Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 Feature – Campaign Templates

Louise Alderton, 28 August 2010

Okay, so now I have covered the very basics of a Quick Campaign and a Marketing Campaign in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0, it is now time to look at some of the features available within these modules. In this post I will look into the Campaign Template feature – how it works and the benefits it can provide you.

Often, when you go to implement a new campaign it will have many similar attributes to campaigns you have previously conducted. For example, a direct mail marketing campaign will require similar planning tasks and activities to be undertaken. The Campaign Template feature in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 allows you to design the skeleton of a campaign and then reuse it for a number of other marketing campaigns that come along. This feature allows you to plan the campaign, add items relating to the campaign and then save for use in future, alike campaigns.

When a user goes to create a new Quick Campaign or Marketing Campaign in Dynamics CRM you can choose to use a campaign template that has been previously created and then edit any specific details that are unique for the campaign at hand.

Items that you may add to the Campaign Template include:

• Marketing Lists – The group of customers you wish to target for this campaign.

• Campaign Activities – The marketing communications that will occur.

• Target Products – any product(s) associated to the campaign.

• Sales Literature – any literature that will be helpful for the users performing the activities.

• Budget Information – Associated costs and estimated revenue.

Benefits of Campaign Templates:

Using Campaign Templates can reduce the amount of time spent on data entry and planning that is required in creating a campaign. Campaign Templates can also help you ensure that multiple campaigns are kept consistent especially when they are managed by different staff members.

There are two options for creating campaign template:

1) Create a Campaign Template from scratch

Go into the Marketing Module, click on ‘Campaigns’ then on the Actions toolbar you will find ‘New Template’ click on this and then fill in the necessary fields and the ‘Save & Close’.

2) Create a Template from an Existing Campaign

Open the existing Campaign that you want to create the template from. On the Actions menu select ‘Copy as a Template’. This will open a new template form. Give this template a name (it is a good idea to include the word ‘Template’ in the name). All the other fields will be auto-filled with information from the existing campaign. Click ‘Save & Close’.

To create a Campaign from a Template:

Go into the Marketing Module, click on ‘Campaigns’. From the list select and open a template. Then, on the Actions menu select ‘Copy as a Campaign’. Give this new Campaign a name, edit any details that may be unique for this particular campaign, then click ‘Save & Close’.