Using the CRM

The CRM (Customer Relationship Management) module helps you track and manage sales opportunities from initial contact to closed deal. Using a visual Kanban board, you can see your entire pipeline at a glance.

Understanding the Pipeline

Pipeline Stages

SME System comes with a default sales pipeline:

1. New: Initial contact or lead generation
2. Qualified: Lead has been qualified and shows interest
3. Proposition: Quote has been sent or proposal presented
4. Won: Deal successfully closed
5. Lost: Deal not successful

Customising Stages

You can customise pipeline stages to match your sales process:

• Go to Settings → CRM → Pipeline Stages
• Add, edit, or remove stages as needed
• Reorder stages by dragging

Creating a Lead

Quick Create

To create a new lead:

1. Navigate to the CRM module
2. Click the Add Lead button
3. Fill in the lead information:
   • Title: Descriptive name for the opportunity (e.g., "Office Furniture Deal")
   • Customer: Select an existing customer or create a new one
   • Expected Revenue: Estimated deal value in GBP (£)
   • Probability: Likelihood of closing (0-100%)
   • Priority: High, Medium, or Low
4. Click Save

The lead will appear in the New column by default.

Lead Fields Explained

• Title: A brief description of the opportunity
• Customer: Link to a contact from your Contacts module
• Expected Revenue: The total value if the deal closes
• Probability: Your confidence level (affects revenue forecasting)
• Priority: Helps you focus on important deals

Managing Leads in the Pipeline

Moving Leads

The Kanban board makes it easy to move leads through stages:

1. Drag and Drop: Click and hold a lead card, then drag it to the desired column
2. Stage Change Menu: Click the lead card and select "Move to [Stage]"
3. Keyboard Shortcut: Select a lead and press the stage number (1-5)

Viewing Lead Details

Click on any lead card to see:

• Full lead information
• Linked customer details
• Activity history
• Related quotes and orders

Revenue Forecasting

How It Works

SME System calculates your pipeline revenue based on:

Forecasted Revenue = Expected Revenue × (Probability ÷ 100)

For example:

• Lead with £10,000 expected revenue at 50% probability = £5,000 forecasted
• Lead with £5,000 expected revenue at 80% probability = £4,000 forecasted

Viewing Forecasts

Navigate to CRM → Dashboard to see:

• Total pipeline value
• Weighted forecast by stage
• Deal velocity (average time to close)
• Win/loss ratio

Converting Leads to Orders

From Won Leads

When a lead reaches the Won stage:

1. Click on the lead card
2. Select Convert to Order
3. The system creates a new sales order with:
   • Customer details pre-filled
   • Expected revenue as the order total
   • Lead title as the order reference

From Quotes

If you've created a quote for the lead:

1. Navigate to the quote
2. Click Convert to Order
3. The order is created with all line items from the quote
4. The linked lead is automatically moved to Won

Best Practices

Pipeline Hygiene

• Keep Stages Updated: Move leads regularly to reflect current status
• Qualify Early: Don't move leads past "Qualified" without real interest
• Close Lost Deals: Move lost deals to "Lost" with a reason note
• Review Weekly: Schedule regular pipeline reviews with your team

Probability Management

• Be Realistic: Set probabilities based on evidence, not optimism
• Update Regularly: Adjust probability as you learn more
• Use Ranges: Consider using probability bands (20%, 50%, 80%)
• Track Accuracy: Review actual vs. forecasted revenue to improve estimates

Data Quality

• Meaningful Titles: Use descriptive titles (e.g., "Q1 Software License" not "Deal")
• Link Customers: Always link leads to customer records
• Add Notes: Document key interactions and decisions
• Set Priorities: Use priority to focus on high-value opportunities

Integrations

Contacts Module

Leads are linked to customer records:

• Customer contact details are available from the lead
• Lead history is visible on the customer record
• Won leads contribute to customer lifetime value

Sales Module

Leads connect to your quoting workflow:

• Create quotes directly from leads
• Convert quotes to orders when won
• Track order fulfilment from the original lead

Troubleshooting

Lead Not Moving

If you can't move a lead:

• Check your permissions (some stages may be restricted)
• Ensure the lead isn't locked by another user
• Verify you're not trying to skip required stages

Forecast Inaccurate

If revenue forecasts seem off:

• Review probability settings across your pipeline
• Check for stale leads that should be moved or closed
• Ensure expected revenue values are realistic
• Compare actual vs. forecasted to identify patterns

Next Steps

• Learn about managing contacts
• Create your first quote
• Set up your product catalogue