Could I kindly ask for someone to confirm that my understanding is correct: Frappe CRM is currently in no way integrated with ERPNext. A lead in CRM is something entirely different from a lead in ERPNext and there is no way of converting a CRM lead into an ERPNext customer.
If it can be confirmed that no integration is available today, is this anywhere on the roadmap for CRM?
By the way, while CRM looks really interesting, personally, I would have much preferred if ERPNext would have been extended with the functionality provided by CRM instead of creating a separate app.
Notwithstanding the possibility that the app will be properly integrated with ERPNext, the difference in CRM licensing (AGPL) compared to Frappe (MIT) and ERPNext (GPL) is still tricky. Even if CRM is used internally, as soon as the server can be contacted through a public IP, AGPL requires that any changes to the source code are made public. It’s not always straightforward what counts as a change to the source and for many companies, sharing their changes which may offer a closer look into their workflows and tools, is simply not an option.
Regarding the AGPL license change: I don’t think that a public IP itself triggers the distribution requirement, I think it’s user access across a network. So if your CRM implementation is still only used internally (company employees only, even if it’s across a WAN), I don’t think you need to distribute your source code to any another company. Unless you’re giving that other company access to your CRM as well.
So, CRM will not only be integrated with ERPNext, it will replace the CRM module currently available there. According to the same person, a migration path will be provided.
At least in the longer term, this settles the question how ERPNext and CRM are meant to coexist.
In my view, this makes the question of licensing even more pressing. Because this move basically means that ERPNext users, who wish to keep using the newest version, will be forced to accept the AGPL going forward.
As mentioned, I believe this could lead to an exodus of certain corporate users, or the formation of forks, internal and external. Which IMO is not good for the long term success of ERPNext.
If there is a need for really new, purely independent apps, then license them AGPL for all I care. But something that is so closely related to the functionality in ERPNext should be on the same license IMO.