Share via

Using the Power of Microsoft Windows Desktop Search for Microsoft CRM

  • Article

Thanx to the power of Microsoft Windows Desktop Search (WDS) it is very easy to integrate it with Microsoft CRM. I just had a few free minutes, so instead of spending my time with my girlfriend I decided to create a small article for my crm friends :-)

By integrate Microsoft CRM with WDS users can easily search from the desktop to find any object inside of Microsoft CRM. This is just one more step to reduce the number of steps/clicks to find the relevant information. This example will show how you could integrate WDS with Microsoft CRM to make Accounts and Contacts searchable from the desktop: See the screenshot:

Microsoft CRM and Windows Desktop Search

A few comments: Instead of creating a new iFilter for WDS I used a much simpler approach: by using the WDS Shortcuts you can point to any web based application. So all we need is a small web application which will execute the search and show the result. Than we can define a new shortcut in WDS to point to our seach application.Thats it!

Steps to install:

  1. Download the example project here: Example Project
  2. Install it into your crm web application
  3. Edit web.config to point to your crm server
  4. Create a new Shortcut for Microsoft Windows Desktop Search by using the following command in the search textbox:
    @crm, https://crmserver/Custom/Search/SearchGrid.aspx?q=$w
    where crmserver is the address of your crmserver

How to use it:

Just type in "crm SEARCHSTRING" in your Microsoft Windows Desktop Search, where SEARCHSTRING is your search string.

Have fun, Joris

Comments

  • Anonymous
    August 28, 2005
    The comment has been removed

  • Anonymous
    October 11, 2005
    Paolo,You need to go to IIS on your CRM server and make the search folder in his project a virtual directory.To do this, log into your CRM machine.Go to start, run and enter in:mmc %systemroot%system32inetsrviis.mscExpand:The computer folderExpand:Web sitesExpand:The Microsoft CRM 1.2 WebsiteExpand:The Custom FolderRight Click on the Search Folder and go to propertiesOn the directory tab under application settings, click on creat to creat an application. Leave the default name Search as the name of the application. Under application pool, change to the CRMapppool-AndrewFYI: Search works great, thanks

  • Anonymous
    February 21, 2006




    CRM-Friends! An updated version of my Windows Desktop Seach Integration for Microsoft CRM is...

  • Anonymous
    March 05, 2006
    Does this enhancement supported by MS CRM 3.0?

  • Anonymous
    January 21, 2009
    PingBack from http://www.keyongtech.com/377300-any-plans-for-the-desktop

  • Anonymous
    June 16, 2009
    PingBack from http://topalternativedating.info/story.php?id=10565

  • Anonymous
    June 19, 2009
    PingBack from http://mydebtconsolidator.info/story.php?id=16930