Software development # Custom CRM development We build CRMs around how your organization works. You own the software and the data, and you never pay per seat. Rated 5.0 out of 5,**5.0**61 Google reviews ## When a custom CRM makes sense, and when it doesn't Salesforce, HubSpot and Microsoft Dynamics are the right answer for a lot of organizations, and we'll tell you if one of them fits you. A custom CRM makes sense when the tools you rent no longer match how you work. - ### You pay per seat or per contact If every new hire or client login raises your bill, growth costs you money. When we priced client portals on Airtable, it came to roughly US$10 to $15 a month for every person who needed access. - ### Your staff finish the job in spreadsheets If people export data to do what the CRM can't, the CRM doesn't fit your workflow. - ### Your data is spread across five or more tools When Zapier or Make is the only thing holding your systems together, every change risks breaking something. - ### You need a portal you can't afford to rent Clients or members get their own login to see their work and send requests. Once you own the portal, adding the next person costs nothing extra. - ### When to keep what you have If your team uses the CRM you have and the price is fair for what it does, keep it. We also tell clients to keep renting the hard parts, like accounting and payments. ## What we build into a CRM - ### Contacts, companies and deals One record for every person and organization, with the full history of your work together. - ### Projects and tasks Boards and task lists tied to the client they belong to. - ### Time tracking and invoicing Staff log time against projects, and invoices sync with your accounting software. - ### Client and member portals Your clients log in to see their projects and send you requests. - ### Search across documents and meetings Ask a question and find the answer in your files and meeting notes. - ### Automations and reminders Scheduled jobs handle follow-ups and renewals. ## CRM for nonprofits A nonprofit CRM tracks donors, members and volunteers as people, with every gift and conversation on one record. We build in recurring giving, tax receipts and consent, along with programs, grants, events and board reporting. We connect it to the payment and accounting tools you already use, such as Stripe, Xero and QuickBooks. We can bring in data from your donation platform too. If you also need a new website, see our [nonprofit website design](https://www.papercrane.ca/nonprofit-website-design) page. ## Integrations - Xero - QuickBooks - Gmail - Google Calendar - Google Workspace - Slack - Stripe - Helcim - Documenso - DataForSEO These are some of the tools we've connected CRMs to. If you rely on a tool that isn't here, ask us. We treat accounting sync as core work. Our own platform syncs with Xero every four hours, and MODERNSPEAK's invoices, tax and commission sync both ways with Xero. ## CRMs we've built We've built CRMs for ourselves and for clients. Most are internal tools our clients keep private. - [ ### Paper Crane's own platform We replaced 11 SaaS tools, including HubSpot, Monday, Airtable, Harvest and Zapier, with one system that runs for about $40 a month. Read how we built it](https://www.papercrane.ca/blog/we-built-our-own-crm) - [![SocialNext brand mark on a dark navy backdrop](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/0838mkru/production/aca32bd581997c48896a9f73f08751363be8a5d2-3200x2000.png) ### SocialNext Hundreds of thousands of records moved off Airtable, and about 16 hours of admin saved per event Read the case study](https://www.papercrane.ca/case-studies/socialnext) - [![MODERNSPEAK editorial compass motif on an ivory backdrop](https://cdn.sanity.io/images/0838mkru/production/0e2fdaefa4fb5544b762e4e68f7e6e7bf7b25075-3200x2000.png) ### MODERNSPEAK Tens of thousands of records moved off Airtable, with two-way Xero sync Read the case study](https://www.papercrane.ca/case-studies/modernspeak) ## Moving your data from your current CRM We move your data out of HubSpot, Airtable, Salesforce or spreadsheets and clean up duplicates on the way. You keep using the old system until the new one has been checked against it. For SocialNext we moved hundreds of thousands of records off Airtable with years of history intact. For MODERNSPEAK we moved tens of thousands and kept the workflows the team relied on. ## How much does a custom CRM cost? We give you one fixed price after a short planning session. Before you compare it with a quote, add up what you rent now, including per-seat fees and the hours staff spend working around the gaps. - ### Modules How many parts the CRM needs, from contacts and deals to invoicing and portals. - ### Integrations Each system it connects to, especially accounting. - ### Data migration How much data moves over and how much cleanup it needs. - ### Portal users Whether clients or members log in, and how many. For a market reference, Cleveroad, a development shop that publishes its estimates, prices a small to medium custom CRM at $50,000 to $80,000 built the traditional way. AI coding tools now do a large share of that build work, which puts an owned CRM within reach of smaller organizations. ## Questions about custom CRMs ### How much does a custom CRM cost? We give one fixed price after a short planning session. The price depends on how many modules and integrations you need, and how much data has to move. ### Do we own the code and the data? Yes. You own the code, the data and the accounts it runs on, and there are no per-seat licence fees. ### What happens if the person who built it leaves? Your CRM comes with documentation written so a new developer, or an AI coding tool, can learn the system on day one. It shows where each feature lives and where to look when something breaks. Because you own the code, any developer you hire can pick it up. ### Is a custom CRM secure? Yes. Every user has their own login, and each person only sees the records their role allows. Your data lives in accounts you own. ### Can you take over a CRM someone else built? Yes, depending on what's there and its quality. We review the code and the data first. ### Do you work with organizations outside Calgary? Yes. We work with organizations across North America from our offices in Calgary and Vancouver, and most of the work happens online. ## Talk to us about your CRM Tell us what you're paying for now and the job you wish would do itself. [Get in touch](https://www.papercrane.ca/contact) [(403) 869-2746](tel:+14038692746) 320-999 8 St. SW Calgary, Alberta T2R1J5 --- Source: https://www.papercrane.ca/services/software-development/custom-crm