I’ve just started using SuiteCRM and I’m currently testing version 8.7. While it’s packed with some great features, I’ve been running into a few issues that have made me question whether it might be better for me, as a beginner, to switch to the older but more stable SuiteCRM 7.14.
I’m reaching out to this community to gather your thoughts:
For those of you who have used both versions, which do you prefer?
Do you think SuiteCRM 7.14 is more beginner-friendly, or does it depend on my use case?
Have you found SuiteCRM 8.7 stable enough for everyday use, or is it still a bit too rough around the edges?
Also, has anyone here faced issues migrating back (i.e., downgrading) from SuiteCRM 8.7 to version 7.14? Is it even possible, or would I need to start fresh with 7.14?
Any advice, feedback, or guidance would be greatly appreciated. I’m still learning my way around the platform and trying to figure out the best path forward.
If you need full control then you need to install both versions on the dev server and check. Suitecrm v8.0 and onwards has Angular for front-end. If you’re confident with Angular then you can go ahead with it. But, I guess you will find more topics and support on the v7.x versions on this forum. It also depends on your use case.
If you’re looking for other opinions, I would say stick with V8 at this point. Personally, I really prefer version 7. There are still lots of features not yet developed in V8 and alot of things that just don’t work yet. However, in 12 months, unless something changes, V7 will cease to get any further security updates. So pretty much you either need to be on V8 or have a plan to get there (unless some magical announcement comes that V7 Security updates are continuing past the end of the year).
eventually, it comes down to your CRM evaluation and whether there are any features missing in 8 which you need.
I like the UI in Suite8 much better. And even if there are a few features missing (which are not major parts but rather smaller details) in day to day use cases, working with the new UI will be much more enjoyable for the team.
Most of your posts are around email - here I’d argue, emails are not SuiteCRM strongest suite. If extremely streamlined email handling is top priority for you, maybe you’d better check integration options or alternatives.
If issues pertain to tech / setup / server environment (most of the ones I see here on the forums) are usually just that. Server environment - not SuiteCRM related. Often, these are one time issues during initial setup.
Yes, annoying for a few hours but over 3 - 10 years of CRM usage completely negligible.
Moving from 8 to 7 is probaly a system migration. There is no downgrade path available.
