ERP and CRM Data Integration

Abstract

The CRM and ERP systems are usually obtained and implemented separately and at different times. Quite often they are purchased from different sellers and producers, and implemented by different teams. As a rule, the CRM and ERP systems contain separate databases even if they come from the same manufacturer. Such separately kept databases also lead to separate basic records (identifiers), which primarily relate to business partners, items and services. This may create problems with updating and maintaining consistency of the data within the information system of a company. The CRM and ERP systems usually overlap in certain segments of business processes (e.g., orders, order confirmations, quotations, etc.), thus potentially creating redundant information and documents. More often than not, the CRM and ERP also differ in terms of technology, both by their vertical architectures and with regard to the DBMS and API support. The objective of this paper is to generate an ERP-CRM integration data model by way of optimising the relevant processes and costs, and to provide details about the processes of integration of the logical and physical data models. The structural integration of the ERP-CRM databases provide the integration services that ensure all the necessary functionalities in various interface logics and technologies with regard to software solutions and applications given, or used for local adaptations of the existing ERP and CRM applications.