Open Source CRM

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) has quite a few open source projects but by far the most talked about is SugarCRM. SugarCRM is web based so as well as downloading the software it is ideal for being a hosted solution. SugarCRM themselves offer the solution hosted as do many 3rd parties.

There are also other open source projects which either user SugarCRM Code (vTiger and Splendid CRM) or include it in their solution (Astrisk@Home). There are many high profile users including BDO Seidman the American Accountants who have 9000 users of SugarCRM.

Only time will tell how SugarCRM and other solutions will fair as Software as a Service (SaaS) is still a relatively new offering with people like Salesforce.com leading the way on the commercial side.

Open Source CRM Software

SugarCRM: Web based CRM software for LAMP, WAMP or IIS. Also supports multi-language
vtiger: Web based CRM software based on the SugarCRM code for LAMP and WAMP
Splendid CRM: Web based CRM software again based on the SugarCRM but this time built on the Microsoft technology stack (Windows, IIS, SQL Server, C#, and ASP.NET)
opencrx: opencrx CRM Software
hipergate: hipergate CRM Software
XRMS: XRMS
Sellwin: Sellwin
GNU BIS: GNU BIS is a project to create an open source corporate portal. Right now it includes a collaborative framework for contact (not only customer!) relationship management. The next releases will include project management, products and services.
Customer Touch: Customer Touch
Asterisk at Home: The Asterisk@Home project enables the home user to quickly set up a VOIP Asterisk PBX. A web GUI makes configuration and operation easy. Includes SugarCRM
OpenCRM: LAMP and WAMP web CRM based on an early version of SugarCRM. OpenCRM is a UK company.

Virtual Installs

Some of the installs can be quite complicated including databases and web servers. They can also be quite time consuming if you just want a quick look to appraise the software. Virtual setups include everything required operating system (normally linux), databases and webservers all installed. You will just require virtualisation software such as VMware Player or Microsoft Virtual PC

SugarCRM Virtual Image: SugarCRM 4.x with MySQLand Apache on Linux (LAMP)- EASY INSTALL, AUTOMATIC CONFIGURATION! Simply do the Linux install or start the vmware image. Default user is 'admin', default password is 'changeme'.
VMware Player: Free VMware Player Download

Videos

Video content for open source CRM

Interview with Jacob Taylor: Interview with Jacob Taylor, Co-Founder and CTO of SugarCRM @ SYS-CON.TV
SugarCRM Video: SugarCRM Video including new features in 4.2 and a preview of 4.5

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Latest News

SugarCRM Book Published

Packt Publishing have published a book on implementing SugarCRM, this link is for the UK as well. The book is also available from Amazon UK here. This is the first book I have read (and seen) for SugarCRM and I found it very useful.