Business software

Planning a CRM or ERP without buying more than you need

Map the process first, then decide between an existing product, configuration, or custom software.

· 1 min read · Neturon

People reviewing a process diagram together.

Most CRM and ERP projects that disappoint were scoped from a feature list rather than from how the business actually works. A short piece of process mapping at the start keeps the system smaller, cheaper to run and easier for staff to adopt.

Map the work as it happens today

Follow one real customer, order or employee through the business. Note every place information is typed in, copied, emailed or kept in a spreadsheet. Those hand-offs are where a system earns its keep.

  • Who creates the record, and who changes it later?
  • Which approvals are needed, and by whom?
  • Which reports do managers rely on each week or month?
  • Which other tools must it exchange data with, such as accounting, email or payroll?

Buy, configure or build

If your process matches what a mainstream product already does, configuring it is usually the sensible route. If a few steps are specific to you, an existing product with a small integration or extension may be enough. Custom software makes sense when the process is a genuine part of how you compete, or when licence costs and workarounds outweigh the cost of building.

Plan for the data you already have

Existing records need to be cleaned, mapped and moved, and that work is often underestimated. Decide early which history must come across, who checks it, and how personal data will be kept accurate and only as long as it is needed under UK data protection law.

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Business Software, CRM & ERP

If this matches a piece of work you are planning, tell us about it and we will suggest a sensible first step.

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General guidance only. It is not legal, financial or regulatory advice, and it does not describe the results of any client project.

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