Requesting Workflow and Definitions references

[datasponge]

Hi,

I'm new to Sugar. I've gotten 20,000 accounts/contacts imported and working great. Using MySQL makes it easy for me to do whatever I want with the data from the back end. The table structure is intuitive and custom fields and vardefs are fairly straight-forward so it's been full speed ahead so far.

But I'm struggling with deciding how to use the other Sugar Modules. I have 150,000 marketing records, but I haven't decided whether I want to import them into the Leads module because I don't see how the workflow lays out across accounts - opportunities - leads - targets.

Is there a good reference that defines these terms as used in Sugar and describes the workflow through those Modules?



Some specific questions I'm trying to sort through are:
Why are Leads in a completely different table from from Accounts rather than using a status field?
How do I target some leads and some existing customers for a campaign relevant to both?
If a Lead sells and becomes an account, how do I move it to accounts?
Does a Lead live on as duplicate dangling reference once it becomes an account?
Targets seem independent from Leads and Accounts, so does that create triple records?
Why are opportunities selected from Accounts, not Leads?



OK, you get the point.

I don't have much background in CRM, so maybe these are all covered in an industry reference. If so and particularly if Sugar is based on some particular standard or reference, tell me what to read to catch up.

Right now I'm farther along technically than conceptually and I need to catch up before I design something in a foolish way.

Thanks

Phil

[datasponge]

OK,

I found the User's Guide and it has most of the info I was missing. I have a sneaky suspiciion I should have read this long ago

In any case, feel free to provide other good references.

Thanks

Phil