CRM, SugarCRM and a RESTful integration

SugarCRM
CRM, SugarCRM
and a RESTful integration

Enrico Simonetti - http://enricosimonetti.com

CRM
Customer Relationship Management

My definition:

CRM is a set of business processes, strategies
and best practices, that with the right
technologies, can help you improve customer
experience and interactions


So what?
We use Spreadsheets instead!

What about with a CRM in place?

Customer
Centric Real time
results
Reporting

Visibility

Collaboration

Automation
Efficiency

● Founded in 2004 in California
● 350+ employees with >1M users
● Open Source PHP code (>10M downloads)
● 4 versions - Commercial Open Source
● Community Edition on AGPL license
● Built for LAMP environments, then added
more platforms (goo.gl/MdDL8)
● Unlimited hosting choices
● SugarCRM source code can be customised


the Social CRM

The advantages of any CRM plus:

Open Source
Flexible
Mobile
Social
Engage
Customers

Deeper
Relationships

...and... under the covers? It's MVC!


What about
SugarCRM REST API?
REST API entry points:
{site_url}/service/v4/rest.php
{site_url}/service/v4_1/rest.php
{site_url}/service/vX_X/rest.php

Developer guide: goo.gl/Jn8YI
REST methods guide: goo.gl/ehB70

The API can be customised

Demo Project
Fake Hosting.com
Objective
We want to start new web hosting company,
and we need to build a website that integrates
with the CRM system.

SugarCRM as a platform
Using SugarCRM as your application
development platform, you can concentrate
on making the application suit your business.


Step 1 - Website
The demo website is built on top of existing
libraries and frameworks:

● Codeigniter + Bootstrap for rapid
development github.com/sjlu/CodeIgniter-
Bootstrap

● One of the SugarCRM REST helpers: github.
com/asakusuma/SugarCRM-REST-API-
Wrapper-Class

Step 2 - SugarCRM for B2C? How?
SugarCRM is built by default for B2B and
we need to tweak it for B2C. (goo.gl/u2J6I)

We just need to add one configuration option
inside the file "config_override.php".

$sugar_config['require_accounts'] = false;

Then we execute a "Quick Repair" of the
system. Enrico Simonetti - http://enricosimonetti.com

Step 3 - Website Service Status page
SugarCRM Interface Changes:
We need to add a new dropdown item on the
"Type" field of Cases, called "Announcement"
via the interface

Portal Code:
We can retrieve the last 10 Cases of type
"Announcement" that are still "New" or
"Assigned" (with SugarCRM "get_entry_list")


Step 4 - Support Tickets creation
SugarCRM Interface Changes:
● We need to add a new dropdown item on
the "Type" field of Cases, called "Support".
● We also have to create a new custom field
in Contacts to track the "Customer
Number" (called cnumber_c).

We can apply both the above changes from
the SugarCRM interface in Studio.


Step 4 - Support Integration (Cont.)
Portal Code:
● Validate the Contact against his "Customer
Number" (with get_entry / get_entry_list)
● If the Contact is validated, create a Case
(with set_entry)
● Then we need to relate together the Case
and the Contact (with set_relationship)
● Then retrieve the newly created Case
number (with get_entry / get_entry_list)


Summary - What did we learn?

1. CRM basics and difference between:
○ Emails and Spreadsheets
○ CRM
○ Social CRM

2. SugarCRM basic internal structure

3. How to quickly integrate your website with
SugarCRM via REST

Where can I find more info?
● Download SugarCRM CE at sourceforge.
net/projects/sugarcrm

● Use support.sugarcrm.com for:
○ Support
○ Application Guide
○ Training material, FAQ, Forum, videos etc.
○ Developer Guide

● Use the developer blog (goo.gl/XTSzn) for
coding and best practices, tips and tricks

How can I contribute?
To contribute to SugarCRM code base you
would need:
1. A Github account
2. To read the following wiki goo.gl/Lf9Oq
3. A signed contributor agreement goo.
gl/U9Ehv

The SugarCRM CE git repo is at this address:
github.com/sugarcrm/sugarcrm_dev


My Contact Details
Enrico Simonetti

Web: enricosimonetti.com
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/enricosimonetti
Twitter: @simonettienrico
Email: enrico.simonetti@gmail.com

Need SugarCRM?
www.insightful.com.au

CRM, SugarCRM and a RESTful integration

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CRM, SugarCRM and a RESTful integration