CRM: relationships and opportunity
CRM tracks accounts, contacts, opportunities, activity and forecasting. It structures interactions and qualification, but may not calculate all options for a complex configurable product.
CPQ: configure, price, quote
Configure-Price-Quote turns requirements into a valid configuration, applies price lists, rules, discounts and approvals, then assembles quotes and versions.
ERP: orders and fulfilment
ERP covers some or all of orders, inventory, manufacturing, procurement, invoicing and accounting. The exact boundary depends on each operating model.
Integration friction
Failures appear at boundaries: duplicated customers, inconsistent units, conflicting pricing, manual approvals and unsynchronised versions. Integration must define ownership and direction of each data flow.
At a glance
| Stage | Typical system | Critical record |
|---|---|---|
| Prospecting | CRM | Account/opportunity |
| Quote | CPQ | Configuration/price |
| Fulfilment and billing | ERP | Order/invoice |
How SFERE can support
SFERE: functional design, master-data mapping, integration flows and end-to-end validation; platform choice remains client-specific.
Official laws, standards & publisher resources
This is an editorial explanation. Verify consolidated laws, applicable standards and interpretations for your activity, country and date. Full standards may require a licence.