I have dabbled with various open source packages and products in the past and have tailored them to suit my needs.
Recently, I had an idea to create a case management website to manage code enforcement cases. I googled open source products and stumbled on SuiteCRM.
It’s not exactly set up to do what I want, but it certainly looks like I can repurpose the SugarCRM to do exactly what I’m wanting.
Hello Jerry,
code enforcement as in Code enforcement - Wikipedia ?
In which context specifically?
Basically, it might be possible - depending on your requirements.
I’ve used the CRM for projects, where a structure was needed, but it wasn’t around sales and marketing.
Website sounds more like Drupal.
The fundamental difference here would be, SuiteCRM would usually be used for an internal team of a couple / dozens of users.
A website (for instance built with Drupal) would be more for the public / non logged in user.
If you outline your requirements and processes a bit, I could tell you whether SuiteCRM is a good fit or not.
Hey, Bastian! Please forgive my stereotypical American arrogance. I often forget the internet is world-wide, and my post was made on the assumption everybody would know what Code Enforcement is/does as it pertains to the US.
Code Enforcement in the US is very transactional. For the sake of this discussion, I will pick a single common code violation: the grass is too high.
I drive around and make notes of all addresses in my city that needs the lawn mowed. I fill out a “courtesy” slip letting the resident know the grass needs to be mowed within five days or a citation will be issued.
There are several important factors to consider: First, I need to track who and when I issue a “courtesy” slip. If I come back and issue a citation four days later instead of five, then I’m not following proper procedure. Second, I need to ensure I’m not issuing “courtesy” slips or citations to the same resident for a single violation. Lastly, I need to see who I’m having to continuously issue to the “courtesy” slips to, because eventually, they’ll stop getting courtesy slips and just get a citation.
Code Enforcement, as done by law enforcement officers, just means the police issue a citation. “Cite it and Forget it”… and that creates undue hostility between the citizens and the municipality. Voluntary compliance is the goal.
As you probably know, we Americans LOVE our cars! There are people who hoard junk cars with the pipe dream of “I’ll fix it up one day”. That’s fine and good if you live in the country, but inside a municipality, those junk vehicles are eye sores. There’s a process a municipality has to go through to get rid of a junk vehicle… 10 days notice, a hearing, having the vehicle towed, and filing the proper paperwork with the state to have the title cancelled.
There’s even a process to tear down dilapidated houses and structures, then filing a lien against the property so the city can recoup the expenses of cleaning up the property.
Having templates and “accounts” in SuiteCRM to track the whole process, I think, would work out just fine… I just have to build the modules to reflect abatements instead of sales. 
SuiteCRM is very versatile. I have a use case where I run an online school with it, where contacts are students and a custom module for classes and evaulations. I think SuiteCRM could be used for your needs quite well.
Yes, that sounds entirely possible with SuiteCRM.
Check out the mobile version as well. It’ll work quite smooth when you’re in the field.
Addresses could be the contacts - but I assume, you don’t have a last name for all of them? In that case you can set the last name to n/a or similar for later enrichment.
The courtesy slip could be cases, then you can stay close to the standard structure of the CRM and things are easier.
How would you print those slips out?
Some mobile label printer?
By default, only some modules allow for PDF templates and the templates are usually tailored towards US / A4 size paper.
What I’ve done before is, created a label printer size with https://tcpdf.org/ and using the Suite API to retrieve the data.
Would work via some custom code with a button inside your courtesy slip module as well.
@BastianHammer @CodeEnforcement ,
Sounds like something cases/etc could deal with, you could add a photo of the slip to the case and set up workflow to schedule the followup in five days to go and check. Attach an address to the case (if you do not have their name) and track Open cases before filling out a duplicate case, you can add/status fields so you know the progress and if its a new/old or in progress case.
Set a “type of case” ie lawn violation, junk car type etc to trigger the different workflows required.
I have customised Suite to do a variety of things that are very similar to your scenario DM me if you want more info.
Regards
Mark