Private branch exchange (PBX) hardware used to be very expensive, but software-based PBX releases bring the price of PBXs down. Open source communications and telephony software The multi-platform Fat Free CRM is a Ruby on Rails-based CRM platform that features group collaboration, campaign and lead management, contact lists and opportunity tracking out of the box.OpenCRX (Windows, macOS and Linux) is designed for organizations that need multifunctional, enterprise-wide coordination of sales generation, sales fulfillment, marketing and service activities for customers, partners, suppliers and intermediaries.The SugarCRM Community Edition (Windows, macOS, Linux and UNIX) is the free, unsupported version of a comprehensive CRM product that includes sales force automation, marketing campaigns and customer support.A paid version ($25-$30 per user per month) includes support, automated updates and an unlimited bug fix guarantee.Ĭommercial customer relationship management (CRM) software is available from niche vendors, software as a service providers such as and large software vendors such as Oracle. Odoo (Windows and Linux) provides a full suite of applications, including sales management, accounting and finance, recruitment, purchase management and manufacturing resource management.It includes ERP, accounting, CRM, supply chain management, manufacturing resource management and enterprise asset management functionality. OFBiz is the Apache Foundation’s Java-based, multi-platform enterprise business package.The popular and comprehensive open source ERP package ADempiere (Windows, macOS, Linux and Unix) offers accounting, manufacturing management, material management, finance, human resource, project management and maintenance management features.But open source alternatives to SAP or Microsoft Dynamics do exist. It includes accounting (general ledger, accounts receivable and payable, bank reconciliation and financial reporting) as well as sales, CRM, inventory and distribution, and other business management functions.Įnterprise resource planning (ERP) software is complex and can be very costly. xTuple offers both a free and commercial supported version of Postbooks (Windows, macOS, Linux, BSD) to medium and larger companies.The product supports 80 tax regimes, including the United States and the United Kingdom. TurboCASH (Windows), aimed at the small to medium-sized business market, provides a general ledger and offers core functionality such as posting transactions into accounts and producing financial reports.GnuCash (Windows, macOS and Linux) helps very small businesses apply professional accounting principles and track bank accounts, income and expenses to help ensure balanced books and accurate financial reports.The following financial packages provide open source alternatives to commercial packages such as Quicken, Sage or QuickBooks: Open source finance and accounting applications Calligra, which runs on Windows, Linux, FreeBSD and macOS.NeoOffice, a Java-based fork of OpenOffice for macOS.Open Document Foundation’s LibreOffice, a fork of OpenOffice for Windows, macOS and Linux.Apache OpenOffice, a comprehensive suite for Windows, macOS and Linux.Is it possible, then, to run a business entirely on software that can be downloaded for free? There certainly are many options that make it possible - and many more that aren’t included in this guide. It may be included in a low-cost commercially licensed version as well. While support usually isn’t available for such free software, it’s frequently offered at an additional cost by the author or a third party. The most attractive benefit of doing so: It’s generally available to download and run for nothing. The vast majority of companies simply aren’t prepared to make office workers use an open source OS - and most office workers aren’t prepared to use them, either.Įven if you want to stick with a closed source operating system (or, the case of macOS, partially closed source), your business can still take advantage of a vast amount of open source software. Despite the advances made by distributions such as Ubuntu, desktop Linux is still miles behind Windows and macOS in terms of the look, the feel and the slickness that most office workers have come to expect. Linux and other wholly open source operating systems have only a tiny market share. Microsoft’s closed-source Windows has by far the highest share of the PC client operating system market, followed in a distant second by Apple’s macOS. Odds are good it won’t be running an open-source operating system. Take a look at the next desktop PC or laptop you come across.
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