Microsoft confirms Dynamics CRM to be available in multiple browsers
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Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has evolved its CRM application and platform into one that offers easy deployment and customization, on par with or superior to any CRM solutions on the market.
While it’s gained market share, it’s no secret that many organizations decide against the Microsoft Dynamics CRM solution for one simple reason: It only works in Internet Explorer.
That all will change shortly. Rumors have permeated the CRM space and today those rumors were officially confirmed: Microsoft Dynamics will be compatible with all browsers and devices in its next R8 rollout. That means Firefox, Chrome and Apple browsers will all be able to run CRM. No more dependence on the buggy and clunky Microsoft Internet Explorer Browser.
The announcement was confirmed Friday in a keynote address at a CRM user-conference in Las Vegas (CMRUG) by Microsoft’s Craig Dewar, Director of the Dynamics team.
Many assume(d) MSFT had been exclusive in its browser compatibility due to some proprietary competitive business decision. But the issue is primarily a technical one.
Dynamics CRM is architected in a .NET framework, which runs in Windows environments. In order to provide cross-browser support, the app needed to be re-architected in a new language. In this case, HTML.
This is great news for organizations who are increasingly seeing sales and marketing departments move toward tablet and (gasp!) Apple technology for computing. It won’t help them with Excel or Word, but now the entire CRM native app is available to anyone on any internet device.
Once the rollout is proliferated, expect Microsoft’s market share continue to grow, as the company continues to compete at the highest levels in features and extensibility.
The R8 rollout timeframe has not been publicly released, but it is anticipated sometime in the first half of next year.