Open Source ERP Guru

Compiere, one of the leading open source ERP vendors, announced the release of a connector to the most popular on-demand CRM solution, Salesforce. The connector will provide bi-directional synchronization of data between Compiere ERP accounts, sales orders and invoices and Salesforce CRM lead tracking and other account information.

It’s always a dilemma for any ERP vendor as to how far he goes in developing his own CRM functionality. Modern CRM systems have evolved to cover almost all aspects of customer interaction (lead generation, contracts, quotations, service and support etc.), and ERP providers find it harder than ever to develop and sell their offering as “ERP & CRM” solution (Compiere’s website is titled: “Compiere Open Source ERP and CRM Business Solution”..)

The solution for most vendors is to provide a tight, out-of-the-box integration with a leading CRM provider. Compiere chose to integrate with Salesforce, but other options might have been the leading open source CRM solution, SugarCRM, or the most popular CRM application, Sieble (was acquired by Oracle a few years ago).

Compiere is not only offering its own customers a good CRM option in Salesforce, but also pitches its ERP solution as a backoffice solution to the huge Salesforce customer base.