Open Source Makes Do-It-Yourself CRM Possible
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For years, companies large and small have been convinced that if they want the sophisticated functionality of enterprise-class software like ERP and CRM systems, they must buy pre-packaged applications. And, to a large extent, that remains true.
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InfoWorld - Enterprises are opening up to open source alternatives to commercial software, panelists said at the SDForum conference &#8220;Open Source Entering the Mainstream,&#8221; held in Santa Clara, Calif., last week.
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Start-up SugarCRM sets out to shake up the business applications market with a free program and low-cost support.
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EnterpriseWizard this week is releasing the 2.0 version of its CRM application, a product built on top of its SaaSWizard Web application development platform and designed to be easily customizable.EnterpriseWizard 2.0 employs templates and drag-and-drop style customization of tables and fields through a browser-based interface. Users can also define business rules, sketch out workflows, and generate reports. Other new features include an improved search engine and the ability to automatically transmit information from a client computer when a trouble ticket is sent out.The SaaSWizard platform represents &quot;man-centuries of development,&quot; rather than the man-hours usually used as a measure, according to CEO Colin Earl. But EnterpriseWizard is not alone in offering end users the ability to change its application.&#160;SAP&#39;s recently unveiled CRM 2007&#160;product features an Web 2.0-style interface that users can manipulate to their liking.A difference lies in EnterpriseWizard&#39;s underlying business model. Earl said his company is looking to partner with systems integrators and value-added resellers. The company hopes they will use the core SaaSWizard platform to create and sell customized applications -- both CRM (customer relationship management) and other types -- to customers in vertical industries.&quot;Our vision is not to build these products ourselves,&quot; he said.Many on-demand software companies have the wrong idea, he argued. &quot;What I see happening in the market is the SaaS vendors have a direct sales model, and they are effectively trying to take the whole pie for themselves. I think this is a strategic mistake,&quot; he said.While the J2EE-based product is available on-demand, it is also possible to deploy it on an internal server, a fact that drew a nod from one close observer of the CRM scene.&quot;Generally, the fact they offer both on-premise and SaaS is great -- we feel customers like the choice of being able to move seamlessly between the two environments, assuming the two products are functionally the same,&quot; China Martens, an analyst with the 451 Group, said via e-mail.&quot;It&#39;s impressive they&#39;ve retained high-end customers over years such as Chevron and have a bit under 400 customers in total,&quot; she added. &quot;If they do want to garner more attention amid the plethora of their competition, we&#39;d expect them to seek some VC funding, also advice from VCs as to how to best grow their business.&quot;The company has about 40 employees and financially is &quot;very healthy&quot; these days, according to Earl, though he acknowledges that the years spent developing SaaSWizard were &quot;pretty lean.&quot;EnterpriseWizard costs $65 per staff user per month for the hosted product, and $950 per staff user if it is purchased outright on Linux, with unlimited end-user access, according to a spokesman. The company also offers the software for purchase on Windows or Solaris for about $1,150 per staff user.End users have limited capabilities, including the ability to submit and update their own records, whereas staff users -- such as sales representatives -- have a more sophisticated interface and can gain the ability to change records from other users, the spokesman said.
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Ziff Davis - Microsoft CRM leans on partners to fill functionality gaps.
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Open Source methodology has gained some ground in one of the last places you and I might expect: In the development area of corporations. Consultants are calling environments like Sourceforge Enterprise Edition a Digital Development Environment.
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SEPTEMBER 08, 2004  - Open-source software start-up SugarCRM Inc. will release the first commercial enterprise version of its Linux-based open-source CRM application tomorrow, starting at $149 per seat for the first year.
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EnterpriseWizard this week is releasing the 2.0 version of its CRM application, a product built on top of its SaaSWizard Web application development platform and designed to be easily customizable.
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Sun is getting into the open-source business with Solaris, but will this automatically translate into better sales?
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Hosted CRM solutions, which deliver SFA and more through the browser as a service, were once considered upstarts. But the failure of first-generation, server-based CRM software -- and the stunning success of Salesforce.com -- has ushered CRM into the mainstream. Proof can be found among traditional vendors, who have scrambled to deliver hosted versions or to slap a Web-based front end on their CRM software.ADVERTISEMENTWhite paper: Solutions to Address IT Control RequirementsLearn how BMC Software Solutions address requirements such as the Sarbanes-Oxley Section 404 in this 20 page whitepaper!
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Cisco Systems plans to offer a tool to help small and medium-size businesses use Microsoft CRM software in combination with a Cisco IP communication system.
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Among the factors sited: the ability to customize the software and avoid vendor lock-in.
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Is open source becoming the dumping ground for no-longer-wanted software, sort of like a Salvation Army dropoff point for programs instead of old clothes?
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Fully integrated ERP, CRM, and accounting for small to midsized businesses. Graphical client runs on Linux, Mac, and Windows (built with open source Qt framework). Business logic resides in PostgreSQL database server. Fully international-ready.   We're happy to announce the beta release of PostBooks - the free edition of the xTuple ERP Applications, version 2.3.1.  This is primarily a bug-fix and cleanup release, although there are more new features that you would typically find in a minor "dot release."  Please see the release notes for details on the over 100 new features and enhancements, including a long-awaited fix to the multi-location/lot/serial can't-cancel snarl (if you're a longtime user, you know what I'm talking about).  This will be a short cycle, and we probably won't do another beta unless we find some real issues - so please have a go at it, and let us know what you find!  Best way to contact us is the forums at www.xtuple.org.  After 2.3.1 final is released, we will be kicking off the 3.0 development cycle, and will have a great deal to say about roadmap, architectural improvements, and long-term vision.  Stay tuned!  More details below...      Release Notes xTuple Applications OpenMFG - PostBooks Version 2.3.1Beta1 February 8, 2008 ==================================  This is the first Beta release of version 2.3.1, marking the end of new feature development for this release cycle. We move now into refining, testing, and bug fixing mode leading up to the final release.  Highlights of this Beta release include the following:  * Consolidated Invoice by Customer * API views for Item, BOM, BOO * Print Travelers in batch * Credit Card support for Authorize.NET * Split Receipt capability * Redesigned CRM Account screen   ==================================  The following features and bug fixes have been added to the applications since the release of 2.3.0:  New Features:  * [Accounting] Added option to print a Sales Journal from Unposted Invoices screen * [Accounting] Added ability to split a receipt so it may be partially vouchered * [Accounting] Enabled time based credit hold capability in OpenMFG * [Accounting] Moved Chart of Account to first position in "Accounts" menu structure * [Accounting] Added ability to view Voucher line detail from Vendor History * [Accounting] Added ability to view Voucher line G/L detail in Vendor History * [Accounting] Added PO# column in Vendor History * [CRM] Added the ability to see merged comments from the Account window for subordinate Customer, Contact, Vendor and Tax Authority records * [CRM] Added the ability to see opportunities from the Account window * [CRM] Added default Address to CRM Account master * [Manufacture] Added more right-click options to manufacturing windows * [Manufacture] Added new Work Order schedule by Work Order Number display * [Manufacture] Added CANCEL button to lot/serial distribution screen * [Manufacture] Added batch printing capability for Travelers * [Purchase] Reorganized layout of Voucher screen * [Purchase] Added New Event For PO Line Item Insert * [Sales] Multiple additions to Customer Information Workbench, including: A button linked to CRM Account screen; a button linked to A/R workbench; a QUERY button to refresh all the information in this screen except for C/C payments; Invoice list shows 0 and non-0 balance, with most recent records at the top; right-click on Sales Order to find two more menu options (i.e., Shipment status and Shipment information); credit limit added; and credit status made bold * [Sales] Added support for lot/serial and Characteristic printing on Packing Lists * [Sales] Allowed viewing and editing of Sales Orders associated with Returns by right click from R/A line items * [Sales] Allowed credit to be given on replacement Return Authorizations * [Sales] Multiple CRM Account/Customer Workbench enhancements, including: Added a button to launch Customer Workbench from Account window; right-click launch to Sales Order from Invoice Items; allowed printing of Sales Orders, Invoices, and Credit Memos on Customer Workbench; launch Cash Receipt from Invoice tab; link to jump to Shipment tracking from invoice; added due date of Invoices; late Invoices displayed in RED * [Sales] Added Batch Manager support for automatic allocations * [Sales] Added the ability to consolidate Invoices by Customer * [System] Changed term "Buffer Management" in Neo menu to "Constraint Management" * [System] Added Authorize.net Credit Card processing capability  Bug Fixes:  * [Accounting] Fixed error received when canceling Cash Receipt * [Accounting] Fixed Check Register to print detail * [Accounting] Fixed Credit Card error received when posting Cash Receipt * [Accounting] Restored TAB order on Expense Category * [A/P] Re-enabled copy function of in Bill of Operations list * [A/P] Fixed screen resizing problem on AP open Items screen * [A/P] Fixed error when attempting to copy an Item Site * [A/P] Added line Characteristics and missing Notes to Quote report * [A/P] Fixed problem preventing printing of CheckFormat.xml report * [A/P] Fixed AP Credit Memos to use Terms from Vendor file * [A/R] Fixed open AR Items screen resizing problem * [A/R] Fixed issue where wrong Customer Invoice was appearing on Customer Information Workbench * [A/R] Fixed loophole where Cash Receipts against Credit Cards could be deleted after the Credit Card charge has been processed * [A/R] Fixed problem preventing processing of Credit Card refund against a Customer Deposit * [A/R] Fixed erroneous error when posting Misc. Invoices * [G/L] Fixed issue with Budgets not updating properly * [CRM] Enabled inactive flag for To-Do Items * [CRM] Fixed issue with To-Do List right-click options being disabled incorrectly * [CRM] Fixed issue with To-Do List requiring two 2 clicks to enable EDIT button * [Inventory] Fixed ISSUE ALL BALANCE button on Issue Stock to Shipping screen to honor sufficient Inventory requirement * [Inventory] Fixed issue preventing deletion of posted Count Slips from the Count Slip Edit List * [Inventory] Fixed issue allowing return of different Serial Numbers when returning line items back to stock * [Inventory] Fixed error received when trying to return stock from Shipping * [Inventory] Added lot/serial group back to the default Packing List * [Inventory] Fixed issue preventing selection of Location radio button on Item Site screen * [Inventory] Prevented entry of duplicate Warehouse Locations * [Inventory] Enforced relationship between "Stocked" flag and Order Level on Item Site screen * [Inventory] Fixed error received when attempting to delete an Item * [S/R] Disabled "Require Sufficient Inventory" option on Issue Stock to Shipping screen if S/O Allocations are enabled * [S/R] Enabled RA line item notes to transfer to S/O's linked to RAs * [Manufacture] Enabled backflush of Job Item Work Order Material Requirements * [Manufacture] Fixed issue preventing posting of Misc. Production when "Track Machine Overhead" is flagged as "with General Overhead" * [Products] Fixed issue causing Copy Item function to be slow when all options are selected * [Products] Prevented users from select anything but Material Issue UOMs when entering a BOM item * [Products] Prevented deletion of Bills of Materials having valid revisions * [Products] Fixed issue causing BOM components not to be copied when copying a BOM * [Products] Fixed issue preventing addition of BOO items * [Products] Restored missing Characteristics tab to Item master * [Products] Disabled editing of Max Desired Cost currency on Item master * [Products] Liked UOM ratio formatting to Locale setting * [Products] Fixed PostBooks only issue preventing deletion of Items * [P/D] Fixed BOO report to ignore expired Operations and also added missing information * [Purchase] Changed PO report definition to dynamically find Warehouse Address * [Sales] Enabled alternate Shipping Warehouse for Return Authorizations * [Sales] Fixed issue with Availability information not being displayed on the RA Item screen * [Sales] Fixed issue with new Order value being overwritten when using RA authorize buttons * [Sales] Added Shipping Warehouse label to RA Item screen * [Sales] Fixed issue preventing creation of Sales Account Assignments if Returns are enabled * [Sales] Added filtering on RA header to only show valid Sales Orders for specified Customer * [Sales] Fixed issue with extraneous lot/serial numbers showing up on Invoices having RA processing in their past * [Sales] Enabled changing of RA line item dispositions after line items are created * [Sales] Fixed issue where default Warehouse always was showing for returns, regardless of Warehouse specified * [Sales] Fixed issue preventing printing of RAs * [Sales] Fixed error found when attempting to create Work Orders in S/O and R/A for Items that had BOM items with no Item Site * [Sales] Fixed error received when selecting to cancel a newly-created RA after adding a line item * [Sales] Hid browse button next to New Order field on RA header * [Sales] Fixed crash behavior when showing pending availability on Sales Order item screen * [Sales] Fixed pending availability as indented BOM on Sales Order Item screen to properly show deeply nested BOMs * [Sales] Fixed issue with RA Checks getting a -1 value at first * [Sales] Fixed issue with RA item credit exceeding original qty. * [Sales] Fixed failing update of salesorder api if no shipto is given * [Sales] Fixed Customer screen to use AR Terms only * [Sales] Fixed issue with right-click options working inconsistently in Inventory Availability By Customer Type screen * [Sales] Fixed issue with Notes not saving on Returns * [Sales] Fixed font color inconsistencies on Inventory Availability By Customer Type screen * [Schedule] Fixed planning BOM percentages to work properly * [System] Fixed error message received when running the createbufferstatus function * [System] Fixed XML import error received with Item Type is "Job" * [System] Rescaled user's initials field on Maintain Users screen * [System] Removed non-functional Verisign credit card authorization option * [System] Fixed issue preventing Hot Keys from working * [System] Fixed Item view which was incorrectly allowing inserts without a Class Code * [System] Fixed issue causing Credit Card configuration screen to crash * [System] Removed invalid XML found on Credit Card posting * [System] Fixed issue with Item Characteristics being hidden when multi-Warehouse functionality was disabled * [System] Fixed XML import to read ID and Note codes properly * [System] Fixed issue where Yahoo XML contains Freight information not found on Sales Order * [System] Fixed issue with actual Yahoo Store XML Order Numbers being out of range * [System] Fixed issue which required Post Journal Entry permission to post any transaction in the system * [System] Improved wording of error code returned when issuing to Shipping
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NetSuite, the other hosted CRM company, laid out version 2007.0 this week of its CRM, ERP, and PRM (partner relationship management) SaaS (software as a service) solution.
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In the hype of the CRM boom a few years ago,  sales force automation software seemed largely forgotten. Though not quite a dinosaur, it certainly was not a hot topic.
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Marten Mickos knows the role open source software can play in business and personal computing.