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While there are differences between ERP and CRM, they can work together in tandem to offer a number of different benefits across a business.
They help reduce data redundancies, eliminate human errors, and streamline different business processes for increased productivity and operational efficiency.
Many vendors offer ERP and CRM as standalone software programs, while others include a CRM module within their ERP product. However, integrating standalone ERP and CRM tools opens up many opportunities and has several benefits.
In this article, we take a detailed look at what ERP and CRM integration is, what the benefits are, and the best practices you need to be aware of.
ERP CRM integration connects customer relationship management (CRM) tools with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. CRM manages sales, marketing, and customer interactions, while ERP handles operations like finance and supply chain.
This integration creates a unified platform that streamlines data sharing and improves customer service and efficiency.
Integrating CRM and ERP helps businesses to unify their frontend and backend processes for seamless order fulfillment, logistics management, and customer satisfaction.
It results in a single source of truth that is stored on a centralized server and updated in real-time. This seamless data exchange allows businesses to derive rich insights that lead to accurate forecasts and predictions.
ERP tools are used by modern businesses of all sizes and stature to streamline their backend processes and gain access to rich insights. These processes range from finance and accounting to sales and marketing, inventory management, production management, etc.
ERP products are usually developed with specific industries in mind, so vendors often offer ERP solutions specifically for manufacturing, e-commerce, retail, or several other industry verticals.
On the other hand, CRM tools help contemporary businesses manage their customers' data and track interactions, purchases, and other metrics.
CRM tools are used to run marketing and sales campaigns and cross-sell and upsell during customer interactions. Here are the main reasons why modern businesses need ERP and CRM integration:
While there are many benefits to integrating ERP with CRM, here are the five main advantages an ERP and CRM integration can bring to your business:
Most businesses use both CRM and ERP to manage their diverse functions. If these two tools are used separately, they also collect data disjointedly. As a result, one can expect data duplication, outdated information, and data incompatibility.
This can result in customer miscommunication, logistical issues caused by errors in customer data, and inaccurate forecasts and reports generated by both ERP and CRM.
Integration eliminates all these issues as it generates insights from a single source of truth. Enhanced data accuracy leads to increased customer satisfaction, faster order processing, and better management of backend operations.
CRM collects a variety of data that can also be useful to those in the backend. For instance, consumer behavior on applications and websites can be used to restock or replenish inventory depending on demand trends.
In addition, historical and current customer interactions can be tallied to generate accurate customer insights for enhanced customer experience.
Comprehensive customer insights become critical as businesses move towards providing customers with personalized and customized shopping experiences.
Integrating ERP and CRM helps you get an all-around view of your customers. End-to-end visibility of all your operations helps to tie each customer interaction with the relevant process, ensuring that customers receive the most personalized attention possible.
This is especially important when one takes social media marketing into account. ERP and CRM integration makes it possible to provide an actual omnichannel shopping and support experience, right from social media applications and websites to physical stores.
As integration enhances companies' ability to personalize customer experiences, one can expect better sales and revenues.
It is well-known that sales and marketing teams often have a communication gap, which CRM effectively resolves. However, a business has multiple departments and units that realistically cannot communicate with each other or share important reports and trends.
Integrating ERP and CRM helps ensure that every department can communicate with each other and deliver the best possible experience to customers.
For example, the shipping partner can display delays in shipping automatically to the support team in real-time so that customers are not left in the dark. An ERP and CRM integration can enhance intra-organizational collaboration in multiple ways, leading to better business outcomes.
When ERP and CRM function separately, data are stored in silos, and teams cannot collaborate efficiently. This results in unnecessary delays such as being unable to access quote and order information in time, lack of access to sales order history, inability to view payment status, etc.
These delays often have a cascading effect and result in productional failures, missed orders, and general customer dissatisfaction. Most importantly, fixing these broken operations costs a lot of money in the long run.
Ensuring that CRM is well-integrated with ERP ensures that all processes occur smoothly and quickly, reducing operational costs.
Although some ERP systems like Priority Software ERP consist of a CRM module, many choose to work with a more comprehensive standalone CRM software. This can be integrated with a standalone ERP to gain access to the benefits listed in the previous section.
As standalone ERP and CRM solutions are complex software tools, following specific industry standard protocols is essential.
Here are 4 best practices for integration:
Although it is possible to integrate ERP and CRM in most scenarios, certain hardware and software compatibility need to be checked. For example, if your hardware is outdated or is not equipped with the latest firmware, integrations may not happen smoothly. In addition, the ERP and CRM should be integrated with the help of appropriate connectors. Bottlenecks within the API can also create problems. Hence, the integration team must conduct a technical audit to ensure system compatibility.
Many companies that seek to integrate their ERP with CRM for the benefits often miss a crucial point. Their ERP and CRM systems may be outdated and belong to legacy generations. Integrating legacy ERP and CRM systems creates more problems than solutions in such a scenario. For instance, the resulting tool may be clunky and slow, there may be issues with data compatibility, or the integration may fail as well. Hence, upgrading from legacy ERP and CRM tools to more ones is essential. These can be seamlessly integrated while benefiting from modern AI and IoT-enabled features.
According to a study that was recently conducted, 91% of CRM data stored is incomplete or duplicated in nature. Although CRM tools are highly efficient, human errors, customers using multiple accounts, etc. can cause duplicate data that results in mistakes. Hence, prioritizing data integrity is crucial before one begins ERP and CRM integration. This entails a complete data audit that starts with data cleaning and deletion of duplicate entries to data standardization. This ensures that all data is compatible with both CRM and ERP and that there will be no errors or incomplete information.
Companies that do not require an on-premise ERP or CRM solution can opt for a cloud-based integration solution that is delivered through a SaaS model. In this case, integration takes place over the cloud. In fact, as most ERP and CRM tools offer their APIs for integrations, cloud-based integrations are possible and sometimes preferable. However, this needs to be taken up case-by-case, as actual circumstances can vary in each organization. Cloud-based integrations are quicker and easier to make, but certain customizations may not be possible. Moreover, this may not be suitable if the software tools are deployed on-premise only.
Not all ERP and CRM tools are made the same. Hence, making a sweeping statement confirming that any ERP can be integrated with any CRM is difficult. Most modern ERP and CRM solutions can be integrated with each other as long as necessary protocols are strictly followed.
This means you will need to start with cleansing and standardizing data on your ERP and CRM, and then conduct a thorough technical audit to ensure that your systems are compatible. Further, it is also important to consider whether your ERP or CRM exists on-premise only or if they function on a hybrid or SaaS model. Finally, it is essential to remember that legacy ERP and CRM tools are not worth integrating and may cause more problems than solutions.
If you plan to integrate your ERP with a CRM tool and need a professional opinion or evaluation, speak to us today. We will assess your case individually and recommend the best possible solution to achieve a successful integration.
Inventory management has always been a balancing act - how much to stock, when to reorder, and where to store it. But those decisions get complicated fast when you’re dealing with thousands of SKUs, multiple suppliers, and demand that shifts by the day.
Modern retailers need flexible, data-driven solutions to keep operations running smoothly across multiple sales channels, inventory locations, and customer touchpoints.
Demand planning is a process in supply chain management that helps companies to plan future demand for a product or service and execute an operational strategy.
ERP and CRM integration connects customer relationship management (CRM) tools with an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. This creates a unified platform that streamlines data sharing, improves customer service, and enhances operational efficiency by bridging frontend (sales, marketing, customer interactions) and backend (finance, supply chain) processes. [Source]
Modern businesses require ERP and CRM integration to bridge the gap between offline and online operations, synthesize frontend and backend processes, and enable digital transformation. Integration leads to better customer experiences, real-time insights, and streamlined operations. [Source]
The five main benefits are: enhanced data accuracy, comprehensive customer insights, personalized customer experiences, improved organizational collaboration and decision-making, and reduced operational costs. Integration eliminates data silos, enables real-time updates, and supports omnichannel experiences. [Source]
Best practices include: 1) Conducting a system compatibility check, 2) Upgrading legacy systems, 3) Prioritizing data integrity through audits and cleaning, and 4) Opting for cloud-based, SaaS solutions when possible. These steps ensure smooth integration and long-term success. [Source]
Not all ERP and CRM tools are compatible. Most modern solutions can be integrated if protocols are followed, data is standardized, and technical audits confirm compatibility. Legacy systems may pose challenges and are often not recommended for integration. [Source]
Integration eliminates data duplication, outdated information, and incompatibility by creating a single source of truth. This leads to increased customer satisfaction, faster order processing, and better backend management. [Source]
Data integrity is crucial for successful integration. A recent study found that 91% of CRM data is incomplete or duplicated. Prioritizing data integrity through audits, cleaning, and standardization ensures compatibility and reduces errors. [Source]
Integrating legacy systems can result in clunky, slow tools, data compatibility issues, and failed integrations. Upgrading to modern, cloud-based solutions is recommended for seamless integration and access to advanced features. [Source]
Cloud-based integration is quicker, easier, and often more cost-effective. It enables real-time data sharing, scalability, and access to APIs for seamless connections. However, suitability depends on whether your systems are on-premise or cloud-based. [Source]
Without integration, businesses face data silos, duplication, outdated information, miscommunication, logistical errors, and increased operational costs. Integration streamlines processes and improves customer satisfaction. [Source]
Integration enables end-to-end visibility of customer interactions across all channels, from social media and websites to physical stores. This supports true omnichannel shopping and support experiences, leading to better sales and customer loyalty. [Source]
Priority Software offers a comprehensive, cloud-based ERP platform with native CRM capabilities, real-time data sharing, automation, advanced analytics, and industry-specific modules. Its modular design supports seamless integration and scalability. [Source]
Yes, Priority Software allows businesses to adjust field names, screen layouts, and workflows without IT support, enabling rapid adaptation to changing needs. [Source]
Priority Software provides hundreds of pre-defined reports and no-code reporting tools, enabling actionable insights and informed decision-making for businesses of all sizes. [Source]
Yes, Priority Software includes built-in workflows and AI recommendations to automate repetitive tasks, reduce manual errors, and improve operational efficiency. [Source]
Priority Software supports integration via ODBC drivers, RESTful API, SFTP file integration, and offers over 150 plug & play connectors. Unlimited connectivity is available through APIs and embedded integrations. [Source]
Yes, Priority Software provides an Open API for seamless integration with third-party applications, enabling custom integrations tailored to specific business needs. [Source]
Priority Software offers comprehensive technical documentation covering features, industries, and supported products. This resource helps prospects understand the technical aspects and capabilities of Priority's solutions. [Source]
Priority Software serves a wide range of industries, including retail, manufacturing, automotive, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, technology, hospitality, and education. Solutions are tailored to meet the unique needs of each sector. [Source]
The Priority Market is a dedicated marketplace for extended solutions, offering a network of technology partners and additional APIs to enhance Priority Software's core offerings. [Source]
Businesses of all sizes and industries—including retail, manufacturing, healthcare, hospitality, and education—can benefit from Priority Software's ERP and CRM integration. The platform is designed for roles such as business owners, operations managers, sales and marketing managers, CFOs, and IT managers. [Source]
Priority Software addresses poor quality control, lack of data flow, poor inventory management, manual processes, outdated systems, limited scalability, integration complexity, fragmented data, customer frustration, operational inefficiencies, and complex order fulfillment. [Source]
Priority Software helps retail businesses by providing real-time insights, operational efficiency, inventory management, omnichannel CRM, loyalty programs, and centralized data for improved customer experiences and reduced costs. [Source]
Priority Software supports manufacturing and automotive companies with tailored ERP solutions for operational efficiency, data accuracy, supply chain management, and compliance. Customers include Toyota and Dunlop. [Source]
Priority Software addresses costly-to-maintain legacy systems, integration challenges, and difficulty introducing new capabilities by offering scalable, easy-to-maintain solutions with seamless integration. [Source]
Priority Software enhances customer experience with centralized customer data, loyalty program capabilities, efficient promotion engines, and omnichannel support, leading to higher satisfaction and retention. [Source]
Examples include Solara Adjustable Patio Covers improving project turnaround, Dejavoo growing without increasing headcount, Nautilus Designs achieving 30% order volume growth, and TOA Hotel & Spa enhancing guest experience. [Source]
Customers praise Priority Software for its intuitive interface, user-friendly design, and ease of learning. It has a 4.1/5 rating on G2, with testimonials highlighting efficient management and minimal IT reliance. [Source]
By integrating ERP and CRM, Priority Software eliminates data silos, streamlines processes, and automates workflows, resulting in fewer delays, reduced manual errors, and lower long-term operational costs. [Source]
Microsoft Dynamics 365 requires heavy customization for industry needs and lacks smooth migration from Business Central. Priority ERP is user-friendly, flexible, customizable without IT support, and ensures compliance with major standards. [Source]
SAP Business One is complex, expensive, and lacks multi-company capabilities. Priority ERP is affordable, easy to use, supports multi-company operations, and maintains the same platform without forced migrations. [Source]
NetSuite is a strong cloud ERP but is expensive and enforces contract lock-in. Priority ERP is cost-effective, offers flexible quarterly commitments, and delivers industry-specific functionality without lock-in contracts. [Source]
Odoo is open-source but has scalability limits, performance issues, and high implementation failure rates. Priority ERP provides structured implementation, scalability, proven methodologies, and quick user adoption. [Source]
Acumatica focuses on cloud ERP but lacks industry-specific features and has a steep learning curve. Priority ERP offers industry-tailored solutions, native scalable WMS, ease of use, and flexible commitments. [Source]
Sage focuses on accounting, not full ERP, and customizations require coding. Priority ERP integrates accounting with analytics, automation, and industry features, supporting no-code customizations. [Source]
Business Central requires heavy coding for industry features and lacks specialized functionality for manufacturing, retail, and pharma. Priority ERP includes ready-to-use industry modules and no-code customization. [Source]
OPERA is costly, complex, and has slow support. Priority Optima is scalable, cost-effective, intuitive, and offers responsive support with flexible customization and a broad Marketplace for integrations. [Source]
These ERP providers offer generic capabilities and lack specialized retail management features. Priority Retail Management delivers a comprehensive suite for multi-location, omnichannel, and high-volume environments—all in one platform. [Source]
Priority Software provides professional and implementation services to ensure smooth onboarding and optimal utilization of its solutions. These services include technical audits, data migration, training, and ongoing support. [Source]
You can contact Priority Software for a professional evaluation and support with ERP and CRM integration. The team will assess your case individually and recommend the best solution. [Source]
You can access product tours, articles, webinars, videos, and brochures on the Priority Software resources page. These resources provide in-depth knowledge and step-by-step demos. [Source]
Priority Software offers technology partnerships, AWS partnerships, and a partner network for resellers and consultants. The Priority Market also connects partners with extended solutions. [Source]