Openbravo's form system allows you to add new rows to the tables holding data about the clients. The forms can automatically enforce standard rules to prevent important data from being left out.

There are no differences in software features between the community edition and the two commercial editions, but you do get "unlimited bug support" and "installation support" with the paid versions. Openbravo will also sell a hosted version that comes with an Oracle license and a server. I'm guessing that many customers will also look at hiring some of the Openbravo developers to help customize the code. This kind of in-house knowledge is often worth the price.

Compiere ERP and CRM: Form-ed for customizationThe Compiere package takes its name from the Italian verb for "accomplish" or "fulfill." It comes with both acronyms, ERP and CRM, indicating that it handles the two jobs pretty well. Like Openbravo, it is a set of database tables built to track customers, products, and the transactions between them. And like SugarCRM it offers a fairly sophisticated set of routines for juggling your customers and reaching out to them.

The Compiere system is built in Java and uses either Oracle or Postgres. Support for any JDBC database is said to be coming eventually. Ports to MySQL, Sybase, and Firebird are said to be in beta now.

The Compiere Web interface is similar to those of Openbravo and Sugar. There's a menu of options for tables, and you can drill down to add new lines to the tables or search for old ones. I floundered for a few minutes before I discovered that it was possible to drill down into subforms, something that's necessary when the database is forcing you to make sure that the client name you put down on an invoice matches a real client in the client table. There are a fair number of AJAX-like features for completing the forms and searching the table, although the tools for filling out the forms seemed easier to use for me. In general, it's a pretty modern interface.