ISV Support for Microsoft CRM 3: KnowledgeSync by Vineyard Software

I have been using this tool for a bunch of years. (Since back in the GoldMine days.) This tool is great if you have workflow that you want to go between multiple systems, you want to do something that Microsoft CRM's workflow engine doesn't natively support and you don't want to write a .Net Assembly.

One of my favorite uses for this was for a client that made jets. We used Knowledge Sync to alert sales reps when the plane that they had an opportunity on was sold. So if you and I where both trying to sell the same plane, and I sold it first, you would get an email with the next available plane you could select from... Way cool...

Business Activity Monitoring.Abbreviated “BAM” by The Gartner Group, Business Activity Monitoring is a type of software that operates under the assumption that “what you don’t know can hurt you”. One of the first BAM solutions on the market is a product called “KnowledgeSync” by Vineyardsoft Corporation. A certified add-on to Microsoft CRM, KnowledgeSync’s purpose is to monitor business conditions based on the information that you store in Microsoft CRM and – based on those conditions – figure out what to do and who needs to do it.

For those of you know the importance of Workflow (hopefully that’s everyone), KnowledgeSync offers a type of workflow “analysis and response” that compliments the existing workflow in Microsoft CRM. KnowledgeSync can identify very sophisticated business conditions, such as clients who have altered their buying habits, or prospects who haven’t been followed up with in over ‘x’ days. KnowledgeSync can analyze business conditions from Microsoft CRM in combination with business conditions from other applications, and spot enterprise-level situations requiring attention. And KnowledgeSync can monitor the content of incoming email messages and web form submissions.

KnowledgeSync’s automated monitoring is good, but what’s really valuable it its automated responses. KnowledgeSync can notify anyone, anywhere – via any device – that their attention is required. Email, fax, pager, cell phone, screen pop, and web browser are the methods by which KnowledgeSync can deliver critical information. Documents and Forms can be auto-triggered and delivered, such as an invoice after an order is placed, or a product brochure after a lead is entered. And KnowledgeSync can trigger integration and updates, enabling key information to be moved to (or from) the Microsoft CRM database. KnowledgeSync runs under Microsoft SQL Server, is a server-based application, and costs between $1,799 and $8,695. For more information, contact Vineyardsoft Corporation at 800-850-8055 or visit www.vineyardsoft.com.