Ok, so I have seen a few posts about FileMaker and Sugar in the fora, but I've yet to find the answer I am looking form. Maybe this is a question that is best left answered by the Sugar Team...

I apologize if this has been covered elsewhere and I hope it isn't a frowned upon question. With that said....

My company uses FileMaker Pro 11 for our MIS system, however the CRM (mostly marketing automation and email campaigns) is very lackluster to say the least. We've done a pretty good job at coming up with a "duct tape" system that allows us to do a lot, but I am really looking for a way to automate many of the day-to-day & week-to-week functions.

We are currently developing a totally new (custom built) MIS, but are still (at minimum 6-10 months) a ways off from having it complete. So, I am looking for a good "CRM" that can bridge the gap.

In a nutshell, here is what I am needing out of a CRM:

1. The ability for (via XML) Filemaker to populate fields in the CRM, reverse population isn't necessary, but would be nice if I could set up web forms that would populate in Sugar and Filemaker. I basically don't want my sales reps to create a new lead/account in Filemaker then I have to recreate it in the CRM and vice-versa.

2. The CRM to handle HTML emails based on certain defined triggers. Again everything would be porting in from FileMaker. The CRM would have to handle HTML and text based emails for two different companies. Each email sent would (appear) to come from a sales rep. I have 14 in one of the companies and 2 in the other. Right now I am exporting a CSV file from Filemaker and importing it into Interspire Email Marketer. I am having to do to two exports/imports... one for each company. Then when I send emails I have to create and send 16 different emails. Yes this takes a lot of time!!!

3. Link Google analytics.

4. Generate EOM reports based off Filemaker, CRM and Google Analytics data.

There are many more things that I would like out of a CRM, but those are the "biggies." I am not looking for a total replacement for Filemaker as we have that in the works right now, but again, if I could find something that would bridge the gap for the next few months that would be optimal.

If Sugar is capable of handling the needs I have, would I have to purchase 2 different licenses– one for each company, or is Sugar capable of handling multiple email hosts?

Again, this might be better left to be answered via a SugarCRM sales/tech rep, but I thought I would at least get some input before I waste anyones time.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Cory Rogers
Marketing Director
Copy Craft / PrintingHQ