CRM user interface guide

When it comes to selecting CRM software and sales force automation (SFA) in particular, the User Interface (UIs) is critical to the success of the implementation. It’s widely understood that the CRM system’s users must not only be willing to use the software, but actively embrace it. This is particularly critical for salespeople, often the stubbornest, pickiest users in an organization. If they’re not entering information around sales calls, prospects and leads, or worse, entering bad data, they can cripple the CRM system. This has not been lost on the major CRM vendors, who in recent years, have changed their UIs to make them more intuitive and easy to use.

This guide presents the screenshots of the UIs from the major CRM vendors across three critical areas for any sales rep: the sales dashboard; Outlook integration; and the CRM UI for mobile devices. This guide is not intended to be an exhaustive overview of every screen in the major CRM vendors’ toolset. Rather, readers can compare the user interfaces of the leading CRM software to get a look and feel for the applications.

CRM user interfaces: Sales dashboard examples

Sales dashboards can be the cornerstone for a successful CRM implementation. They provide at-a-glance insight into key metrics, be it the sales pipeline, progress to goal or account activities. There are similarities across all of the major vendors’ dashboards, but they are not all alike. These screenshots of sales dashboard user interfaces from several CRM vendors including Oracle, Microsoft, Salesforce.com and SAP compare the vendors’ applications look and feel.  Each approach can weigh differently for specific CRM implementations.

Oracle's Sales Dashboard

Sales Dashboard CRM UIs

For more relevant content on sales dashboards

Read our guide on SFA vendor evaluation

Learn how CRM metrics need to be aligned with business goals

User interfaces: Mobile CRM applications

The workforce is becoming more mobile and CRM is no exception. In fact, the sales force’s “road warriors” are typically the first to demand mobile access. Providing them with mobile-friendly applications -- not just shrunk-down versions of the desktop client—can make the difference between a successful mobile CRM implementation and failure.

Whether it’s on the leading smartphones or tablets, sales reps want to be able to retrieve and enter information quickly when out on a call.

The vendors’ mobile CRM applications are presented in this slideshow of screenshots, capturing the user interfaces from Oracle, SAP and Salesforce.com and Microsoft.

Salesforce.com's mobile CRM user interface

User interfaces: Mobile CRM applications

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User interfaces: CRM-Outlook integration

Outlook is a prized tool for sales reps and working in the preferred email client can increase the success of your CRM implementation. With Outlook being so important, it’s important for the Outlook integration to have an easy to use look and feel. See the user interfaces from Microsoft, SAP, Oracle and Salesforce.com for CRM-Outlook integration application.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM-Outlook integration

The CRM-Outlook integration UIs