Steps to upgrade Online CRM to Dynamics 365
Steps to upgrade Online CRM to Dynamics 365 – Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM out into the market and to use new features like field services etc, you have to upgrade online CRM to 365. Upgrading online CRM is very confusing as users have not full control over instance and have fear to lose data or customizations. To give Dynamics CRM upgrade a clear view you can refer this article.
Step1: Setup Sandbox instance of your Online CRM.
Dynamics CRM Sandbox account is useful for development and to test customizations before publishing on a production instance. It’s also useful for upgrade process from lower version to upper version.
Sandbox instance as can be purchased as add-on subscription or with 25 user’s subscription licenses. To setup, sandbox instance using production instance, select production instance and click on copy icon.
It takes to Copy instance window.
The properties you need to care about are:
- Target Instance: In the current case, it will be production instance.
- Copy Type: Recommended type is a Minimal copy.
- Name: should be the name of Sandbox instance.
And click on Copy. It will take a while to update sandbox account copy of production.
Step 2: Test upgrade of sandbox instance
When a copy of production as sandbox instance, is ready to test CRM instance upgrade process using sandbox CRM instance.
One thing you need to know that is when production instance is ready for an upgrade, to let that know go to Admin Center > Dynamics CRM.
Instances that are eligible to update will see Update is Available. You can see along with your CRM instance.
Select updates tab and schedule upgrade for sandbox instance.
The process you have to follow for a lower version to upper version upgrade is:
To Upgrade
- Dynamics Online CRM To Dynamics Online CRM Update 1
- Dynamics Online CRM Update 1 To Dynamics 365 CRM
After scheduling dynamics CRM upgrade process, it will be updated on your scheduled time. It might be possible, current customizations are not supported by updated version. Upgrade process gets failed. So you have to reset sandbox back to old version and fix all those issues in sandbox instance and again follow the same process of schedule sandbox instance upgrade to the target version.
Step 3: Upgrade Production Instance
Once your sandbox instance is upgraded, approve upgrade. Same process you need to follow to upgrade production instance upgrade. Also, keep in mind your instance upgrade will not be upgraded till you approve upgrades.