How do You Manage GTD with CRM & Team Projects?

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martin.griffiths

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Hi All,

I've been trying to implement my personal GTD system, but I've been running into problems with many duplicated tasks.

I run a small software business, so I have a sales and development team. We use a CRM for the sales team & I have tasks assigned to me in there. We use another tool for team software development & I get some tasks assigned to me from there.

How do you handle situations like this? Do you double up i.e. look what tasks are in the CRM, then add them to your GTD system, then mark done in both systems? This seems a massive pain! Or just exclude those tasks from GTD? Easier, but then it's difficult to get a full picture of your incoming tasks.

Thanks,

Martin
 
I have this too, very similar. One thing that helped is we switched software at work to a custom developed solution (but affordable not expensive called Quick Base) which allowed us to combine CRM and Project Management into One

But I still have duplicity. I have a calendar set for every work day as I call it "Workday Startup" and as part of that I process any tasks on my project management to do list. Since I am at the executive level most of the time it is an approval and I can knock them out quickly. Otherwise if they are longer sometimes I do duplicate it them but I dont put the detail in my GTD system I just refer to my other system
 
Hi John & Ivan,

Thanks for the input, both really helpful.

From reading the blog post, I think for now, I'll continue to duplicate tasks in both systems, as the big benefit of GTD for me is a single place with all tasks to help me choose what to do next.

Quick Base looks interesting, but I don't want to make a change in CRM & Project Management right now (currently using Pipedrive CRM & Jira for software). However, that got me thinking that I could use Zapier to sync my tasks e.g. Task assigned to me in CRM -> Create task in my GTD task manager.

Thanks!

Martin
 
martin.griffiths said:
How do you handle situations like this? Do you double up i.e. look what tasks are in the CRM, then add them to your GTD system, then mark done in both systems? This seems a massive pain! Or just exclude those tasks from GTD? Easier, but then it's difficult to get a full picture of your incoming tasks.
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I think your CRM tasks list should be treated like an email inbox. Some CRM items will be doable in 2-minutes (no need for duplication), some will be duplicated as Next Actions, and some will become Projects.
 
We've been struggling with this for years because our work is mostly ticket-based.

Our techs, managers, and sales people live in our ticket management system 8 hours a day. The techs can perform all of the actions within the system (it's the list AND the tool), and managers and sales people have it open all the time. They treat it as a specialized Context list and are, in essence, time blocked to be working in that Context List for their full workday. Anything that is NOT a ticket, goes into their outside system of choice (admin and personal tasks only).

The Admin team (me and two others) almost never have tickets, so when we do receive one, we duplicate it into our regular Context lists.
 
My suggestion would be to make sure you’ve checked whether the “next actions” in the CRM really are next actions as GTD defines it.

What usually ends up getting called “actions” for teams and on a company level are not really next actions, but tasks.

For example, suppose I am tasked within my company’s system to write and send a report. The “action” in the company system may say something like “Peter B: write & send report to client”. However, is that an actual, physical, visible next action, as GTD defines it?

Let’s suppose that, in order to write that report, I need to access some historic documents in an archive, and in order to get into that archive, I need a password. I wrote that password in a notebook that I keep on my desk. It’s not there. I know my wife did some tidying in my office space because we had people coming to view the house, so she might have put the notebook in an unhelpful place.

So, my real next action is “@wife: check if she’s moved my notebook”.

..... do you think that needs to go into the CRM!!!? Of course not. That next physical step is purely private and only needs to be known by me, and yet it is an essential next action for the task of writing and sending the report.

So that’s what I’d be curious about: how many “actions” in the CRM are real next actions?

It might be best, if not that many, to think of the CRM as project support material for the tasks which are clarified, and as an inbox for anything else which isn’t.
 
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PeterByrom said:
My suggestion would be to make sure you’ve checked whether the “next actions” in the CRM really are next actions as GTD defines it.
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Peter, thank you. Your reply demonstrates a solid understanding of GTD (what is really a granular next action) and empathy for those who are straddling a CRM and their separate, granular GTD systems. It also points to how it's challenging for a team to implement GTD until each individual implements GTD. Nonetheless, individuals on a team can fully implement GTD even if their colleagues do not. Those individuals are the ones who are raising the team consciousness and adding value to the organization.
 
John Forrister said:
Peter, thank you. Your reply demonstrates a solid understanding of GTD (what is really a granular next action) and empathy for those who are straddling a CRM and their separate, granular GTD systems. It also points to how it's challenging for a team to implement GTD until each individual implements GTD. Nonetheless, individuals on a team can fully implement GTD even if their colleagues do not. Those individuals are the ones who are raising the team consciousness and adding value to the organization.
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Some companies like David Allen Company, Basecamp, or Nozbe are built on the GTD foundation. There are no "colleagues that do not". There are no vague emails - just tasks with comments passed within the task management application and obligatory Weekly Reviews (in Nozbe on Friday).
 
One approach you might consider is integrating your systems if possible. Look into tools or plugins that allow you to sync tasks between your CRM and project management tool. This could streamline your workflow and reduce the need for manual duplication.
 
Back when I was in a similar boat, I found that simplicity was key. Instead of doubling up on tasks or excluding them altogether, I opted for a middle ground. I integrated tasks from our CRM directly into my GTD system, making sure to streamline the process as much as possible. It took some tinkering, but eventually, I found a rhythm that worked for me.
 
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Hi all,
I struggle with that since many years. I am very interested by a CRM. I am I, realestate. I tried pipedrive but the result was poor. I need something cheap simple and efficient which could work with omnifocus may be with Zapier. Do you have any ideas for me ? best regards
 
martin.griffiths said:
Hi All,

I've been trying to implement my personal GTD system, but I've been running into problems with many duplicated tasks.

I run a small software business, so I have a sales and development team. We use a CRM for the sales team & I have tasks assigned to me in there. We use another tool for team software development & I get some tasks assigned to me from there.

How do you handle situations like this? Do you double up i.e. look what tasks are in the CRM, then add them to your GTD system, then mark done in both systems? This seems a massive pain! Or just exclude those tasks from GTD? Easier, but then it's difficult to get a full picture of your incoming tasks.

Thanks,
Click to expand...
It seems you're navigating the complexities of task management across multiple systems, which can be quite a challenge. Here’s a refined approach that could help in streamlining your processes:

Understanding CRM and Its Proper Use​

CRM, or Customer Relationship Management, is designed to manage all aspects of a company's interactions with its customers, particularly focusing on sales and service-related activities. It's essential that tasks related to commercial operations and customer interactions reside within the CRM. However, customer technical queries, issues, and complaints should ideally be housed in a dedicated ticketing system like Zendesk…, unless your CRM is equipped with robust ticket management capabilities as a separate module.

Establishing Clear SOPs​

To enhance clarity and efficiency in using your CRM, establish Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and working instructions. These should specify what types of tasks are to be entered into the CRM, how they should written (GTD NA?), be assigned to the appropriate team members, and the methods for tracking their progress to completion. This clarity will ensure that every team member knows their responsibilities and how to execute them effectively.

Leveraging Technology for Integration​

To minimize the manual handling of tasks across systems, consider using integration tools such as Zapier, Integromat, or Microsoft Power Automate. These can automate the flow of tasks between your CRM, ticketing system, your GTD ecosystem and other tools, ensuring that updates in one platform are reflected across all others.
For more tailored needs, API connectivity can be utilized to build custom integrations. The rise of 'low code / no code' platforms allows even those with minimal coding skills to create the functionalities needed to streamline their workflows.
For those with programming expertise or eager to build themselves, ChatGPT shines in helping coding for leveraging APIs with Python scripts (can be many other coding languages) to provide powerful custom solutions.
 
TesTeq said:
I think your CRM tasks list should be treated like an email inbox. Some CRM items will be doable in 2-minutes (no need for duplication), some will be duplicated as Next Actions, and some will become Projects.
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Thank you for your comment. I have also been struggling with this concept, and my thinking was drifting in the direction of yours, but the way you put that so concisely just solidified for me that this is the right approach.
 
Managing GTD with CRM and team projects can be a real juggle, right? Here’s my take on it: I’ve been using Acumatica and Jira integration, and it’s been a game-changer for me.

With Acumatica handling the CRM side, I can keep all client info and interactions in one spot, super handy for staying on top of follow-ups and next steps. Then, there's Jira for team projects—it’s like my second brain for tracking tasks and deadlines. Plus, the integration between the two? Seamless.

For GTD purists, it might seem like a lot to handle, but once you get the hang of it, it’s smooth sailing. How about you all? How are you managing the GTD-CRM-team project trio? Let’s swap tips and tricks!
 
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@kathleentnorris how are you using JIRA? I looked through all of the implementation guides and it seems they have everything but JIRA. I use Outlook for email with the JIRA plug-in so I can create a task/ticket or send the email to the task/ticket which I think is the beauty of any task management system. I wish MS To Do had it so I might use that. I might use OneNote as well, but to save the email as a file and then attach it sort of defeats the speed aspect. For Personal, I use Todoist. There is no way I would want my business know to anyone at my company. Any thoughts here from you or anyone else would be appreciated. Thx!
 
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