Chapter 13. How to Write Your Systems Specifications Document

Once you have completed your CRM system needs analysis, prioritized your business functional requirements, and defined both your technical features and user friendliness/support requirements, you are now in a position to write your systems specifications document for sending to a qualified short-list of external vendors in the form of a Request For Proposal (RFP) or for use by internal IT personnel.

ISM has devoted an entire chapter to this topic since we feel it is imperative for you to remain in charge of the external vendor process, yet provide sufficient information so that external vendors as well as internal IT personnel are able to customize and deliver to you a system which fulfills your unique set of CRM needs. Additional information about selecting a vendor is provided in the next chapter.