Sometimes he or she will recommend optional components or suggest third party add-ons. Among these are proposal writers, business card readers, configurators, customer service modules, quote systems, sales forecast and management tools, and Web site lead capture systems. Data Mapping Data mapping refers to tracing the path of information flow within an organization. In a customer-centered system, the customer is the initial source of data and the path is traced inward from there. In many ways, SFA is the automation of data flow.
Data maps are useful tools to optimize data flow and, hence, improve communications in a company.
It also shows areas within an organization that are isolated pockets of information and other areas that receive little or no information from the system. Simplifying data paths improves productivity and communication by reducing duplication of effort and improving data delivery. There are many additional processes that can be mapped. In this example, the Accounting System, the Customer Service Application, and the Sales Force Automation Application have all been integrated so that data can flow among all of them. The two way dataflow between accounting and sales allows the sales force to generate quotes and lets accounting invoice and track payment without additional keying of contact records.