RSMUS.comWe have had a number of customers that are looking to move from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 (3.0 in one case) to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013. We have discussed the options with many of them, but our most successful route for doing so is to upgrade to the latest rollup of Dynamics CRM 4.0. We then upgrade in place to Dynamics CRM 2011 Rollup 6. We apply rollup 9 and rollup 15. At this point we need to address all the JavaScript as it will have to be converted to new object library. This requires all JavaScript to be rewritten. Also at this time, we attempt to remediate any unsupported customizations that may have found its way into the system. If any custom plugins have been developed, they will have to be remediated as well.
One thing to note is that this first step the Dynamics CRM 2011 upgrade will do is to clean up the async table. You can save time and disk space by running the async cleanup script Microsoft has provided on its website, followed by a database shrink prior to doing the Dynamics CRM 2011 upgrade.
There will have to be care to make sure all hardware and software will be compatible with Dynamics CRM version 2011. This sometimes means that a SQL Server upgrade is needed prior to moving to Dynamics CRM 2011.
The final step is to move the Dynamics CRM 2011 version to Dynamics CRM 2013. It is recommended that CRM 2013 is installed on a new box with a new SQL Server backend, since Dynamics CRM 2013 will not support a number of the technologies required for Dynamics CRM 4.0. When importing a Dynamics CRM 2011 organization into the Dynamics CRM 2013 environment (utilizing the Deployment Manager), the organization will be automatically upgraded.
A few gotchas to make this process easier, make sure you have all your third party solutions uninstalled before applying rollup 9 for Dynamics CRM 2011. You will need to install a new solution once getting to Dynamics CRM 2013. If you are working with ExactTarget, they will not provide a solution, so you must schedule time with them for one of their techs to do the install.
A second gotcha is to make sure to run the legacy code checker tool Microsoft provides prior to moving to Dynamics CRM 2013. If legacy code (i.e. old JavaScript) is detected, the upgrade to Dynamics CRM 2013 will fail.
The final gotcha is to make sure your reports are written in a supported manor. This means using FetchXML or the filtered views. Any queries going directly against the tables will most likely break since Dynamics CRM 2013 has consolidated its table structure.
If you’d like support with upgrading to Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013, RSM is a top ranking national Microsoft Dynamics partners with a team across the United States of certified professional who can help you. Please contact our professionals for more information. They can be reached via email at crm@mcgladrey.com or by phone at 855.437.7202.
Read more articles on the new release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013.
By: Bob Kanzler – Philadelphia Microsoft Dynamics CRM partner
Bob Kanzler
Principal of RSM's Dynamics 365 CE focused on our east coast clients and non profits.