01/06/2023

By Satish Reddy  | Reading time 5 mins

What you need to know about the perils of overly customizing Microsoft Dynamics CRM

Satish from Aha Apps interviewed Sunil Raheja, the Dynamics CRM practice head, about the problems he had been working on recently. Sunil mentioned that one major issue faced by clients was an overly customized system. While Dynamics CRM is customizable, developers often go overboard with customization, causing problems for the clients.

 

Sunil explained that while customization is a feature of Dynamics CRM, there is a difference between simple configuration and excessive customization with code or scripts. This becomes difficult to maintain in the long run, especially when handing over the system to administrators. The impact of this issue primarily affects system maintenance and user adoption.

 

Sunil and Satish @ Aha Apps
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The maintenance challenge arises from the complex customization that may involve plug-in scripts and web pages, making it hard to manage and update. Additionally, excessive customization can lead to a disconnect between different entities and forms, resulting in inconsistent user experiences and a steep learning curve for users.

 

To address these problems, Sunil and his team took a step back and simplified the approach. They retired the custom web page built by a previous company and utilized the out-of-the-box page with minimal customization. They implemented business rules and workflows behind the scenes, delivering the solution to the customer within a week or two. The customer’s reaction was extremely positive, as they had been desiring a simpler solution for a long time. The users were able to adopt the system easily, resulting in a high level of satisfaction within a short period.

 

Sunil’s approach aligned with Leonardo da Vinci’s belief in the ultimate form of sophistication being the simplification of things. By simplifying the customization process and providing a more user-friendly experience, the team successfully resolved the maintenance and usability issues faced by the client.

 

Overall, the client was delighted with the solution, and Sunil concluded the conversation by expressing his willingness to tackle future problems.

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