Licensing for CRM 2013

Question

I'm registering a new 2013 on-line and I notice that there are two license types: 1. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online 2. Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online Professional

What's the difference between them (in short)? I've read the description and I get the impression like "this one is yellow and the other is a car", so I simply can't compare.

According to this article, there are three (not two) different models and only one allows customizing the system (so it's only that one that there's any point showing to the customers).

What's up with that?!

Answer 1

In short, the headlines are: All three licences allow access to CRM from all available clients eg browser, outlook, tablet, phone. (This is a big difference from the 2011 ESS CAL).

All three licences allow read access to all data, including custom entities. (subject to Security Roles of course).

Essential allows read/write access to activities, activity feeds and custom entities.

Basic allows everything in Essential, plus read/write to Accounts, Contacts, Cases, Leads. Also access to reports, and to create personal charts and dashboards.

Pro allows everything. Most notably Sales and Marketing (Opportunity, Quote etc, Campaign, Marketing List), plus service management (facility/equipment and all that).

Pro is needed to build customisations, but not to use them, which is where I think some confusion has arisen.

Answer 2

If you are talking about user licences there appears to be three distinct types.

It was a bit confusing however my general belief is: 1) Professional This would be the Administration users who need to customize the system, build processes, templates, administer CRM, and run marketing campaigns.

2) Basic Would be suitable for general users (ie:- ones that just need to work with entities but don't need to do much else). They can't do marketing campaigns which might restrict people who are given this licence. However your day to day staff should be fine with this as they have general access to entities as well as Reports and Dashboards etc.

3) Essential Has very little access to core entities (even Account and Contact) so unless you have a client who wants to work with only custom entities then this seems like a pointless licence.