Best Software Act! is very popular CRM for small and mid-size organization. This system attracts business owner by its low price, plus system is very easy to use. However if your business is growing you should reach the moment to implement more advanced CRM solution. Natural question is ? how do we convert the data from Act! to new CRM solution and the mapping of your objects for conversion. You would probably like to avoid operator data entry with potential numerous errors and mistypes. Assuming that you are IT specialist, we'll give you technical side of Act to MS CRM data migration:
? First you need to download Act! SDK from Best Software website
? Install Act! SDK on the computer, where you plan to do programming
? We'll use asynchronous data export/import model, this means that we'll design the system, containing two parts: export into XML and this XML file import into the CRM
? Lets code Act! data export application, we'll use C# to address Act Framework classes, we'll need these libraries:
using Act.Framework;
using Act.Framework.Activities;
using Act.Framework.Companies;
using Act.Framework.ComponentModel;
using Act.Framework.Contacts;
using Act.Framework.Database;
using Act.Framework.Groups;
using Act.Framework.Histories;
using Act.Framework.Lookups;
using Act.Framework.MutableEntities;
using Act.Framework.Notes;
using Act.Framework.Opportunities;
using Act.Framework.Users;
using Act.Shared.Collections;
? To connect to Act! database:
ActFramework framework = new ActFramework();
framework.LogOn("Act Username", "password", "SERVER", "Database");
? Now we need Act field names to map them with the fields in the MS CRM:
private void ShowContactsFieldsDescriptions(ActFramework framework) {
ContactFieldDescriptor[] cFields = framework.Contacts.GetContactFieldDescriptors();
ContactFieldDescriptor cField;
for(int x = 0; x < cFields.Length; x++)
{
cField = cFields[x];
Console.WriteLine("Table Name: {0}", cField.TableName);
Console.WriteLine("Column Name: {0}", cField.ColumnName);
Console.WriteLine("Display Name: {0}", cField.DisplayName);
Console.WriteLine("ACT Field Type: {0}", cField.ACTFieldType);
Console.WriteLine("");
}
}
? Let's get contact list and create the file for import instructions to MS CRM:
ContactList cList = framework.Contacts.GetContacts(null);
FileInfo t = new FileInfo("Contacts.xml");
StreamWriter stw = t.CreateText();
? Now we form export data:
for (int i = 0; i < cList.Count; i++) {
string strContactXml = "";
ContactFieldDescriptor cField;
Object oValue;
// First Name
cField = framework.Contacts.GetContactFieldDescriptor("TBL_CONTACT.FIRSTNAME");
oValue = cField.GetValue(cList[i]);
if (oValue != null && !(oValue.ToString().Trim().Equals("")))
strContactXml += "[CDATA[" + oValue.ToString() + "]]";
// Last Name
cField = framework.Contacts.GetContactFieldDescriptor("TBL_CONTACT.LASTNAME");
oValue = cField.GetValue(cList[i]);
if (oValue != null && !(oValue.ToString().Trim().Equals("")))
strContactXml += "[CDATA[" + oValue.ToString() + "]]";
else
strContactXml += "" + "N/A" + "";
// Salutation
cField = framework.Contacts.GetContactFieldDescriptor("TBL_CONTACT.SALUTATION");
oValue = cField.GetValue(cList[i]);
if (oValue != null && !(oValue.ToString().Trim().Equals("")))
strContactXml += "[CDATA[" + oValue.ToString() + "]]";
// Job Title
cField = framework.Contacts.GetContactFieldDescriptor("TBL_CONTACT.JOBTITLE");
oValue = cField.GetValue(cList[i]);
if (oValue != null && !(oValue.ToString().Trim().Equals("")))
strContactXml += "[CDATA[" + Regex.Replace(oValue.ToString(), " ", "
") + "]]";
? This is only portion of the data, that could be transferred into CRM, the whole list of fields is too long for small article, but your could design the whole list of desired fields. Please, pay special attention to replace
HTML tag ? this is required for text data transfer into CRM
? Next is import application creation. We will not describe here connection to MS CRM details ? please read Microsoft CRM SDK if you need this examples. We'll concentrate on the nature of the import.
The XML export file should look like this:
[CDATA[John]][CDATA[Smith]][CDATA[John]][CDATA[1234 W. Big River]][CDATA[Chicago]][CDATA[IL]][CDATA[123456]][CDATA[Toy Corporation]]{4F1849C3-9184-48B5-BB09-078ED7AB2DAD}
? Reading, parsing and MS CRM object creation look is relatively simple:
Microsoft.Crm.Platform.Proxy.BizUser bizUser = new Microsoft.Crm.Platform.Proxy.BizUser();
ICredentials credentials = new NetworkCredential(crmUsername, crmPassword, crmDomain);
bizUser.Url = crmDir + "BizUser.srf";
bizUser.Credentials = credentials;
Microsoft.Crm.Platform.Proxy.CUserAuth userAuth = bizUser.WhoAmI();
// CRMContact proxy object
Microsoft.Crm.Platform.Proxy.CRMContact contact = new Microsoft.Crm.Platform.Proxy.CRMContact ();
contact.Credentials = credentials;
contact.Url = crmDir + "CRMContact.srf";
CorrectXML("Contacts.xml", userAuth.UserId);
StreamReader reader = File.OpenText("Contacts.xml");
string input = null;
while ((input = reader.ReadLine()) != null)
{
string strContactId = contact.Create(userAuth, input);
Console.WriteLine("Contact {0} is created", strContactId);
log.Debug("Contact " + strContactId + " is created");
}
? Just consider in more details CorrectXML function ? it places OwnerId into XML contact tree:
private void CorrectXML(string fileName, string userId) {
File.Move(fileName, fileName + ".old");
StreamReader reader = File.OpenText(fileName + ".old");
FileInfo t = new FileInfo(fileName);
StreamWriter writer = t.CreateText();
string input = null;
while ((input = reader.ReadLine()) != null)
{
input = Regex.Replace(input, "{_REPLACE_ME_}", userId);
writer.WriteLine(input);
}
reader.Close();
writer.Close();
Fi le.Delete(fileName + ".old");
}
? Finally, we are launching export, import, opening MS CRM and looking at the contact list, transferred from Act!
? Separate task would be Sales data from Act!, Notes etc. ? we plan to describe them in the future articles
Good luck with integration! If you want us to do the job - give us a call 1-630-961-5918 or 1-866-528-0577! help@albaspectrum.com
Andrew Karasev is Lead Software Developer in Alba Spectrum Technologies ? USA nationwide Great Plains, Microsoft CRM customization company, serving clients in Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, Miami, Denver, UK, Australia, Canada, Europe and having locations in multiple states and internationally ( http://www.albaspectrum.com )
Cyberspace has opened up a new frontier with exciting possibilities... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions ? Great Plains is designed to meet... Read More
There are so many different programs that clutter up your... Read More
I've been active in the Cisco Certification track for four... Read More
The major reason I recommend getting your hands on real... Read More
Microsoft Client Relation Management system (Microsoft CRM) and Microsoft RMS... Read More
Ok... Where to start?Well, I guess I will start at... Read More
It is now common thing when large corporation selects mid-market... Read More
In linux, one of great commands for finding out information... Read More
It is a well known fact that Java as a... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains serves majority of US based horizontal and... Read More
Microsoft CRM is CRM answer from Microsoft Business Solutions.The whole... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains is main Microsoft Business Solutions accounting package... Read More
Hey Guys! Don't raise your eyebrows or fear by hearing... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains has several options to enable... Read More
So let's begin crunching down these 300 images using Adobe... Read More
Adware is a type of Spyware program that displays some... Read More
Microsoft Great Plains may be recommended for international freight forwarding... Read More
The Software 2005 conference is now a wrap. This conference,... Read More
Language development computer: Computer-based method for aiding language development seems... Read More
Once upon a time not so long ago, there was... Read More
We'll give you non formal view, based on our consulting... Read More
Whether you are an experienced web programmer or a complete... Read More
Is your PC is slow and wimpy? Then you need... Read More
We would like first emphasize the change in the paradigm.... Read More
Fortunately one of the most common reasons cited for the... Read More
Spyware is software or hardware installed on a computer without... Read More
Having from five to ten and more favorite screensavers is... Read More
Microsoft Business Solutions Great Plains is marketed for mid-size companies... Read More
This article will not attempt to advocate the use of... Read More
Does Microsoft Have any Real Competition? Copyright (c) 2003 Gregory... Read More
We don't think about mainframe software pricing anymore, we just... Read More
Does Microsoft care for WebmastersIt's always been a problem with... Read More
I completed an experiment recently. I wanted to find out... Read More
We all take the computer for granted. I mean, all... Read More
I suggest that you do not spend a lot of... Read More
Currently Microsoft Business Solutions is on the way of creating... Read More
Customer Relationship Management or CRM is a combination of enterprise... Read More
Microsoft Word is one of the most popular office applications... Read More
Just imagine: you are walking, say, towards your car, and... Read More
Have you ever noticed that when you look at your... Read More
The most important things you can do for your computer... Read More
While Ukraine is becoming a new popular IT outsourcing destination,... Read More
We live in a post-industrial age where information is the... Read More
Viruses and spyware usually show up on your computer one... Read More
If someone entered your home, uninvited and installed numerous cameras... Read More
C/SIDE (Client/Server Integrated Development Environment) - The core of... Read More
With this small article we are continuing Microsoft Business Solutions... Read More
Mapping Software Improves Data VisualizationFrom the outset, it is important... Read More
While I was preparing some personal background information for a... Read More
Software |