Insightly CRM: A Complete Guide for SMBs
For small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), customer relationships and efficient workflows are the cornerstones of sustainable growth.
Without the right tools, managing sales pipelines, tracking leads, and overseeing projects can quickly become overwhelming. This is where Insightly, a leading project management CRM, comes in.
Unlike traditional CRMs that focus exclusively on sales, Insightly combines customer data management with workflow automation and built-in project management features.
This makes it an all-in-one solution for businesses that want to manage the entire customer journey—from lead acquisition to post-sale delivery—within a single platform.
In this article, we’ll dive into everything you need to know about Insightly, including its key features, benefits, use cases, pricing, integrations, and how it compares to alternative SMB CRM tools.
What is Insightly?
Insightly is a cloud-based CRM designed for SMBs and growing companies that need more than just a contact database. It combines:
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Sales pipeline management to track deals from prospect to close.
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Workflow automation to streamline repetitive tasks.
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Customer data management for a centralized 360-degree view of contacts.
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Project management CRM features to deliver on customer promises after closing deals.
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Reporting dashboards to measure sales performance and business KPIs.
By bridging CRM and project management, Insightly ensures that teams can not only win deals but also successfully execute and deliver projects for customers.
Key Features of Insightly
1. Sales Pipeline Management
Insightly provides a visual sales pipeline that helps sales teams track opportunities through customizable stages.
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Drag-and-drop deals across stages.
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Assign opportunities to specific team members.
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Monitor win probability and projected revenue.
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Access deal history for better decision-making.
This feature helps SMBs forecast sales and maintain visibility over the health of their pipeline.
2. Workflow Automation
Repetitive tasks can slow down growing businesses. With Insightly’s workflow automation tools, companies can set up rules to:
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Automatically assign leads with lead routing.
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Send personalized follow-up emails.
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Trigger tasks when a deal moves stages.
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Update customer records in real time.
This ensures that no opportunity slips through the cracks while reducing manual effort.
3. Customer Data Management
At its core, Insightly is about centralizing customer data.
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Store detailed contact profiles with custom fields.
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Track communication history across email, phone, and meetings.
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Map relationships between contacts, organizations, and deals.
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Maintain a 360-degree customer view for sales, marketing, and project teams.
This feature enables businesses to deliver personalized, consistent customer experiences.
4. Project Management CRM
One of Insightly’s biggest differentiators is its project management CRM functionality. Unlike most CRMs that stop at deal closure, Insightly allows businesses to:
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Convert closed deals directly into projects.
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Manage project milestones, tasks, and deadlines.
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Assign resources and monitor progress.
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Track post-sale delivery alongside customer data.
This integration ensures that customer promises don’t end with a signed contract—they’re followed through to completion.
5. Lead Routing
Insightly uses lead routing rules to ensure prospects are assigned to the right salespeople.
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Distribute leads based on geography, industry, or team workload.
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Improve response times with automated lead assignments.
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Maximize sales opportunities by ensuring every lead gets immediate attention.
For SMBs, where resources are often limited, this feature helps optimize sales productivity.
6. Insightly Integrations
Modern businesses rely on multiple tools, and Insightly makes it easy to connect with them.
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Productivity tools: Google Workspace, Microsoft 365.
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Marketing platforms: Mailchimp, ActiveCampaign.
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Finance: QuickBooks, Xero.
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Collaboration: Slack, Asana.
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Automation: Zapier (to connect with 5,000+ apps).
These Insightly integrations allow businesses to keep data synchronized across systems, eliminating silos and manual data entry.
7. Reporting Dashboards
Tracking performance is critical for SMBs. Insightly offers customizable reporting dashboards that provide insights into:
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Sales performance by team or individual.
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Lead conversion rates and pipeline velocity.
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Project timelines and completion rates.
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Revenue forecasts and business KPIs.
With both standard and advanced reporting, managers can make data-driven decisions that improve outcomes.
Benefits of Using Insightly for SMBs
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All-in-One CRM + Project Management: Businesses can manage sales and project delivery in the same platform.
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Time Savings Through Automation: Workflow automation eliminates repetitive tasks.
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Improved Customer Relationships: Centralized customer data management leads to personalized interactions.
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Scalability: Designed for SMBs but flexible enough to grow with larger organizations.
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Better Collaboration: Sales, marketing, and project teams work off the same system.
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Enhanced Decision-Making: Reporting dashboards provide actionable insights.
Insightly Pricing Plans
Insightly offers tiered pricing that suits businesses of different sizes:
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Plus Plan ($29/user/month): Basic CRM with lead routing, pipeline management, and task tracking.
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Professional Plan ($49/user/month): Adds workflow automation, advanced reporting dashboards, and integrations.
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Enterprise Plan ($99/user/month): Customizable features, permissions, and enterprise-grade support.
There’s also a free trial available, allowing businesses to test features before committing.
Insightly vs. Alternative CRM Software
While Insightly is powerful, it’s important to see how it stacks up against other SMB CRM solutions.
1. HubSpot CRM
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Strengths: Free forever plan, strong marketing automation.
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Pricing: Free basic plan; paid sales hub starts at $45/month.
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Best For: SMBs with a focus on inbound marketing.
2. Zoho CRM
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Strengths: Affordable, highly customizable, strong workflow automation.
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Pricing: Starts at $14/user/month.
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Best For: Cost-conscious SMBs that want flexibility.
3. Pipedrive
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Strengths: Simple, visual sales pipeline; intuitive UI.
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Pricing: Starts at $14.90/user/month.
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Best For: SMBs seeking straightforward sales pipeline management.
4. Salesforce Essentials
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Strengths: Robust ecosystem, enterprise-level customization.
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Pricing: $25/user/month.
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Best For: Growing businesses planning to scale to enterprise needs.
5. Freshsales (Freshworks CRM)
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Strengths: AI-driven lead scoring, built-in phone system, affordable pricing.
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Pricing: Free plan available; paid plans start at $15/user/month.
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Best For: SMBs looking for sales automation and AI insights.
Use Cases of Insightly
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Professional Services Firms: Manage client projects directly after closing deals.
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Consultancies: Use workflow automation to streamline client onboarding.
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E-commerce Businesses: Track leads, manage repeat customers, and monitor campaigns.
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Construction Companies: Convert deals into projects with timelines and resource allocation.
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SMBs: Use as a centralized SMB CRM for customer data, sales, and delivery.
Why Choose Insightly Over Competitors?
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Unique Project Management CRM: Most competitors stop at sales; Insightly covers post-sale delivery.
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Flexible Workflow Automation: Automates tasks across sales and projects.
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Seamless Lead Routing: Ensures every lead gets assigned and followed up.
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Rich Integrations: From G Suite to Slack, Insightly connects with critical SMB tools.
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Scalable Pricing: Plans that grow with your business.
For SMBs that want both CRM and project management in a single system, Insightly is one of the best options available.
Conclusion
As SMBs strive to build stronger customer relationships and deliver consistent results, they need more than just a CRM—they need a solution that manages both sales pipelines and project delivery.
Insightly fills this gap by offering a powerful project management CRM that combines customer data management, workflow automation, lead routing, and reporting dashboards.
With flexible pricing and extensive Insightly integrations, it stands out as one of the most complete SMB CRM solutions in the market.
Compared to alternatives like HubSpot, Zoho, and Salesforce, Insightly’s biggest strength lies in its ability to bridge sales and project management, ensuring businesses can win deals and deliver on their promises without juggling multiple tools.
For SMBs looking to streamline operations, boost sales productivity, and improve customer satisfaction, Insightly is a reliable, all-in-one platform that grows with your business.