Dolibarr is a powerful, open-source ERP and CRM system that is gaining popularity among small to mid-sized businesses. Its modular nature, user-friendly interface, and flexibility make it especially useful for businesses looking to streamline operations without investing in expensive or overly complex systems.

One of Dolibarr's most commonly used functions is its ability to manage customer relationships and sales processes. If you're new to Dolibarr or just getting started with its CRM and sales features, this guide is for you. We'll walk you through the essential modules, how to set them up, and how to use them effectively to manage your leads, convert them into customers, and keep your sales organized.

What Is Dolibarr CRM and Sales Module?

Dolibarr’s CRM (Customer Relationship Management) and Sales modules allow businesses to manage everything from contact information and sales pipelines to quotations, orders, and invoices. These modules help companies centralize customer data, track communications, streamline sales processes, and gain insight into business performance.

Key features include:

• Contact and customer management

• Lead tracking and qualification

• Opportunity management

• Quotation and order generation

• Invoice management

• Task and event scheduling

• Email integration and follow-ups

These tools are integrated seamlessly with other Dolibarr features such as stock management, accounting, and project management, making it a unified solution for running your business.

Setting Up the CRM and Sales Modules

When you first install Dolibarr, you will need to activate the necessary modules to use the CRM and Sales functionalities.

Step 1: Enable Modules

Go to Home > Setup > Modules and activate the following:

• Third Parties (required for customers and prospects)

• Commercial Proposals

• Customer Orders

• Customer Invoices

• Agenda (for meetings, calls, follow-ups)

• Emailing (optional but useful for campaigns)

You can also activate additional modules like Projects, Tasks, and Bank/Cash to extend your sales operations.

Step 2: Configure Default Settings

Under Setup > Modules > Commercial, set your default payment terms, VAT rules, and document numbering schemes. Doing this ensures that your sales documents are consistent and legally compliant.

Step 3: Create User Roles and Permissions

Define who can access which parts of your CRM. For example, sales staff should be able to manage contacts, create proposals, and convert them to orders or invoices, but not necessarily access financial or HR data.

Managing Contacts and Leads

In Dolibarr, the “Third Parties” module handles everything related to customers, suppliers, and prospects.

Adding a New Lead or Prospect

1. Go to Third Parties > New Third Party

2. Select the type: Prospect, Customer, or both

3. Enter company or individual name, contact details, and other relevant information

4. Assign a sales representative if applicable

You can categorize your leads using tags, customer types, industries, and geographic zones. This helps in filtering and segmenting your CRM data.

Managing Contacts

Each third party can have multiple associated contacts. This is useful when dealing with departments or multiple people at a client company.

You can:

• Assign roles (e.g., Decision Maker, Technical Contact)

• Add personal details

• Send emails directly from the contact card

• Track communications and interactions

Using Opportunities and the Sales Pipeline

Though Dolibarr doesn’t have a traditional drag-and-drop Kanban pipeline view (as seen in other CRM platforms), it still offers robust opportunity management.

Creating an Opportunity

While Dolibarr does not use the word “Opportunity” as a separate module, you can simulate pipeline stages using:

• Tags or custom fields

• Commercial Proposals as stages in the pipeline (draft, validated, signed, refused)

Each proposal acts as a potential deal. You can assign expected closing dates, probability of closing, and forecasted revenue.

Tracking the Pipeline

Use filters and status views to track deals by stage. For example, filter proposals by “status = draft” to see early-stage opportunities.

You can also generate reports under Commercial > Statistics or use custom dashboards via the Dolibarr DoliPlus add-on or third-party modules.

Creating and Sending Proposals

Proposals (also called quotations) are central to the sales process. Dolibarr makes it easy to generate and manage them.

Steps to Create a Proposal

1. Go to Commercial > Proposals > New Proposal

2. Select the customer or prospect

3. Add line items (products or services)

4. Define discounts, VAT, and payment terms

5. Save and validate the proposal

Customizing PDF Templates

Under Setup > Modules > PDF, choose the template you want (e.g., Crabe, Azur) and add your company logo, footer, and branding. You can generate a preview and email it to the client directly.

Converting Proposals to Orders and Invoices

Once a proposal is accepted:

1. Click Create Order from the proposal view

2. Validate the order

3. When the order is fulfilled, click Create Invoice

Each stage preserves history, which helps in tracking the lifecycle of a sale from lead to payment.

You can also:

• Generate packing slips

• Link to stock movements (if inventory is enabled)

• Record partial or full payments

Task and Agenda Management

Dolibarr includes an Agenda module to help you schedule:

• Follow-up calls

• Meetings

• Proposal deadlines

• Contract renewals

Tasks can be assigned to team members and linked to third parties or specific deals. You can view them in:

• Calendar format

• List view

• Weekly agenda

With email integration, reminders can be sent automatically.

Automating Sales and Email Campaigns

For startups and small businesses with limited staff, automation is key. Dolibarr includes tools to help:

Email Templates

Create reusable email templates for:

• Welcome messages

• Proposal follow-ups

• Payment reminders

Templates can pull data fields like customer name, invoice number, and due date automatically.

Emailing Module

You can create simple bulk email campaigns using filters like:

• Customer segment

• Last contact date

• Region or language

While not as advanced as dedicated email marketing tools, it’s sufficient for basic outreach.

Reporting and Analytics

Understanding your performance is critical. Dolibarr offers built-in reports for:

• Proposal conversion rates

• Sales by product/service

• Revenue per customer

• Unpaid invoices

• Sales per user or territory

Export reports to CSV or PDF and use them in Excel or Google Sheets for further analysis.

You can also install advanced modules for:

• Graphical dashboards

• KPIs

• Profitability analysis

Best Practices for CRM Success with Dolibarr

Here are some practical tips to get the most from Dolibarr’s CRM and sales tools:

1. Clean data is crucial – Avoid duplicate contacts and always update statuses.

2. Use tags wisely – Segment customers by need, location, or size.

3. Keep follow-ups timely – Use the Agenda module to never miss a task.

4. Standardize templates – Use consistent formats for emails, proposals, and invoices.

5. Review performance monthly – Make decisions based on real data.

6. Backup regularly – If you self-host, ensure your data is backed up frequently.

7. Train your team – A short onboarding session can save hours of confusion later.

Conclusion

Dolibarr offers a surprisingly robust CRM and sales management system for a free, open-source platform. Whether you're just starting or managing an established small business, its modular design, ease of use, and practical tools make it a smart choice.

By following this beginner’s guide, you’ll be able to:

• Centralize your customer information

• Track leads and opportunities

• Generate professional proposals and invoices

• Automate your follow-ups

• Analyze your sales performance

With Dolibarr, you don’t need a massive budget or a team of IT experts to run an efficient sales operation. All you need is a plan, some basic setup, and the discipline to use it consistently.

Start simple, grow smart—Dolibarr is built for it.