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All contact managers include a calendar system. And most let you attach a word document, spreadsheet or sales presentation, so you have everything in one place when you are communicating with a customer or prospect. More powerful CRM systems provide tools to improve a company's ability to forecast sales and integrate the sales and marketing function.

You have a choice between software that runs on your desktop or web-based solutions that you can access anywhere. Most solutions let you synchronize your data with a Blackberry or Pocket PC.

With so many options, how do you choose the right contact management software for your needs? Here are some questions to consider before you shop:

1. What functions would you like the system to perform?

2. How many employees need to be able to share the information? A Desktop solution might provide everything you need, but it might be easier for a far-flung sales force to stay current with a web-based solution.

3. Are you using some other system currently?

4. How soon do you need to implement the new system? Some contact management solutions have a steep learning curve or require programming expertise to implement properly.

5. Will you need the contact management system to integrate with your accounting software, Microsoft Outlook, or a data base?

6. Can you customize the system to fit the way your business is organized?