The end of mainstream support for Dynamics CRM 2011 means that Microsoft will no longer accept any product design or feature change requests.

Microsoft announced that mainstream support for their Dynamics CRM (customer relationship management), version 2011 will end July 12, 2016 and their extended support ends July 13, 2021. The end of mainstream support means that Microsoft will no longer accept any product design or feature change requests. Security patches and fixes will continue, but when extended support ends, security patches will also end. When security patches end, continued use of these products can open your business up to vulnerabilities that hackers may exploit. To continue using this product when extended support ends, you will need to put mitigation plans in place to close up security holes.

To confound the support issue with 2011, there are additional compatibility issues with Dynamics CRM 2011, 2013 and 2015. Those compatibility issues surround Windows 10, Internet Explorer, Outlook and Edge.

Here's a quick rundown: 

• All Dynamics CRM versions (2011, 2013, 2015) work with Windows 10 in the web client.
• Internet Explorer 11 supports Dynamics CRM 2011.
• There are no plans to provide compatibility between Dynamics CRM 2011 and Microsoft's Edge browser.
• Microsoft's Edge support for Dynamics CRM 2013 will not happen until Update Rollup 4 for Service Pack 1 (which according to the Dynamics CRM 2013 updates page, has not happened yet)
• Dynamics CRM 2015 on the Edge browser is available now with Update 0.2 (updated in November 2015) and Update 1.1 (updated in August 2015).
• Additionally, the community site states: "There is a known install issue with Dynamics CRM 2013 for Outlook and Office 2016 on a fresh machine with no existing Office 2013 (15.0). This is actively being addressed and a fix will be available soon."
• For details about which version of Dynamics CRM works with which Microsoft browser, you may find it helpful to check out the Microsoft Dynamics CRM community.

Is Dynamics CRM 2016 Your Best Option?

Is your sales team having compatibility issues with Dynamics CRM, Edge, IE and Outlook? Are you having issues using Dynamics CRM 2011, 2013, or 2015? Maybe it's time to upgrade to Dynamics CRM 2016.

The enhancements of Dynamics CRM 2016 zero in on focus and productivity. The newest version keeps your sales and customer service teams from having to switch applications to get something done. Here are some highlights:

• Enhanced Excel templates that help automate CRM tasks.
• Better functionality inside Outlook. Using the new CRM app for Outlook, you can add contacts and create records through the browser on your Mac, PC or phone.
• Improved Cortana integration.
• Easier document generation capabilities let you build docs inside CRM without having to first extract data.

Even if you are not having issues, now is a good time to plan and schedule an update so you are not caught off guard. Magenium Solutions can provide an upgrade path and timeline that suits your business and budget. Please email us or call +1 (630) 786-5900.