Convergence Schedule Recommendations – Dynamics CRM IT Track

March 18-21, 2013 | New Orleans, LA

 

About Convergence 

As the premier event for the Microsoft Dynamics Customer and Partner business community, Convergence is where opportunity and innovation meet to deliver real business value. It’s the chance to make key business connections and to discover the full potential of Microsoft Dynamics solutions.

 

Expo and Microsoft Solutions Experience

 

The Expo Experience puts the global Microsoft Dynamics community front and center as our valued partners from around the world bring their technology innovations to you. The Microsoft Solutions Experience runs through the middle of the Experience Center and is your place to go for Technical Support, Product Demos, and the AXUG, CRMUG, GPUG, and NAVUG User Groups.

Expo and Microsoft Solutions Experience Hours:             Monday, March 18 – 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Tuesday, March 19 – 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Wednesday, March 20 -12:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Thursday, March 21 – 10:30 AM – 3:00 PM

Community Experience

 

See the community come alive as this gathering space–on Level 1 of the NOMCC—offers you opportunities for networking, sharing and relaxation.

Community Experience Hours:                                                            Monday, March 18 – 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM

Tuesday, March 19 – 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Wednesday, March 20 – 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM

Thursday, March 21 – 8:00 AM – 5:30 PM

Convergence Café

Stop by the new lounge area, similar to your favorite neighborhood hangout. You’ll find tables and couches where you can meet-up with others, access Wi-Fi, recharge your devices, and enjoy fun refreshments from some of our Microsoft Dynamics customers.

Monday, March 18

11:00 AM – Registration Opens

Onsite registration will be located in the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center (NOMCC), NO, LA.

11:00 AM – 2:00 PM – Lunch – Attendee Meal Hall located in the Convergence Experience Center at the Ernest N.

Morial Convention Center.

12:00 PM – 1:00 PM – Best Practices in Leveraging Extensibility Options for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 281-282

There is no doubt many extensibility options that exist for you as a Microsoft Dynamics CRM project manager or developer. Whether you want to use plug-ins, the SDK, or other options, it tends to be more of a question of where and when to use them. Join this session to understand more about your extensibility or software craftsmanship options for Microsoft Dynamics CRM and how to apply best practices when using the options available to you..

1:30 PM – 2:30 – Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 & Microsoft SharePoint 2013: A New Way to Work Together,

281-282

The integration of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft SharePoint is not a new topic; however, the ‘December’ release of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 working with the new Microsoft SharePoint 2013 provides a whole new level of integration between these two platforms. Join this session to explore a new way to organize sync and share all your content. We’ll navigate through topics including social and team collaboration, cross-system visibility and mobility.

OR

–        Microsoft Dynamics CRM Data Integrity – Good & Bad, 271-273

Join this session to gain insight into both good and bad examples of CRM data integrity and stewardship. This session will share real life customer scenarios illustrating how data integrity can impact adoption, performance, development and competitive advantage. We’ll discuss the must-haves for strong data stewardship such as governance and quality assurance.

OR

–        The CRM Whisperer – Taming your Microsoft Dynamics CRM Environment, 275-277

In this user-group breakout session, we’ll discuss troubleshooting techniques: how to decide what resource to use for whatever problems, or common scenarios that may exist in managing your Microsoft Dynamics CRM environment. Bring your real-life issues for group discussion and troubleshooting and be prepared to take notes as we share the in-the-trenches success stories in how to tame down your CRM challenges.

3:00 PM – 3:45 PM – Roles, Hall C, CEC

This informal networking session offers you the opportunity to gather together with others in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM community that serve similar roles in your day-to-day work life, including: Executive/Project Managers; Business Users; System Administration/IT Support; and Technical/Developers. *Hosted by the CRMUG*

4:00 PM – 4:45 PM – Industries, Hall C, CEC

Join this informal networking session as we gather together with others in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM community in similar industries to connect, share experiences and swap ideas. Industries to include: Manufacturing; Public Sector – Government/Healthcare; Public Sector – Education; Financial Services; Professional Services; CRM Online and Non-Profit. *Hosted by the CRMUG*

5:00 PM – 5:45 PM – Hot Topics, Hall C, CEC

Join this informal networking session as we gather together with others in the Microsoft Dynamics CRM community with similar interests to connect, share experiences and swap ideas. Topics will include: User Adoption; Marketing & Social CRM; Windows 8 Development & CRM; Extending CRM; Upgrading CRM; Mobile CRM; Business Intelligence & Reporting/Dashboards; Customer Service/Customer Care; Integration & Data Management; and Sales Management/SFA. *Hosted by the CRMUG*

6:00 – 9:00pm – Convergence Experience Reception

                             Join us as we kick-off Convergence 2013! This year we are starting things off in the hub of it all –                                          the Convergence Experience Center. This is your opportunity to get familiar with the amazing                               resources and activities in this area that are available to you all week – from the hottest solutions                                        and offerings from our partners from around the globe, to the multiple opportunities to network                                        with your peers. And no reception would be complete without food and beverages, a little music                                  and entertainment, and other fun activities that await – all with some great New Orleans flavor                                           kicked in!

9:30 PM – Convergence Carnival – Republic New Orleans – 828 South Peters Street

 

Tuesday, March 19

 

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM – Breakfast – Attendee Meal Hall located in the Convergence Experience Center at the Ernest N.                                     Morial Convention Center.

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM – Opening Keynote

The Opening Keynote is our time for the community to come together as the course is set                                               for both the future of Microsoft Dynamics and your time at Convergence 2013. Join Kirill                                                  Tatarinov, President of Microsoft Business Solutions Division, Microsoft Corporation, as the                                stories unfold and the vision is revealed for A World Ahead.

11:00 AM– 12:00 PM – The New Era in CRM, La Nouvelle ABC

Join us to celebrate the first decade of Microsoft Dynamics CRM and the tremendous momentum we’ve built together. Then, let’s look to the future…we’ll share our vision, discuss how we see the role of CRM changing as we enter the Era of the Customer and what that means for sales, marketing and customer care. And we’ll show you the path forward in exciting new product demonstrations. You’ll leave with a fresh perspective on opportunities before us and how Microsoft Dynamics CRM can help transform your business.

12:00 PM – 2:00 PM – Lunch – Attendee Meal Hall located in the Convergence Experience Center at the Ernest N.                                     Morial Convention Center.

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM – Analytics Made Simple with Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 393-396

Increase the insights your users gain from business data by providing them with interactive and compelling charting, dashboards and desktop analysis tools in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. In this session, you’ll learn which options are available for analytics within Microsoft Dynamics CRM; how to visually present information to users where and when they need it; how to make charts and dashboards more relevant to individuals; and how to increase business performance with your business data.

OR

–        The Future is Cloudy, 383-385

Learn how Microsoft is leading the way to build the most robust cloud services infrastructure, and discover what Microsoft Dynamics is building behind the scenes to make IT invisible to CRM Online customers. You’ll learn more about the Microsoft Dynamics CRM cloud vision and plans to build the most secure and reliable cloud service offering for CRM customers. ***This session is not repeated.

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM – Advanced Analytics for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 393-396

Join this technical session to go under the covers of reporting and analytics capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. We’ll drill into real-time charting and dashboarding features and show you how you can extend these capabilities with more complex charts and multi-series analysis. We’ll cover web resources that enable intuitive analytics capabilities. And we’ll show you powerful analysis that can be completed with Microsoft Excel 2013, PowerPivot, PowerView and other tools with SQL Server 2012. ***This session is not repeated.

OR

–        Building Solutions That Are Maintainable & Upgradeable, 387

Microsoft Dynamics CRM introduced the solution construct, a way of packaging your customizations into a single file which can be transported between environments. Come to this session to discuss best practices on how to develop and package your solutions. Bring your specific questions and exchange ideas with other customers on how to design and package your solutions.

OR

–        Ask the MVPs: Q&A Discussion with Microsoft Dynamics CRM MVPs, 386

The Microsoft Dynamics MVP Program recognizes highly skilled Microsoft Dynamics CRM professionals with the Microsoft Most Value Professional (MVP) Award. We encourage you to bring questions, challenges, and thoughts to this interactive discussion with a panel of CRM MVPs who can provide advice to help you realize your business goals and get more out of your CRM investment.  Note: This session is typically targeted at System Administrators, IT Professionals, or Technical/Developer audiences.  *Sponsored by the CRM UG*

5:00 PM – 8:00 PM – ACE Partner Reception – Hilton Spirits Bar – 2 Poydras Street

 

Wednesday, March 20

 

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM – Breakfast – Attendee Meal Hall located in the Convergence Experience Center at the Ernest N.                                     Morial Convention Center.

9:00 AM – 10:30 PM – Microsoft Dynamics CRM: Customizing the UI (Advanced), 388-390

Microsoft Dynamics CRM has recently added a number of new user-interface elements. The updated user experience in the December 2012 update provides a new way of visualizing processes and guiding users. We have added cross-browser capabilities which bring new opportunities for the user experience. Come to this deep dive session to learn about customizing the existing classic UX as well as the updated UX. We’ll also cover best practices across different browsers with web resources, client-side JavaScript and HTML5.

OR

–        Guide to Integration with Microsoft Dynamics CRM (Advanced), 393-396

Integrating user experience, business processes, and data across applications can provide tremendous value to the business, but achieving integration can pose significant challenges. In this session we’ll discuss these challenges and talk about the choices available to address those challenges, including approaches for on-premise and cloud deployments. We’ll explain concepts through scenario-based demonstrations showing how Microsoft Dynamics CRM can integrate into your business system infrastructure. ***This session is not repeated.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Customization Tips & Tricks in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 387

Attend this session to discuss your specific customization objectives and learn tips and tricks on how to achieve those objectives. In this session, we’ll focus on the many available options to extend Microsoft Dynamics CRM and the tools and techniques that better support a wide variety of business needs. Gain greater insight into customization strategies, drill down into real-life scenarios and uncover new ways to better adapt the user experience, business process and environment to fit your organization.

OR

–        Harnessing Cloud Technologies with Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, 383-385

This technical session will explore how to leverage Microsoft technologies to develop cloud solutions. Join us to see these technologies in action, including Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online, Microsoft Office 365 and the Microsoft Windows Azure platform. With the evolution of cloud technologies, we now have parity in functionality between cloud and on-premises apps. We’ll also cover how you can architect business solutions that harness the power of the cloud and bridge on-premises assets for hybrid scenarios.

OR

–        Building Solutions That Are Maintainable & Upgradeable, 386

Microsoft Dynamics CRM introduced the solution construct, a way of packaging your customizations into a single file which can be transported between environments. Come to this session to discuss best practices on how to develop and package your solutions. Bring your specific questions and exchange ideas with other customers on how to design and package your solutions.

12:00 PM – 12:30 PM – Lunch – Attendee Meal Hall located in the Convergence Experience Center at the Ernest N.                                     Morial Convention Center

12:30 PM – 1:30 PM – PowerObjects Presents: Surface CRM – The Effective Windows 8 Experience, 356-357

Windows 8 has introduced an innovative, dynamic, process-driven user experience that is unparalleled to date. Windows 8 applications don’t sit there waiting for the users to act; they entice users in and tell them what they ought to be doing. Come find what goes into making an effective Windows 8 for Microsoft Dynamics CRM.  Hear how Power 8 CRM for Microsoft Dynamics CRM can not only increase user delight, but now more than ever, garner the user’s attention and engagement to deeper levels of user adoption. ***This session is not repeated.

2:00 PM – 3:00 PM – Document Management & Collaboration Best Practices with Microsoft Dynamics CRM,

391-392

Microsoft provides a wealth of management solutions, including Microsoft Dynamics CRM, to enable document management and improve collaboration productivity. Uncover best practices focused on how Microsoft Dynamics CRM–in conjunction with solutions like Microsoft Office, SharePoint, Lync and Yammer–can help drive effective collaboration in your organization. Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides valuable capabilities in how users and teams interact and collaborate on business processes.

OR

–        Harnessing Social Technologies with Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Theater A

The way that people and organizations interact is fundamentally changing with the continued evolution of social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Learn how to harness the power of social technologies in your CRM strategies. We’ll discuss why social should matter to organizations. We’ll cover capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics CRM and other Microsoft social technologies such as Yammer and SharePoint. We’ll provide insight into the investments made in social technology across Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

OR

–        Performance Considerations for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 388-390

Every organization is constantly seeking ways to deliver more efficiency to their users with Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Whether you are a business decision maker or salesperson, system admin or power user, if you’re interested in CRM system performance, this session will have something for you. Come see members of the product team introduce performance, how Microsoft Dynamics CRM is optimized for performance, improvements in future updates, and what you can do to improve the performance of your CRM deployment.

OR

–        Microsoft Dynamics CRM: Reimagining the User Experience, 383-385

The needs of the modern business professional have expanded beyond a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Our strategy with Microsoft Dynamics CRM is to provide our customers with the most natural and familiar user experience regardless of where and how the user needs to interact with CRM information and processes. Come to this session to see how users today work with CRM across different browsers, mobile devices and Microsoft Office. We’ll also preview innovation in user experiences to be delivered in future releases.

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM – Mobile CRM: Increasing Sales & Service Effectiveness, 387

In this interactive discussion, you’ll learn how to maximize the productivity and effectiveness of your sales and service professionals with mobile applications. Mobile functionality puts your teams closer to customers and keeps them there. With powerful features for users, unique benefits for IT and unparalleled value for management, a mobile solution that truly meets the needs of today’s customer-agile company.

OR

–        Upgrading from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0: A Practical Guide, 386

Upgrading from CRM 4.0 to newer versions of Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides new capabilities to drive business value. This session will provide a detailed view of managing the upgrade process and covers the end-to-end flow of upgrading from Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 to future releases of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Come and share your tips, tricks and best practices as well as hear other customers’ experiences to help you plan and execute your upgrade. ***This session is not repeated.

OR

–        Building an Extended CRM Application for Non-Developers, 393-396

Microsoft Dynamics CRM provides a framework that allows you to define a business application without writing a single line of code! Everyone can configure powerful applications but–are you a little too intimidated to get started? Join us to learn the basics of how to configure a business data model, user experience, social collaboration, reports and business processes. You’ll learn dozens of tips and tricks and better understand the power and flexibility of your Microsoft Dynamics CRM investment. ***This session is not repeated.

5:00 PM – 6:00 PM – A Data Management Best Practices for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 388-390

Data is the true value of any CRM solution. Learn all aspects of managing data effectively in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. Whether looking at large initial data loads from other sources, data cleansing or de-duplication, a range of tools are provided. We’ll look at managing sample data and some of the sophisticated CRM data editing tools available with Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Excel. We’ll demonstrate how to use these tools for your data management requirements. ***This session is not repeated.

OR

–        Harnessing Social Technologies with Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 391-392

The way that people and organizations interact is fundamentally changing with the continued evolution of social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Learn how to harness the power of social technologies in your CRM strategies. We’ll discuss why social should matter to organizations. We’ll cover capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics CRM and other Microsoft social technologies such as Yammer and SharePoint. We’ll provide insight into the investments made in social technology across Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

OR

–        Optimization Tips & Tricks for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 386

Join us for a detailed discussion of the tools and techniques which can be employed to monitor and analyze the performance of your Microsoft Dynamics CRM deployment. Learn how to identify and resolve performance issues, and discuss best practices for optimizing performance in your environment. We’ll highlight tools that help identify areas for performance improvement with Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Dynamics CRM servers.

OR

–        Practical Guide to Business Process Management (BPM) in Microsoft Dynamics CRM

2011, Theater A

Microsoft has invested heavily in Business Process Management tools in Microsoft Dynamics CRM since the very first release of the product. Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 customers have an incredibly rich toolset to configure and manage complex business processes. Come to this session to learn about innovative ways to use BPM features, such as dialogs and workflows in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, to automate and manage diverse business processes for your organization.

8:00 – Midnight – The Parish at the House of Blues, 225 Decatur St, New Orleans, LA

9:00 – Midnight – Rock-N-Rave – Bourbon Cowboy Beach on Bourbon, 241 Bourbon St.

 

Thursday, March 21

 

8:00 AM – 9:00 AM – Breakfast – Attendee Meal Hall located in the Convergence Experience Center at the Ernest N.                                     Morial Convention Center.

9:00 AM – 10:30 AM – Keynote

Join us as the Microsoft Dynamics community gathers together to consider our role in the global community. Kofi Annan, former Secretary-General of the United Nations (1997-2006), will draw from his deep experience in the world of international diplomacy to offer stories, insight and advice about leadership and cooperation in a global business environment.

11:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Mobile CRM: Increasing Sales & Service Effectiveness, 387

In this interactive discussion, you’ll learn how to maximize the productivity and effectiveness of your sales and service professionals with mobile applications. Mobile functionality puts your teams closer to customers and keeps them there. With powerful features for users, unique benefits for IT and unparalleled value for management, a mobile solution that truly meets the needs of today’s customer-agile company.

OR

–        Performance Planning, Tuning & Optimization of Microsoft Dynamics CRM (Advanced), 388-390

Join us as we deep dive into the tools and techniques you can use to plan, monitor, and analyze the performance of your Microsoft Dynamics CRM deployment.  We’ll outline possible performance issues–how to plan for them, mitigate them, and fix them.  We’ll cover best practices that help identify areas for performance improvement with your network, Microsoft SQL Server, and Microsoft Dynamics CRM servers.  We’ll also highlight the top five ways to improve the performance of your Microsoft Dynamics CRM deployment. ***This session is not repeated.

OR

–        Microsoft Dynamics CRM: Customizing the UI (Advanced), 393-396

Microsoft Dynamics CRM has recently added a number of new user-interface elements. The updated user experience in the December 2012 update provides a new way of visualizing processes and guiding users. We have added cross-browser capabilities which bring new opportunities for the user experience. Come to this deep dive session to learn about customizing the existing classic UX as well as the updated UX. We’ll also cover best practices across different browsers with web resources, client-side JavaScript and HTML5.

12:00 PM – 2:00 PM – Lunch – Attendee Meal Hall located in the Convergence Experience Center at the Ernest N.                                     Morial Convention Center

2:30 PM – 3:30 PM – Optimization Tips & Tricks for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 386

Join us for a detailed discussion of the tools and techniques which can be employed to monitor and analyze the performance of your Microsoft Dynamics CRM deployment. Learn how to identify and resolve performance issues, and discuss best practices for optimizing performance in your environment. We’ll highlight tools that help identify areas for performance improvement with Microsoft SQL Server and Microsoft Dynamics CRM servers.

OR

–        Harnessing Social Technologies with Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 393-396

The way that people and organizations interact is fundamentally changing with the continued evolution of social networks such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. Learn how to harness the power of social technologies in your CRM strategies. We’ll discuss why social should matter to organizations. We’ll cover capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics CRM and other Microsoft social technologies such as Yammer and SharePoint. We’ll provide insight into the investments made in social technology across Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

OR

–        A Practical Guide to Business Process Management (BPM) in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, 388-390

Microsoft has invested heavily in Business Process Management tools in Microsoft Dynamics CRM since the very first release of the product. Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 customers have an incredibly rich toolset to configure and manage complex business processes. Come to this session to learn about innovative ways to use BPM features, such as dialogs and workflows in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, to automate and manage diverse business processes for your organization.

OR

–        Integrating Your ERP System with Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 383-385

Interested in discovering how to empower your business by leveraging integration between ERP and CRM? This session will cover methodologies for combining transactional data from Microsoft Dynamics ERP products (AX, NAV, GP and SL), or third-party ERPs such as SAP and Oracle, with relational data from Microsoft Dynamics CRM. The first portion of the session will focus on business value with product demonstration, including partner discussions, and the second, a technical deep-dive. ***This session is not repeated.

4:00 PM – 5:00 PM – Developer’s Guide to Integrating Microsoft Dynamics CRM & Microsoft SharePoint 2013,

391-392

Many organizations use both Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft SharePoint and are increasingly looking for ways to integrate these two technologies. With the new wave of SharePoint 2013 and Office 2013 suites, it is now even easier and compelling to integrate them with Microsoft Dynamics CRM for collaborative cloud solutions. Come learn some of the developer patterns and practices you can use when building apps using technologies such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM, SharePoint 2013, Office 365, and more. ***This session is not repeated.

OR

–        Customization Tips & Tricks in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 387

Attend this session to discuss your specific customization objectives and learn tips and tricks on how to achieve those objectives. In this session, we’ll focus on the many available options to extend Microsoft Dynamics CRM and the tools and techniques that better support a wide variety of business needs. Gain greater insight into customization strategies, drill down into real-life scenarios and uncover new ways to better adapt the user experience, business process and environment to fit your organization.

OR

–        Mobile Options for Microsoft Dynamics CRM, 388-390

Individuals are increasingly reliant on mobile devices. Whether in sales or service, there is a need to access CRM information and perform actions in real-time. Microsoft Dynamics CRM has a large number of mobile CRM solution options available. Come learn about the available options for your specific business processes. You’ll see practical demos of these solutions running on a variety of mobile devices. Additionally, this session will cover an overview of the mobility strategy for Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

5:30 PM – 6:30 PM – Finding Help When & Where You Need It:  Microsoft Dynamics CRM Documentation,

Resources & Communities, 386

Join us for this engaging interactive session to talk about the Microsoft Dynamics CRM information landscape. We’ll be looking at our various web portals designed with specific audiences in mind, talking about the various online communities and forums where customers and partners engage, and discussing help model improvements and future user assistance customization opportunities. Attendees should leave this session with a better understanding of how to find the CRM information they need.

7:30 PM – 11:00 PM – Convergence Closing Celebration

As Convergence comes to a close, get ready to celebrate a great week! You definitely won’t want to miss this closing party—complete with terrific food and beverages, fun activities, and an amazing concert with Matchbox Twenty! It’s the perfect way to celebrate with friends and colleagues and cap off your Convergence 2013 experience!

Recomended by Kathy Johnson, PMP – Director of Consulting