ERP vs CRM: what is the difference?Understand both systems to choose what your business needs first.
CRM helps you win sales; ERP runs everything behind those sales, from inventory and purchasing to accounting. This article compares the two concepts in general, not any specific vendor’s products.
What is CRM?
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) manages your relationships with customers. It focuses on the stages before and after a sale: capturing leads, tracking opportunities, communication history and customer care.
What is ERP?
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) connects departments on one database: sales, purchasing, inventory, manufacturing, accounting and HR. Many modern ERP systems, including ADO ERP, include CRM as one of their applications.
ERP and CRM compared, criterion by criterion
| Criterion | CRM | ERP |
|---|---|---|
| Main goal | Grow sales and retain customers | Run operations efficiently with one set of company-wide figures |
| Scope | Marketing, sales, customer service | The whole business: sales, purchasing, inventory, manufacturing, accounting, HR |
| Main users | Sales, marketing and customer service teams | Every department, from sales, warehouse and accounting to management |
| Core data | Customers, opportunities, contact history | Orders, stock, accounting entries, HR, plus customer data |
| Questions it answers | Which deals will close? Which channel works? | What is the real profit? Where is the stock? How is cash flow? |
| Rollout | Usually quick, with few dependencies on other teams | In phases, putting modules into use one by one |
| Choose it when | Your biggest problem is finding and caring for customers | Department data is disconnected and re-entered by hand |
This is a general, conceptual comparison and does not compare any vendor’s products or prices.
CRM first, ERP first, or both?
Start with CRM
See the CRM applicationWhen you are losing leads and the sales team works in silos, while back-office operations are fine.
Start with ERP
See the ERP solutionWhen inventory, purchasing and accounting disagree and reports take days to consolidate.
Both on one platform
See all applicationsWhen you want customers, orders, stock and accounting to share data without integrating two products.
Questions about ERP and CRM
Still have questions?
An ADO ERP consultant will walk through your business case with you — free, 1-on-1.
+84 918 38 88 11Book a consultationIs CRM part of ERP?
It can be. CRM can be standalone software, but many ERP systems, including ADO ERP, include CRM as an application that shares customer data with sales and accounting.
Should we implement CRM or ERP first?
Start where the business loses the most time and money. If the problem is sales, start with CRM; if it is operations and data, start with ERP. On one platform you can start on one side and expand.
Can we use a separate CRM and a separate ERP?
Yes, but you need to integrate them. Customer and order data must sync both ways and easily ends up duplicated or out of step.
Does ADO ERP include a CRM?
Yes. CRM is an application in ADO ERP, running in production at all three reference systems, with Zalo, Facebook, website and VoIP connections.
Not sure where to start?
Talk to an expert for 30 minutes to find the priority application for your business.
The ADO ERP delivery approach
Start from a complete system
Begin with a proven, optimized solution instead of building from a bare Odoo installation.
Fastest hand-over
The first release covers 80–90% of requirements out of the box; customization is kept to a minimum.
Keep costs within budget
ADO ERP owns delivery and product design decisions to minimize time and maximize value for you.
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