It’s fully manual: Data entry is time-consuming. There are a few limitations that can hold you back, especially as you try to scale your business. However, an Excel CRM isn’t right for everyone. However, after you reach 50 to 100 contacts, it starts getting complicated, and it’s easy to let things fall through the cracks without the reminders and automation you get in the software. It works well for small-scale companies: For small businesses with simple processes and a low number of contacts, an Excel spreadsheet can work perfectly. Better yet, there are plenty of templates out there to get you started (like ours above). With enough time and effort, it’s possible to set up a powerful custom CRM. It’s customizable: Excel is renowned for the depth of its functions. Excel is relatively easy to learn with thousands of helpful tutorials available online. It’s easy to use at a basic level: Most people have basic knowledge of how spreadsheet software works, so it’s simple to get an Excel CRM up and started. Google Sheets is free for a single user (and Google Workspace for business starts from $6 per user per month). While the Microsoft Excel desktop app requires an Office subscription, the Excel web app can be accessed for free online. It’s affordable: Pricing is one of the major factors when deciding on any software solution, and free CRM software can help get you to the point where you can afford a better solution. The advantages of building a CRM in Microsoft Excel are: While spreadsheets can’t match the full functionality of a dedicated CRM, they are still useful in many cases.īefore you get started with an Excel CRM, let’s run through the pros and cons to see whether it’s a good fit for your company. CRMs can help segment your audience, automate key tasks and forecast sales in the future (among other things).

However, customer relationship management is actually the process that salespeople use to handle their interactions with customers.īefore dedicated CRM software was around, companies would use written notes or simple spreadsheets to track their customer interactions – and many still do.Ī CRM platform helps you manage communication and nurture relationships by centralizing large amounts of customer data.

When most people hear “CRM”, they think of the platforms people use to manage their customer data.

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