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How Siebel CRM Desktop Handles Shared Activities

This topic describes how CRM Desktop handles a shared activity. It includes the following topics:

• How the Origin of an Activity Affects Handling
• How Siebel CRM Desktop Handles a Microsoft Outlook Meeting That Includes Multiple Attendees
• How Siebel CRM Desktop Handles a Shared Microsoft Outlook Calendar Appointment That Is Declined

Microsoft Outlook supports the concept where relationships can exist between more than one user and the same meeting or task. In this situation, Siebel CRM Desktop prevents the creation of duplicate Siebel activities. It makes sure that it creates a relationship between only one Siebel CRM activity and a single Outlook item that more than one user synchronizes. The first user who synchronizes the Outlook item creates the Siebel CRM activity on the Siebel Server. Siebel CRM Desktop links Outlook items with the Siebel CRM activity for any subsequent user who synchronizes.

To prevent duplicate records, CRM Desktop does the following:

1. Uses the unique identifier for the meeting and task that Outlook provides.
2. Enters information in the CRMD Integration Id field on the Siebel CRM activity with the unique identifier from Step 1.
3. During synchronization, it validates that no other Siebel CRM activity includes this same unique identifier.
4. If it finds that there is no other activity, then it creates a new activity.
5. If it finds that there is another activity, then it downloads the existing activity with the same unique identifier, and then links it with the Outlook item.

For more information, see How Siebel CRM Desktop Avoids Duplicate Data.