History of Microsoft Dynamics 365 Versions

We all love Microsoft Dynamics 365 and recognize how powerful this platform is. Its features have continuously evolved since its inception. But do you think the Microsoft Dynamics and Power Platform we see today were as powerful from the beginning?

Let’s take a step back to 2013 and explore how Microsoft Dynamics CRM and the Power Platform have gradually improved over time.

In 2003, Microsoft entered the CRM market. In January of that year, Microsoft launched the first version of MS CRM, known as Microsoft Business Solutions Customer Relationship Management 1.0, or CRM 1.0. Later, in December, Microsoft released an upgraded version called CRM 1.2. In 2005, around two years later, Microsoft launched another version of CRM, built around Microsoft Office, called CRM 3.0. Since Microsoft Office was already a popular software, this version of MS Dynamics gained significant popularity due to its similar user interface. CRM 3.0 could serve organizations of all sizes, offering enhanced sales, service, marketing capabilities, and improved customization features. It was now possible to create new custom entities to expand the default data model and cover whatever business domain the customer was working in. The term "XRM" was introduced into Microsoft Corporate lingo to describe these new scenarios for eXtended Relationship Management. After 4.0 In 2007, MS launched its 3rd version Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0. This version introduced multitenancy and provided a selection of multiple languages and currencies. Older way to extend functionality using callouts now you can write plugins. Another big milestone was the introduction of the report wizard, which allows users to build reports by grouping the data. A few months later MS launched CRM online version. Although there was no parity between on-premise and online versions, we can't extend the cloud version programmatically using plugins. The online version was only available in North America.

CRM 2011 was introduced to fix the problem of standardized application packages by introducing Solution and solution layers. Now developers can make packages and install them in CRM like a mobile application. Another big improvement was the addition of charts and dashboards now users can summarize data without running reports

In the year 2013, MS launched another version called MS CRM 2013, In this version MS focused on making its CRM available for all client desktops, tablets, and mobile. Another notable feature they introduced was Business Rules and Real-time workflow. Before this users completely depends on plugins to do these simple tasks

After CRM 2013, MS released versions CRM 2015 and 16 both of which have enhancements in existing functionalities. CRM 16 introduced the functionality of business card readers Now it was time to launch MS Dynamics 365. On November 16 MS launched MS Dynamics 365. It was a concept of a huge umbrella containing a lot of different applications called as modules

These modules are listed Below:

• Dynamics 365 for Sales

• Dynamics 365 for Marketing

• Dynamics 365 for Customer Services Field Service

• Project Automation

• Supply chain management

• Finance and Operation

• Commerce

• Human Resource

• Business Central

• Customer Insights

• Intelligent Order Management

Versions	Released Year	Main Features
CRM 1.0	2013	First Appearance of MS CRM
CRM3.0	2005	It is now possible to create new entities, XRM model was introduced
CRM 4.0	2007	Multitenancy, Plugins, Report Wizards, Initial introduction of online version
CRM 2011	2010	Solution, Solution layer, Chart and Dashboards
CRM 2013	2013	Mobile Version, Business Rules and Real-Time Workflow
CRM 2015	2014	Social engagement feature, One-note integration
CRM 2016	2015	Business Card Reader
MS Dynamics 365	2016	Combine all the modules under one umbrella called Dynamics 365

It is a continuously growing application and becoming more powerful day by day. We will keep posting on all the new features and upcoming changes here till then Keep learning.

Happy CRMing....!!

AP