automated processes

[ILISA]

We're Goldmine Corporate users looking into SugarCRM.

How does SugarCRM handle automated processes, if at all?

Is it possible to have leads imported from the web and based on certain field content trigger automated (series) of follow ups?

Thorwald Westmaas
thorwald@ilisa.com

[JamieinNH]

We're Goldmine Corporate users looking into SugarCRM.

How does SugarCRM handle automated processes, if at all?

Is it possible to have leads imported from the web and based on certain field content trigger automated (series) of follow ups?

Thorwald Westmaas
thorwald@ilisa.com

Currently, SugarCRM does not handle any automated tasks that I know of. It will capture a lead from your website, but that is where it will stop.

I have asked about this several times in the forums, without much of a response.

I have used a script called SAM with ACT!, and that automated a lot of the daily tasks, and kept my time free to sales calls, and other more important things.

There was a small discussion about this, and if PHP could even do this type of job, in the end I believe the outcome was, yes it could be done.

I am currently looking to hire someone I know to see if they can build me a script like SAM to work with SugarCRM. I am currently doing a lot of the things that SAM did for me automatically, I am now doing these things manualy, which is a waste of a good day.

Jamie

[sjackson]

Heartening to see others thinking along these lines also! A combination of PHP/MySQL and to a lesser extent automated processes such as cron jobs can do much in the way of automation. But the (usual) questions remain - does it already exist and at what cost, or does it not exist and what's the cost of building it.

Thus a question for Jamie - how did you go?! Did you friend have any success?

My assumption - certainly what we're looking for as the key element - is to automate sales process as Thorwald has outlined.

Without having thought it through, initial thoughts are that there would be one module that allows authorised users to create a process / timeline / series. Something like:
on arrival - send XX e-mail from XX user
+ 24 hrs - send follow up e-mail XY from XX user
+ 72 hrs - call scheduled and allocated to YY user (or unallocated)
and so on.

This process would then be available to be selected when a certain condtion is met - eg a weblead automatically created in the system (by leadcapture.php or otherwise) that meets one or more defined conditions. I would also see the requirement to track these automated contacts against the relevant contact / lead record.

If there isn't this scope around we'd look at using internal developer resource to put it together but:
a) would prefer not to, and
b) would be more attractive if there were others out there who would find it helpful to their requirements and would be prepared to share some of the pain (dollars!).

Any thoughts? Feel free to post or send me a private message.

Regards,
Scott Jackson

[JamieinNH]

Hello Scott,


I am currently working with someone to create a plan/process to see if we can pull this off. He is excellent in PHP/MySQL but hasn't looked at SUgarCRM so that is what he is currently doing and then we are going to sit down and brainstorm some. If you or others have ideas concerning this, please feel free to drop me an email.

I almost considered going back to ACT! this weekend. Before I started using SugarCRM I used ACT!. I only switched to SugarCRM for the web access and I didn't like the ACT! web Add-on. I received an email from a Vendor Partner of ACT! and it was advertising their Automated Process Script. This email reminded me of the process I had in place before I went to SugarCRM and I had to think about whether having a good web interface was worth what I loss in the process.


You can find more information about it here:

http://www.pinpointtools.com/Products/PMT.htm


It really surprises me that that SugarTeam hasn't made more of an effort to give more insight into this. Jason has talked about it a little in one of the threads, but nothing else.

In every other CRM platform there are tasks that can be automated, this is a must for my business as I am spending too much time doing the simple tasks, and then even if as I am, I spend time wondering what the next step is, where this client is in our process.

Anyway... I am looking into it because I need it for my company. I will keep you informed as to what we find out.


Jamie

[JamieinNH]

It really surprises me that that SugarTeam hasn't made more of an effort to give more insight into this. Jason has talked about it a little in one of the threads, but nothing else.

I standed corrected. I had forgotten about this response from Andy.

http://www.sugarcrm.com/forums/showp...12&postcount=7

The SugarTeam is looking into it, but still for my needs, it's not moving fast enough, so I will continue to work with my friend that knows PHP/MySQL to work out something useful in the mean time.

Jamie

[jkliza]

Any update on the status of this implementation?

[exobrain3000]

I doubt there has been any serious activity in this area.

Most of the development team is probably too busy fixing 3.5 bugs at the moment!

Anyway, as fore mentioned, sugarcrm is not based on an application server environment whereby processes are able to run in the background - php/apache technology is strictly synchronous request/response which make it unfit as a serious workflow engine, other than resorting to the obvious but dubious cron workaround, which is more or less a short term tactical band-aid hack to a long term problem.

[integralimpressions]

I just went through a demo of a fully-working workflow automation module for SugarCRM yesterday. It was built by the professinoal services department. I'm told this shouuld be included in SugarCRM 4.0 at the end of the 4th quarter.

[jkliza]

How did you go about getting the demo?

Also, will the functionality be included in the Open Source version?

Thanks very much for the update...

Jesse

[integralimpressions]

Not sure if it will be included in the OS version. I'm a Pro user myself. T he demo was given by someone in professional services. My company was looking for similar functionality and so we could have purchased the workflow module prior to its release in 4.0.