Microsoft Dynamics Marketing 2015 Update 1.1 is now available

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Microsoft Dynamics Marketing 2015 Update 1.1 is now available.

Update 1.1 introduces the following features:

  • Server time zone is now automatic: The server time zone setting has been removed from the Site Settings page. All times are now stored using coordinated universal time (UTC) and will automatically be converted to local time zones for display and input as needed.
  • Connector Wizard for Microsoft Dynamics CRM (On-Premises) is now available: The Microsoft Dynamics Marketing Connector for Microsoft Dynamics CRM now includes a utility program called the Connector Wizard, which makes it much easier to install and/or update the connector when used with Microsoft Dynamics CRM (On-Premises). The wizard is not necessary when setting up a connection to Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online. To download the Microsoft Dynamics Marketing/CRM Connector package that contains the new Connector Wizard, please visit the Microsoft Dynamics Marketing 2015 - Resources for Download page.
  • Enable marketing lists for testing: While you are developing your marketing emails, you are able to send test versions of your message to individual email addresses, entire marketing lists, or both. Previously, all marketing lists were available as targets for test messages, which made it possible to accidentally send test messages to a very large (and possibly inappropriate) audience. In the new update, only those marketing lists explicitly marked for use during testing will be available for selection when initiating a test send. In addition, you will be warned if you try to send a test mail to more than 10 recipients.
  • Download multiple files at once: It is now possible to download several files at once from the digital asset management system
  • Improved task compression: Task compression occurs when you reduce the time span assigned to a job that includes one or more tasks. In this case, the system attempts to reduce the length of each task proportionally, up to a configurable limit. This system has been improved to be more reliable and easier to use.
  • New API for triggering commercial emails: It was already possible to trigger transactional emails externally from the API (these are individual emails sent to a single, specific address named in the API call), but now you can trigger commercial messages too, which take advantage of marketing lists to establish the recipients. This is especially useful when combined with dynamic lists (queries). To trigger a commercial message, the API call must specify an existing and activated email message design, which must be configured to accept external triggers and already include a send list or query. Combined with custom contact fields, an external billing system, and other API calls, you could use this feature, for example, to create messages that automatically inform customers that their membership has expired or that their credit card has bounced.

Other than these new features, a bunch of issues are resolved with Update 1.1. This article describes the fixes and other changes that were included in this update