Business Suite Software
All-in-one business platforms combining multiple functions.
Key Functions
| Function | Description | AI Opportunity |
|---|---|---|
| CRM | Contact and deal management | Data enrichment |
| Marketing | Email, campaigns, automation | Content generation |
| Sales | Pipeline, quotes, forecasting | Prediction |
| Service | Tickets, knowledge base | Auto-resolution |
| Operations | Projects, tasks, workflows | Optimization |
| Finance | Invoicing, basic accounting | Auto-categorization |
| HR | Employee records, time tracking | — |
| Analytics | Cross-functional dashboards | Insights |
| Automation | Workflow triggers across modules | Intelligent routing |
| Collaboration | Docs, chat, shared spaces | Summary generation |
Data Footprint
Core Entities
| Entity | Fields | Volume | Sensitivity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts | name, email, company, custom fields | High | Medium |
| Companies | name, industry, revenue, employees | Medium | Low |
| Deals | value, stage, owner, products | High | Medium |
| Tickets | issue, status, priority, resolution | High | Medium |
| Projects | tasks, milestones, resources | High | Low |
| Invoices | items, amounts, status, payments | Medium | Medium |
| Employees | details, roles, access levels | Low | High |
| Documents | files, versions, permissions | High | Variable |
| Activities | all interactions across modules | Very High | Low |
| Automations | triggers, actions, conditions | Medium | Low |
Integration Points
| System | Data Flow | Direction |
|---|---|---|
| Messages, calendar | Bi-directional | |
| Accounting | Deep sync or replace | Bi-directional |
| Ecommerce | Orders, customers | Bi-directional |
| Phone | Call logging | Inbound |
| Social Media | Engagement, publishing | Bi-directional |
| Website | Forms, tracking | Inbound |
| Advertising | Spend, attribution | Bi-directional |
Data Retention
| Data Type | Typical Retention | Compliance Driver |
|---|---|---|
| Customer records | Indefinite | Business continuity |
| Financial records | 7+ years | Tax/audit |
| Employee records | Employment + 7 years | Employment law |
| Activity logs | 1-3 years | Audit trail |
Evaluation Criteria
| Criteria | Weight | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Module depth | High | Good enough vs best-of-breed |
| Data unification | High | Single customer view |
| Ease of use | High | Team adoption |
| Customization | Medium | Adapt to your process |
| Pricing | Medium | Per-user economics |
| Migration tools | Medium | Getting data in/out |
| API completeness | Medium | When you outgrow modules |
Market Leaders
| Product | Strength | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| HubSpot | Marketing + CRM, ease of use | SMB, inbound-focused |
| Zoho One | Breadth, price | Cost-conscious |
| Salesforce | Ecosystem, enterprise | Large organizations |
| Monday.com | Flexibility, work management | Ops-focused teams |
| Odoo | Open source, modular | Technical teams |
| Midday AI | AI-first, modern | Early adopters |
AI Disruption Potential
| Function | Current State | 2027 Projection |
|---|---|---|
| Data entry | Semi-automated | Zero manual entry |
| Cross-module insights | Basic dashboards | Predictive intelligence |
| Customer 360 | Manual assembly | Real-time synthesis |
| Workflow automation | Rule-based | Intelligent agents |
| Reporting | Query-based | Natural language |
Build vs Buy: Buy for most. The integration between modules is the value. Build only if no suite fits your vertical or you have unusual requirements.