Traditional CRMs were rigid platforms which you had to conform around. You would need to think how to fit your processes to a CRM, which is obviously not the ideal.
Since then, CRM platforms have come a long way, and some market leaders are pushing more and more flexible data models that conform to the business, and not the other way around, allowing teams to build increasingly ambitious GTM motions and workflows.
In this article, we run through the 4 top CRMs which have flexible and powerful data models - great picks for teams looking for platforms to build a robust and lasting GTM motion on top of.
4 CRMs with flexible data models to future proof your customer data
1. Salesforce: the classic powerhouse
Salesforce has long been synonymous with CRM and has been around a long time. It perhaps set the standard for data modelling in the CRM space. You can extend core objects like Accounts or Opportunities, or create fresh objects for subscriptions, projects and more.
Salesforce however is notoriously complex to implement and use, often requiring external consultants costing significant sums of money. It is a platform built in an age dominated by paying someone else to build stuff for your team, versus the modern GTM teams of today which more self-sufficient than ever so they can move faster than ever.
Data modelling checklist:
- Standard objects: Includes Account, Contact, Opportunity, Case, Lead and more.
- Custom objects and fields: Model more entities as a first class object with its own fields, record types, page layouts, and permissions, so one org can support multiple products or motions on the same schema.
- Relationships: Use lookup and master detail relationships plus junction objects for many to many links, external objects for data that lives in other systems, and hierarchical account structures for complex territories.
Unique data modelling strengths:
- Apex: Salesforce’s proprietary programming language attached to the data model. Used when the UI config can’t express the logic you need. Specialist language that often requires external help.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Standard objects | Account, Contact, Opportunity, Case, Lead and more. |
| Custom objects | Extend core objects or create new first class objects (for subscriptions, projects and more) with their own fields, record types, page layouts, and permissions so one org can support multiple products or motions. |
| Relationships | Lookup and master-detail relationships, junction objects for many to many links, external objects for data that lives in other systems, and hierarchical account structures for complex territories. |
| Additional strengths | Apex attached to the data model for logic that goes beyond UI config, enabling very advanced customisation (often implemented by specialists or consultants). |
2. Attio: the modern, easy-to-use platform
Attio indexes on two things above all else: flexibility and design. The platform is really well though out, but comes with a huge amount of power and flexibility. It is often compared to Notion. It has a set of standard of objects (People, Companies, Deals and more) that you can extend however you’d like, and full custom object capabilities, letting you model any business with entities like invoices, partnerships, buyers, sellers and whatever else you think of.
Full transparency: Attio is my favourite in this list, because I’ve spent years using Salesforce, and Attio feels like a breath of fresh air, even if it is a bit newer.
Data modelling checklist:
- Standard objects: Pre-built objects for People, Companies, Deals, Workspaces, Users and more.
- Custom objects and fields: Model completely custom entities and their attributes as first class objects with their own views, pipelines and reports. As flexible as you need it to be.
- Rich graph style relationships: Link people, companies, deals, workspaces, and custom objects in a network of fully cusotmizable many to many, one to many, many to one, or one to one relationships.
Unique data modelling strengths:
- Full power in the UI: Attio enables self-serve fully. No logic is hidden away in code, you can build everything you need in the UI, which is easy to use and understand.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Standard objects | Pre-built objects for People, Companies, Deals, Workspaces, Users and more. |
| Custom objects | Completely custom entities and their attributes as first class objects with their own views, pipelines and reports, flexible enough to model invoices, partnerships, buyers, sellers and more. |
| Relationships | Rich, graph style relationships linking people, companies, deals, workspaces and custom objects in fully customisable many to many, one to many, many to one or one to one structures. |
| Additional strengths | All data modelling power exposed in the UI so teams can self-serve without hidden code, making complex modelling easy to understand and quick to iterate. |
3. HubSpot CRM: SMB champion
HubSpot started as a lighter weight CRM, but it has added custom objects, more granular associations, and flexible automation that make it a strong choice for teams that want power without enterprise level complexity.
Data modelling checklist:
- Standard objects: Includes Contacts, Companies and Deals and Tickets, then with certain paid add-ons, Products, Quotes, Payments, Orders and more.
- Custom objects and fields: Ability to model custom objects and their attributes.
- Relationships: Use standard relationship schemas to link standard and custom objects together.
Unique data modelling strengths:
- Full stack integration: Connect marketing, sales, and service datasets with external tools so your logical data model can span multiple systems, while HubSpot keeps a relatively opinionated, easy to understand core schema.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Standard objects | Contacts, Companies, Deals and Tickets, plus (with certain paid add-ons) Products, Quotes, Payments, Orders and more. |
| Custom objects | Support for custom objects and fields so you can model additional entities and their attributes. |
| Relationships | Standard relationship schemas that link standard and custom objects together. |
| Additional strengths | Full stack integration across marketing, sales and service plus external tools, so the logical data model can span multiple systems while the core schema stays opinionated and easy to understand. |
4. Odoo CRM: open source and modular
Odoo is an open source software suite that includes a CRM app. Each of the apps share a data model which adds some nice functionality.
Data modelling checklist:
- Standard objects: Contacts, companies, leads, opportunities, users and activities.
- Custom objects and fields: Define new models via Odoo Studio or custom modules, and to extend any standard model with additional fields.
- Relationships: Use many to one, one to many and many to many relations to connect CRM records.
Unique data modelling strengths:
- Integrated data model between apps: Because CRM sits on the same relational database as finance, operations and support, you can design cross functional workflows, and data transformations without extra “stitching” steps.
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Standard objects | Contacts, companies, leads, opportunities, users and activities. |
| Custom objects | New models defined via Odoo Studio or custom modules, plus the ability to extend any standard model with additional fields. |
| Relationships | Many to one, one to many and many to many relations connecting CRM records. |
| Additional strengths | Shared, integrated data model across all Odoo apps (CRM, finance, operations, support) so you can design cross functional workflows and transformations without extra stitching steps. |