Unsupported Scripts that appear to upgrade

I avoid unsupported customizations as much as possible (mostly because I know I'm the one who has to come back and upgrade the system later and I don't want to have to deal with the headaches) but there are some cases where some "unsupported" customizations end up in being necessary.

Now, let me clarify one thing about unsupported customizations. To me there are 3 types of Customizations:

1. Supported
2. Unsupported "okay" - this is where scripts may not work upon upgrade but no files are changed but nothing from Microsoft is modified or broken. Microsoft support will just turn off your scripts if they give you support and they think that your scripts could be part of the problem reported.
3. Unsupported "bad" - this is where files from Microsoft get modified (ASPX, JS, etc) and everything you do will be overwritten on the next upgrade or repair. Microsoft will not support your implementation if you ever require their support.

The customizations that I am talking about in this post all fall under the #2 category. I refuse to enter into the realm of #3 because I don't want to have to deal with the headaches.

Here is a list of some scripts that I have written or found posted in groups that still work from MSCRM 3.0 to 4.0:

1. Hide a tab
2. Embed a grid in an IFRAME
3. Change the color/font of a text field
4. Hide NavBar Items
5. Hide a field or label
6. Set Field Requirement Level
7. Copy the name of a lookup (the Text version)
8. Change the value of a lookup field
9. Force the type of customer (this is for when people click on the lookup glass so that it only shows the entity type you want it to show, unfortunately it only works if you click on the lookup glass).

Some scripts that need some modification in order to work in MSCRM 4.0:

1. Changing the background color of the entire form
2. Getting the logged in user's name
3. Field Level Security

Hope this brings hope to someone else out there, and prep's anyone who has some "unsupported" scripts out there for the upgrade. It sure made me feel a lot better about upgrading my clients, seeing as the majority of the scripts were upgradeable.

David Fronk
Dynamic Methods Inc.