ERPNext

What it is

ERPNext is a 100% open-source ERP built on the Frappe framework, covering accounting, inventory, HR, projects, manufacturing — and a full CRM module with leads, opportunities, quotations, email campaigns, and a sales pipeline. It’s the system of record for companies that want one tool instead of five subscriptions, and it’s used in production by thousands of businesses worldwide.

Everything is metadata-driven, so you can add custom fields, forms, workflows, and reports without forking the code. The API is auto-generated for every document type, which makes integrations straightforward.

Why it kills the SaaS

HubSpot and Salesforce start cheap and end up costing thousands per month once you need pipelines, automation, and more than a handful of seats. ERPNext gives you CRM plus the entire back office — invoicing, stock, payroll — with no per-seat pricing at all. The only cost is the server it runs on, and the official frappe_docker project makes that a one-afternoon job.

Paste this into Claude Code

Set up a self-hosted ERPNext instance on this machine using Docker.

1. Clone https://github.com/frappe/frappe_docker — the official Docker setup for Frappe/ERPNext.
2. Follow its README: copy example.env to .env, set strong passwords for the DB and the ERPNext administrator account, then run `docker compose -f pwd.yml up -d`.
3. Wait for the `create-site` container to finish provisioning, then verify http://localhost:8080 loads the ERPNext login page and sign in as Administrator.
4. Enable the CRM module and show me where leads, opportunities, and the sales pipeline live.
5. Explain the routine for upgrading versions and taking database/backups of the site's volume data.