What are the best practices for an SAP CRM implementation?
Can you provide some best practices for an SAP CRM implementation? We have an SAP R/3 backend system. Also please let me know where to find the landscape.

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This is a very generic question but I will make my best attempt to answer it. Follow the steps below.

1) Please read the CRM master guide, which is downloadable from http://www.service.sap.com.
2) Please choose the business scenario(s) your company needs and do a detailed system landscape study, as the system landscape is provided as part of the business scenario in the master guide. The landscape explains the required and optional components needed to implement a specific business scenario in SAP CRM.
3) The level of integration between CRM and the R/3 system depends on the chosen business scenario(s).
4) Use CRM as your Marketing, Sales and Service operational front and the backend R/3 system for logistics execution, inventory management and financials whenever possible.
5) Pricing is one other critical decision-making area. You could simply replicate and use the R/3 pricing model in CRM. You may have to rewrite the custom ABAP routines, formulas and user exits in Java for IPC in CRM, which results in dual maintenance of the pricing logic. My recommendation is to use the CRM system as the lead pricing system whenever it fits the business requirements, to avoid dual maintenance of the pricing logic.
6) The billing functionality in CRM and R/3 are substantially different. Please read the billing capabilities and choose the one that is most suited to your business.

This was first published in January 2006