Installing Sage CRM

Before you begin

  • Make sure the computer on which you plan to install Sage CRM meets the Sage CRM 2023 R1 Hardware and Software Requirements published on the Sage CRM Help Center.

  • Use a dedicated SQL Server user for Sage CRM rather than the sa user. Alternatively, ensure there's a back-up user with the same privileges as sa in SQL Server. Both measures prevent access issues if the sa account gets locked out of Sage CRM.

  • Configure your firewall to allow Sage CRM access your Microsoft SQL Server.

  • If you're deploying Sage CRM and Microsoft SQL Server on separate computers, you must install Microsoft SQL Client Tools on the Sage CRM server so that it can connect to Microsoft SQL Server.

Steps to install Sage CRM

Install only one Sage CRM instance per server. Sage doesn't support configurations where two or more Sage CRM instances are installed on the same server.
  1. Run Setup.exe and click Install Sage CRM. Step through the wizard.
  2. On the License Agreement step, review and accept the software license agreement.
  3. On the User Details step, enter the company names and your license key.

    You cannot register your license key more than five times. If you need to do so, contact your business partner.

  4. Specify the database server on which you want to host the Sage CRM database. The database server must comply with the Sage CRM 2023 R1 Hardware and Software Requirements published on the Sage CRM Help Center.

    You can select one of the following options:

    • Connect to Microsoft SQL Server. In the next steps, the Setup prompts you to specify an existing SQL Server on which to create the Sage CRM database. The SQL Server must have a case insensitive collation. Binary or case-sensitive collations are not supported.
    • Connect to a Microsoft Azure SQL solution. In the next steps, the Setup prompts you to specify an existing Azure SQL server on which to create the Sage CRM database.

      You cannot use the Sage CRM Setup to select an existing database in Microsoft Azure SQL. Also the Setup does not support migrating data from an on-premise Microsoft SQL Server database to Microsoft Azure SQL.

    • Install and use Microsoft SQL Server Express. In the next steps, the Setup prompts you to install Microsoft SQL Server Express supplied in the Sage CRM installation package. For information on the SQL Server Express sa account password, instance name, and port number, see the Sage CRM 2023 R1 Hardware and Software Requirements.
  5. On the Installation name step, enter a name for your Sage CRM installation.

    We recommend that you use the default installation name: CRM. If you enter an alternative name, ensure it does not contain blank spaces. IIS looks in the default location for the Sage CRM home page.

    Do not use extended characters in the installation path or folder name, because they are not supported. To use extended characters, you must implement a workaround, such as running Tomcat as a service using the .NET tool RunAsService. This is an open source tool (http://runasservice.sourceforge.net) which registers a .NET Windows service that's configured to run any executable.

  6. On the Choose Destination Location, specify the location where you want the Setup to create Sage CRM program files.

  7. On the Database Server Login step, complete the following options:  
    • Database Server. Specify the database server on which you want the Sage CRM Setup to create a database.

      To specify an on-premise SQL Server, enter its name or IP address.

      To specify an Azure SQL server, enter its fully qualified domain name, for example: myserver.database.windows.net.

    • Port Number. Enter the port number on which you want Sage CRM to connect to the database server.
    • Initial Database Size (MB) (applies to on-premise SQL Server only). Enter the initial size for the database to be created and its log files. By default, the database size will grow beyond the specified initial size as required until no free disk space remains. If you want to specify the maximum database size, you need to use SQL Server Management Studio.
    • Login ID. Enter the user name representing the SQL Server or Azure SQL account under which Sage CRM will create and access its database on the database server.
    • Password. Enter the password for the user name specified in Login ID.
  8. On the Select Setup type step, specify whether you want to add demo data to the Sage CRM database being created.

    The demo data includes sample companies, leads, opportunities, cases, solutions, communications, people, territories, users, campaigns, and workflows. If you don't include demo data, you get sample workflows only.

  9. On the Select install add-ons step, specify whether you want to install a sample self-service support website.
  10. On the Default Currency step, specify a default currency for the Sage CRM installation.

    The default currency is displayed in a read-only format against all currency type fields in Sage CRM. If your implementation deals with multiple currencies, this forms the Base Currency against which all other currencies are calculated. If your default currency is not in the list, click New. Add the currency name and internationally recognized code and click OK. For example, Norwegian Krone and NOK. The new currency is added to the list.

  11. On the HTTP Protocol and Proxy settings step, select whether you want to use HTTPS or proxy.
    • If you select Use HTTPS for Sage CRM connections, you must manually add a server certificate on the web server (IIS) used by Sage CRM and create an HTTPS binding for the CRM site. For more information, see How To Set Up an HTTPS Service in IIS.
      After you enable HTTPS, update the HTTPPort and OutlookPort entries in the Custom_Sysparams table in Sage CRM with the port you configured in the HTTPS binding settings.
    • If you select Use proxy for Internet access, enter the proxy server address and port and authentication details.
  12. On the Analytics License Agreement step, opt in or out of web analytics.

    Web analytics does not collect any personally identifiable information. Rather, web analytics collects data on how Sage CRM user interface elements are used. By opting into web analytics, you can help make Sage CRM better.

  13. On the Start Copying Files step, review the installation settings and then complete the wizard.

    Agree to stop IIS if prompted so.

    Make sure the time zone set in Sage CRM matches the time zone set in Windows on the computer where Sage CRM is installed. For instructions, see Setting time zone.