The product is targeted at SMEs and includes various CRM modules such as lead management and security management. The security module allows administrators to define the roles of team members and to restrict access to the modules according to each user's role.
Govind Pattabi, product manager of vTiger, told ZDNet UK that vTiger is based on the code of SugarCRM 1.0 and includes various additional features, such as an Outlook plug-in. The SugarCRM open source licence permits other companies to redistribute the software.
Talkback
When you write that "SugarCRM open source license permits other companies to redistribute the software" don't forget that there is a fight between SugarCRM and vTiger about that.
SugarCRM say that vTiger is using their technology without having payed for its development.
If you have to choose an open source CRM software you really have to compare deeply these two solutions. SugarCRM is actually in version 2.X with a lot more functions than version 1.0 used by vTiger.
Check our web site in french about professional open source solutions http://www.progilibre.com for more information.
SUGARCRM PUBLIC LICENSE Version 1.1.2, under which SugarCRM 1 was released, allowed the project to be forked. Version 1.1.3 that was brought in after the vTiger launch changed so that a “Powered by SugarCRM” logo must be included in future forks.
vTiger are actively enhancing the base version with improvements such as the Outlook plug-in. Because vTiger is a completely OS project there is no conflict determining what functionality to include in a free or paid for application and can integrate other OS projects without any ramifications.
The vTiger community is growing extremely rapidly and think that this project is going to become very large.
An interesting story that I wrote explaining the events following the vTiger release can be found at <url>http://linuxtoday.com/developer/2004121301926OPSWDV</url>.
The new release of Vtiger has a lot more features. Here are examples:
1. Office Integration: Save your word templates in the vtiger database and access them from anywhere and create mails and mail merges.
2. Outlook and Thunderbird integration: synchronise your Mails, Tasks, Meetings, Contacts with your Mail Client.
3. Calendaring
4. Product management
And all those features are for free. There is no "Professional" edition for which you have to pay!!
Be aware of this and try out Vtiger - you'll be impressed!
regards Fredy
Plus, vTiger offers role based security which totally lacks on the OS version on SugarCRM