Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online is a great CRM platform for many small and medium businesses because it is so easy and inexpensive to get started. However, as we have found with some of our CRM Online customers, one area of challenge is custom reporting.   Unlike Microsoft CRM On-Premise, Microsoft CRM Online does not support uploading of SQL Report Services custom reports or accessing the SQL Server Database filtered views. 

Here are your best options for developing reporting for CRM Online:

Default Reports:

• To view the list of default reports that come with Microsoft CRM Online -
  from the CRM Client >> Workplace >> Reports
• Blog: Advanced Find / Export to Excel
• Video: Using Advanced Find – Time: 10:02 minutes
  This video will show you how to use the Advanced Find feature to find and take action on targeted sets of data. It will also show how to create Saved Views (My Views).

Mail Merge:

• Blog: MSCRM 4.0 Mail Merge Basics
• Blog: Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mail Merge Templates
• Blog: Printing Quote for customer
• Video: Mail Merge – Time: 08:03 minutes
  This video will show how to create mail merge templates and create emails and Word labels with mail merge.

Report Wizard: 

• Blog: Report on Opportunities Lost to Competitors
• Video: Reporting Overview – Time: 15:29 minutes
  This video will show the reporting capabilities in Microsoft Dynamics CRM Online.

Export and Integrate CRM Data to a Local Data Source:

There are two approaches for this.  Please note that the two approaches are not supported by Microsoft CRM Support – use at your own risk/support.

1. Setup a Microsoft CRM Online Outlook Client with Offiline Data Synchronization and ensure that all the needed CRM Online data are continuously updated to the local database.  Then use the Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Service (SRS) report development tool or other reporting, Business Intelligence (BI) tools to build the custom report against the local SQL Server Express CRM database used by the Microsoft CRM Online Professional Plus edition.  Note: 4 GB database limit for SQL Server Express
2. Utilize an integration tool to extract CRM data to a local data source and then use a corresponding reporting tool.  For example, you can purchase and setup the Scribe Software Insight to integrate between Microsoft CRM Online and the local SQL Server database.  The local SQL Server database will mimic the needed CRM Online tables so  you can use the Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Service (SRS) report development tool or other reporting, Business Intelligence (BI) tools tools to build the custom report against the local data