Joomla + Virtuemart + sugarCRM

[stevenaerts]

Hi,

i'm a joomla cms webdevelopper and i have no idea about CRM systems.

I've been asked by a client to make a Joomla CMS + a webshop (Virtuemart). Also in a later stage, a CRM.

So i've been looking around on the internet and found sugarCRM.

To make a price for my client i would like to know:

- How long (hours) will it takes me to setup the sugarCRM system?

- When the system is installed, i need to connect it to Joomla. I've been looking around and there were some posts (from 2006) that there are plugins for joomla, community buillder and virtuemart out there...
Is it hard to connect, to plugin together? How long would it takes me? (hours)

Thx!

[eggsurplus]

Too many unknowns still to throw out a number. What are the full requirements for the webshop? How will Sugar fit into the equation? What needs to go back and forth between the systems? Simply "everything" or data isn't sufficient enough here. Do you simply need to push customer contact info from Virtuemart to Sugar? Or do you also need to push sales data, invoices, etc? Do you need to push anything from Sugar to Virtuemart?

Once you've broken down the requirements you'll then need to create a list of tasks to fulfill those requirements. By the way, the requirements that are given to you will probably not be the true requirements. Your job is to then read through those and get a feel for what they are really trying to do. What's the end goal for the requirements? Then you'll need to go back to the client and work through those once more to find what they are trying to accomplish. Usually at this point you have a good set of requirements. This little bit of extra work will save both you and the client much frustration as it'll clear up and misconceptions and assumptions that both sides will have.

Back to the tasks. Now that you have that you'll need to estimate what each task would take you. I can tell you what it will take me to do but we are probably two different people with two different styles, backgrounds, and experience.

As for connecting Joomla to Sugar it can be done fairly easily once you get a good grasp of the SOAP api of which there is a learning curve. If performance is at a premium you'll want to develop against Sugar 5.5 as they now have a REST api along with a much improved SOAP api.

I apologize for rambling but hopefully it was at least somewhat helpful,
Jason

[stevenaerts]

Hi,

first of all, thank you very much for the info...

I have some requirements from my client:

- customer forums within the joomla-based portal?
=> Not necessary

- customer edit their own profile info held in the CRM?
=> Yes, included in the crm

- customer see recent invoice and payment history?
=> Yes, included in the crm

- customer approve quotes?
=> Not necessary

- customer make purchases and then send account, invoice and payment data
generated back to reside in the CRM?
=> Yes, included in the crm

- customer create and view services cases?
=> Yes, included in the crm

- customer collaborate on projects?
=> Not necessary


They want a full system that automates sales, data, invoicing, stock, accounts,...

Probably this is over my head to start off experimenting with the crm.

So better hire a professional, let’s say i hire you guys...
How many hours would you suggest it will take? Approximatly...

For the installation and the connection with Joomla and Virtuemart?

Many thanks

[sohopros]

We have a similar requirement and I am wondering if this project ended up going anywhere. We are looking to integrate Sugar, Joomla1.6, and Virtuemart on a client website. Any guidance on the available state-of-the-art would be appreciated.