CRM and SAP integration – why are they inseparable?

In an increasingly complex IT world, it is crucial to build on a central database and use it across departments. The integration of SAP plays a central role in this and offers companies numerous advantages. In this blog post, we’ll take a closer look at SAP integration and explain why it’s essential for modern businesses.

When it comes to integration, there are two important components to keep in mind: data integration and UI integration. When it comes to data integration, the goal is to get as much data as possible from one pot. UI integration is all about presenting as much information as possible on one user interface. Using CRM and ERP as an example, this means that this prevents employees from having to switch from CRM to ERP systems in order to query or record certain data.

In a company, there are several areas where SAP integration is important. In this blog post, we will take a closer look at the areas of marketing, sales, and commerce.

Marketing activities cost money, be it for trade fairs and events, online advertising or video productions. In order to be able to use the budget efficiently, it is important to be able to carry out an evaluation of the planned and actual costs after a campaign.

The incoming invoices from agencies or stand builders typically run into the ERP system via accounting and controlling. However, the planned costs are usually recorded in another system – this can be the CRM system or a project management tool. However, in order to be able to carry out a reasonable measurement of success and plan comparisons, the data must be combined. Only if this succeeds can key figures such as cost per lead or sales according to lead origin be evaluated.

But the integration of CRM and SAP also offers numerous decisive advantages in sales, starting with the master data. Because as soon as a customer becomes a customer, the most important data is available in the ERP system. With this data, it makes sense to use it as a “golden record” and not to store it redundantly in a third-party system such as the CRM. This avoids redundancies, process errors and ambiguities in data management.

However, ERP systems are not suitable for sales-related tasks such as opportunity management, price and availability queries, as well as quotation preparation and order management. On the other hand, all these functions can be provided efficiently and user-friendly with the help of CRM software. However, the integration of the two systems also offers advantages here, because if the ERP system is connected to the CRM, details of the customer’s equipment used or current stock levels can also be called up directly in the CRM. The integration thus enables the systems to work together seamlessly, improves sales productivity and promotes a 360-degree view of customer support.

Finally, let’s take a look at the area of commerce. External commerce solutions always mean a new data transfer from SAP or the CRM. But who wants to manage data in four different places? This approach is not only costly, but also time-consuming. With an SAP integration, there is a way to put an end to this data chaos.

Especially based on SAP ERP and S/4HANA, solutions are available that can map the entire commerce process, e.g. login mechanisms, homepage integration, ordering functions, shopping cart functions, shopping lists, search for items and customer portals with information services such as “My recent orders”. With full integration into SAP ERP, the complete added value of this collected data is exploited. For this purpose, there are lean solutions that are based directly on SAP ERP or S/4 HANA, so that all data available in SAP can be used. Here, too, the integration of the CRM is important, because this makes the data transparent even for non-SAP users.

Summed up in one sentence, it can be said: “SAP integration gives the CRM system a complete all-round view, which is often referred to as the famous 360-degree view.”

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