When spreadsheets are no longer enough
The signal is usually manual coordination: client, order and payment data lives in different places and people see different statuses.
- Requests get lost
- Statuses are unclear
- Data is entered repeatedly
- Reports are assembled by hand
CRM and ERP have different scopes
CRM focuses on clients, communication and deals. ERP can also unite inventory, purchasing, sales and operations. A small business often needs a focused CRM with a few modules, not a huge platform.
Describe the workflow first
Define who creates a request, which statuses matter and who makes each decision before choosing software.