Free CRM Software: Why an Open-Source CRM Inside an ERP Helps

There are plenty of free CRMs. Most are free plans of paid products: free for two users, or free until you need reports. An open-source CRM works differently. And when the CRM is part of an ERP, the sale doesn't stop at "won".

Free plans vs open source

Free plans are easy to start. You sign up and go. But they often limit users, contacts or features, and moving your data out later can be painful.

Open-source CRM has no licence fee and no user cap. You host it, so you own the data. The trade-off is that someone has to set it up and keep it running.

What Odoo Community CRM does

Odoo's CRM app is part of Odoo Community. It covers:

• Leads and opportunities in a pipeline you can drag between stages
• Activities such as calls, meetings and follow-ups, with reminders
• Email sent and received against each lead
• Website forms that create leads automatically
• Lost reasons, so you learn why deals fall through
• Pipeline reports by salesperson, stage and source

Why CRM inside an ERP matters

When a deal is won in a standalone CRM, someone retypes it into the order or invoicing system. In Odoo:

• The opportunity becomes a quotation with your real products and prices
• The quotation becomes a sales order, which reserves stock
• The order becomes an invoice, and payment is matched to it

Sales can see what customers have bought and whether they've paid. That alone stops a lot of awkward calls. See the Odoo CRM pipeline guide.

What it costs

The CRM is free. You'll pay for hosting, and possibly for importing contacts and setting up email.

Free setup from ERP Builders

We set up Odoo Community CRM, sales and invoicing for free. Hosting isn't included. See free Odoo setup.