Most of the records in Microsoft Dynamics CRM include
values for status and status reason. A record’s status defines the
state of the record, and the most common status values are Active and Inactive. However, some types of records include additional status values. For example, case records can have a status value of Active, Resolved, or Canceled. Records that do not have a status value of Open or Active are considered to be deactivated (also referred to as Inactive).
Microsoft Dynamics CRM retains deactivated records in the database; it
does not delete them. However, inactive records will not appear in
several areas throughout the user interface, such as in Quick Find
searches or in lookup windows.
Note:
Microsoft Dynamics CRM removes
inactive records from parts of the user interface. In addition, you
cannot edit an inactive record by using its form.
A record’s status
reason provides a description of the record’s status. The status
reasons vary depending on the type of record and the status value. In
the case example, a record with an Active
status could have one of multiple status reasons: In Progress, On Hold,
Waiting For Details, or Researching. The following table illustrates
how status and status reason values can vary by record.
Record type | Status value | Status reason value |
---|
Account | Active | Active |
| Inactive | Inactive |
Contact | Active | Active |
| Inactive | Inactive |
Case | Active | In Progress
On Hold
Waiting For Details
Researching |
| Resolved | Problem Solved |
| Canceled | Canceled |
Phone Call | Open | Open |
| Completed | Made
Received |
| Canceled | Canceled |
When working with accounts and contacts, you might want to deactivate records for multiple reasons. For example, you might want to deactivate a record if:
A contact has changed companies or does not work for the account anymore.
An account has gone out of business.
A duplicate of the account or contact record already exists in the system.
You do not want to continue tracking interactions with the account or contact.
In this exercise, you will deactivate a contact record and then reactivate it.
Note:
SET UP
Use the Internet Explorer web browser to navigate to your Microsoft
Dynamics CRM website, if necessary, before beginning this exercise.
In the Sales area, click Contacts.
In the Quick Find box, type Burton and then press Enter.
You will see the Ben Burton record in your results. Click the record to select it. On the ribbon, click the Deactivate button. When a dialog box opens, asking you to confirm the deactivation, click OK. Microsoft Dynamics CRM deactivates the record.
In the Quick Find box, type Burton and then press Enter.
You
will not see the Ben Burton record in your results because you
deactivated the record. Microsoft Dynamics CRM does not include inactive
records in the Quick Find results.
Now that you have deactivated the contact, you will reactivate it. In the view selector, select Inactive Contacts. You will see a list of deactivated contacts, including the Ben Burton record.
Double-click
the Ben Burton contact record to open it. Note that Microsoft Dynamics
CRM has made the fields on the form unavailable so that you cannot edit
the inactive record.
On the ribbon, click the Activate button. When a dialog box opens, asking you to confirm the activation, click OK.
Microsoft Dynamics CRM activates the contact and enables the form fields so that you can edit the record.