Microsoft has decided to skip releasing CRM 2.0, originally due for release in April or May 2005, and will instead release version 3.0 in the fourth quarter of 2005, first to existing Microsoft CRM customers, then generally to all in the first quarter 2006.

"Customers and partners saw the beta and wanted changes," said Jason Nash. "We looked at what we had and had to make the decision whether to take it to market." He said the list of requirements was a close match for what was planned for version 3.0, so the company decided to skip version 2 and move straight to version 3.0.