.

    Guess my partner's suggestion turned out right.

    He said to first try to vanilla options, than the workaround.

    Kind of funny using Reports for Quotes but hey, I guess CRM is cool like that.

    I'll give it a go and reply here again once i'm done.

    Thanks guys!

  • ScottDurow Profile Picture
    ScottDurow 21 on at
    RE: CRM 2011: Quote & Mail Merge drama - should I give up?

    Hi Luc,

    It looks like you have 2 levels of products above the standard product row. You could do this by adding an optionset for VM and Type on the Product - then create a report using the Report Wizard that groups by these two fields - this would pretty much get exactly the format at of the excel you've shown - and with subtotals. You'd then simply need to add the quote top and bottom by editing the report. This does require customisation knowledge as Aileen states - but it wouldn't be a big job.

    If you add these two grouping columns, it may even be possible using the standard Word mail merge - by adding a macro in to perform the grouping for you.

    Scott

  • Aileen Gusni Profile Picture
    Aileen Gusni 44,524 on at
    RE: CRM 2011: Quote & Mail Merge drama - should I give up?

    Hi Luc,

    I did using Mail Merge before.

    And I can get what customer wanted last time, they were using about 1 year, that was only using Quote + Quote Product List.

    But after that, after the enhancement, they need something different, they need another info from another entity, which Quote cannot afford this.

    So, I have to use SSRS to cater that requirement.

    Is that okay for you if you have repeated Type, that Standaard for every line as well for the Domain Controller?

  • Luc @ IT creation Dell Premier Partner Profile Picture
    Luc @ IT creation D... 1,360 on at
    RE: CRM 2011: Quote & Mail Merge drama - should I give up?

    I was afraid you would say that :)

    Too bad, but that what're you gonna do right?

    So one of my partners said that reports might be an option but as you mentioned, the customization that will go into that + the chance that it will not be as effective as using the Excel table probably means i'll just make a nice Word template with flasy pictures and what not, paste the addresses, names, sales pitches etcetera, paste in the Excel table and voíla --- we have ourselves a nice workaround Quote.

    Thanks though!

    I wont put your answer as the actual answer yet just to keep this post up there but you basically verified my suspicions.

    If no-one else comes up with anything i'll close this call on your name.

    Thanks a bunch Aileen!

  • Aileen Gusni Profile Picture
    Aileen Gusni 44,524 on at
    RE: CRM 2011: Quote & Mail Merge drama - should I give up?

    Hi Luc,

    Yes, you are correct.

    Using the mail merge, you cannot get the layout, and you also don't know how many lines will be generated, using Mail Merge, somehow makes your page looks blank if you already occupied or reserved 5 lines, but you only use 3 lines.

    Then, I also don't think it is possible to have grouping.

    You see you have VM and Type columns, which not all of the rows are filled in.

    The Domain Controller and Standaard you only type 1 time only, not repeated.

    Which I am not sure that Mail Merge from CRM can do that.

    I am afraid that you need to create a SSRS Report.

    It's flexible (I mean can fit your design) but it requires customization.

    Otherwise, you still can use the Excel, but maybe you can use power query to get your data (but, manually again you need to fill up your rows).

    For take a look, you can try Mail Merge for Quote, print quote, you can use the standard template as well.

    This is what I am thinking now.

    Thank you.

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