Why Not Salesforce?
Why Not Bolt Salesforce onto an ERP?
Using Salesforce as a CRM bolted onto your ERP (rather than using a native CRM module within the ERP) creates complexity, risk, and long-term inefficiencies — especially in a business like yours, where operational workflows, sales, and service are deeply interconnected.
Two-System Approach
Two Sources of Truth
Salesforce stores quotes, contacts, and pipeline data. Your ERP stores orders, jobs, inventory, and revenue.
This creates sync delays, data mismatches, and audit trail headaches. Sales reps end up quoting with stale inventory or pricing.
Complex Integration
You'll need middleware platforms (like MuleSoft, Celigo, or Boomi), custom APIs, or consultants to bridge the gap.
This means months of setup, ongoing maintenance costs, and endless debugging when business processes change.
Loss of Visibility
A sales rep working in Salesforce can't see jobsite progress, material ETA from Germany, whether an install is delayed, or if a PO has been placed.
Integrated ERP+CRM Approach
Single Source of Truth
All data lives in one system — quotes, orders, inventory, projects, and financials are perfectly aligned.
Sales teams always see real-time inventory and pricing, and operations sees the full sales pipeline.
No Integration Needed
Native CRM functionality means no middleware, no sync delays, and no integration maintenance costs.
Updates to the ERP automatically update the CRM views because they're the same system.
Complete Visibility
Sales reps can see the entire lifecycle: quote → order → PO → shipping → installation → invoice.
This improves customer service and reduces internal miscommunication.
Better-Integrated CRMs Already Exist
Acumatica, NetSuite, and even ERPNext all offer:
- Native CRM functionality
- Quotes tied directly to orders
- Customer records linked to jobs, invoices, and shipping
- Activity tracking within a single ecosystem
They may not have Salesforce's polish — but they work natively with your ops team, inventory, and projects. That's far more valuable than Salesforce's isolated CRM horsepower.
Bottom Line
Using Salesforce on top of your ERP means more complexity, more cost, less visibility, and a higher chance of process breakdowns. You're far better off with a CRM that's built into your ERP, even if it's less flashy — because in your world, sales must live next to operations, not in a silo.