Microsoft demonstrated its next-generation CRM release at the company’s Worldwide Partner Conference today. Previously known as CRM5, the product’s official name is Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. Along with the release (coming in beta in September), will be the Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace, described as an online catalog to provide an easy way for partners to market and distribute solutions to Microsoft Dynamics customers.

"The marketplace will allow customers to quickly search, discover and apply industry-specific applications and solution extensions from Microsoft and its partners to help them accelerate and extend their CRM and ERP implementations," the company explains. "Microsoft Dynamics Marketplace will be integrated within Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011, allowing customers to search for applications directly from within their CRM solution."

"Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 will further deliver ‘The Power of Productivity’ through familiar, intelligent and connected experiences for customers and partners," says Brad Wilson, general manager of Microsoft Dynamics CRM. "For customers, it offers new levels of user productivity and collaboration that meet their specific business needs with a low total cost of ownership. For partners, it unlocks new opportunities and provides a single development environment for cloud-based and on-premise deployments. Together, this new release raises the bar in the CRM market."

Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011 will be released in online form before software form, as Microsoft is heavily pushing the cloud.