SugarCRM Introduces New Cloud Services and Social Feeds

Cloud Connectors and Sugar Feeds Provide Rich, Immediate Information to SugarCRM Users Module Administration and Portal Dashlets Enhance Usability

Cupertino, Calif. (December 08, 2008) –

SugarCRM Inc., the world’s leading provider of commercial open source customer relationship management (CRM) software, today announced the release of new Cloud Connectors for SugarCRM which allow for company and contact data residing in other cloud environments to be called and presented in SugarCRM, as well as Sugar Feeds which provide a rolling set of notices and alerts based on activity within SugarCRM. These features, as well as new management features for administering modules, will be generally available at the end of this month.

“This new functionality integrates rich business data and social intelligence from the cloud into the familiar SugarCRM user experience,” said John Roberts, CEO of SugarCRM. “These new features provide the immediacy and interaction users expect from web applications.”
Cloud Connectors

SugarCRM Cloud Connectors connect via Web Services to leading third-party data service providers such as Hoover’s, JigSaw and LinkedIn so that users can obtain the most up-to-date account and lead information directly within SugarCRM.

* Cloud Views provide users a simple one-click preview of information retrieved from cloud data providers.
* Data Merge allows users to select data from multiple data providers and merge the latest information into SugarCRM.

For example, when a SugarCRM user views a new lead within SugarCRM, a pop-up “Cloud View” will provide key information about the company to help in the lead qualification process. By selecting from different Cloud Views, the user can see what connections he has at the company via LinkedIn or preview detailed company statistics from Hoover’s. This information can then be imported into SugarCRM with a click of a button through the Data Merge functionality.

Sugar Cloud Connectors utilize a new data services framework that allows for any third party data to be integrated into SugarCRM. Other Cloud Connectors available now include Zoominfo and Crunchbase, which are available for download at Sugar Exchange, SugarCRM’s marketplace for commercial extensions www.sugarexchange.com.
Sugar Feeds

Social Feeds is a Sugar Dashlet on the SugarCRM homepage which provides status, alerts and notifications similar to the functionality found in popular social networking applications such as Facebook. For example, a team member can be alerted when a colleague creates a new sales lead or customer case, or closes a sales opportunity. Team members can also leave status messages regarding the work they are performing. This functionality enhances the ability of teams to stay aligned and to collaborate on shared information.
Module Administration

Sugar Module Administration allows for the delegation of administrative authority of each module of the application. Sugar includes pre-built administrative roles for sales, marketing, support and system administrators. By delegating administration across authorized users, this functionality streamlines the management of the application while ensuring security of administering the application.
Portal Dashlets

Sugar Portal Dashlets allow users to view information from external web sites and applications directly within the SugarCRM instance. Pre-built Dashlets in Sugar Community Edition and Professional will present product and news about SugarCRM directly in the Dashlet on the homepage. The Sugar Portal Dashlets are extensible and can be changed, minimized or shared across users, teams and roles.

To sign-up for a free trial of Sugar Professional, please visit: http://www.sugarcrm.com/crm/ondemand_eval.html.
About SugarCRM

SugarCRM is the world’s leading provider of commercial open source customer relationship management (CRM) software for companies of all sizes. SugarCRM easily adapts to any business environment by offering a more flexible, cost-effective alternative than proprietary applications. SugarCRM’s open source architecture allows companies to more easily customize and integrate customer-facing business processes in order to build and maintain more profitable relationships. SugarCRM offers several deployment options, including on-demand, on-site and appliance-based solutions to suit customers’ security, integration and configuration needs.

For more information, call (408) 454-6900 or 1 87 SUGARCRM tollfree in the US, email contact@sugarcrm.com, or visit http://www.sugarcrm.com.
Media Contacts:

Christine McKeown, Schwartz Communications for SugarCRM
SugarCRM@schwartz-pr.com
415-512-0770

Source: SugarCRM

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