Sales Force Automation

Why it matters in an ERP context

Integrating sales automation into the ERP makes sales activity visible across the whole organisation, and keeps information flowing between sales, finance, inventory and service. Without it, the sales pipeline is a forecast nobody else can verify.

The workflow

1. 01

   Lead management

   Capture leads from their various sources, track activity, and manage qualification.

2. 02

   Contact and account management

   Hold detailed contact and account records, including communication history and related opportunities.

3. 03

   Opportunity management

   Track opportunities from creation to closure, with stages, activities and probabilities.

4. 04

   Quote and order management

   Generate quotes against customer requirements and convert them to orders once approved.

5. 05

   Sales forecasting

   Use historical data and predictive analysis to forecast, which drives planning and resourcing.

6. 06

   Task and activity management

   Organise sales activity, schedule tasks and set follow-up reminders.

7. 07

   Performance management

   Monitor performance against target and report on it.

Quoting is the stage most ERP sales configuration actually turns on — pricing rules, discount authority and approval limits all land here. It is worth more design time than lead capture.

What you need in place

• Marketing automation integration: So leads transition from marketing to sales without a manual rekey.
• Customisation and configuration: Match the system to the sales process, workflows and reporting the business runs.
• Data management and migration: Clean, accurate and complete data moved from the existing system.
• User training and adoption: Sales teams need to see the system pay them back, or they will keep their own spreadsheet.
• Security and access controls: Access rights that protect commercially sensitive pipeline information.

Implementing it

1. 01

   Requirement analysis

   Define the sales process requirements, reporting needs and integration points.

2. 02

   Solution selection

   Choose against those requirements, weighing scale and customisation.

3. 03

   System design and customisation

   Design layout, customise fields and configure workflows.

4. 04

   Data migration

   Move existing sales data with integrity checks.

5. 05

   Integration

   Connect to the other ERP modules and any external systems.

6. 06

   Training and go-live

   Train users and go live with support in place for the first weeks.

Metrics and KPIs to track