SugarCRM Upgrade Adds Usage Tracking

A new version of the open source customer relationship management solution SugarCRM improves its reporting capabilities and lets managers monitor how it's being used.SugarCRM 5.1 enables users to collect more complex data, including column-oriented data, and present it in a matrix. A revamped wireless interface enables the data to be delivered to iPhones and BlackBerrys.

The new Tracker feature lets users follow which salespeople are using the software and which features they're using most. "Every sales person is an artist," according to SugarCRM CEO John Roberts. "It's best not to put them in front of a computer and expect them to all use it the same way." Tracking individual usage should help managers figure out how to best support their salespeople.InformationWeek