How to Build a Custom CRM Without Writing a Single Line of Code
Introduction: Why Build Your Own CRM?
Off-the-shelf CRM solutions like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive are powerful, but they come with significant trade-offs:
- High costs: Enterprise CRMs can run $50-300 per user per month
- Feature overwhelm: 80% of features you’ll never use
- Rigid workflows: You adapt to the software, not the other way around
- Complex implementation: Weeks or months to set up properly
What if you could build a CRM that perfectly matches your workflow, costs a fraction of the price, and takes just a weekend to set up?
With today’s no-code tools, you absolutely can. I’ve built custom CRMs for three different businesses, and I’ll show you exactly how.
No-Code CRM: The Building Blocks
Before we dive in, let’s understand the components you’ll need:
| Component | Purpose | Recommended Tools |
|---|---|---|
| Database | Store contacts, deals, activities | Airtable, Notion |
| Forms | Capture leads and information | Typeform, Tally |
| Automation | Connect systems, trigger actions | Zapier, Make |
| Communication | Email, calls, messages | Gmail, Twilio |
| Reporting | Dashboards and analytics | Notion, Google Sheets |
| Frontend (optional) | Custom interface | Softr, Glide |
Option 1: Build a CRM with Airtable
Airtable is my top recommendation for building a custom CRM. It combines the simplicity of a spreadsheet with the power of a database.
Step 1: Set Up Your Base Structure
Create a new Airtable base with these tables:
Contacts Table
| Field | Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Text | Contact’s full name |
| Primary email | ||
| Phone | Phone | Contact number |
| Company | Link to Companies | Associated company |
| Status | Single Select | Lead/Customer/Churned |
| Source | Single Select | How they found you |
| Owner | Collaborator | Assigned team member |
| Created | Created Time | Auto-generated |
Companies Table
| Field | Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Text | Company name |
| Industry | Single Select | Business category |
| Size | Single Select | Employee count range |
| Website | URL | Company website |
| Contacts | Link to Contacts | Associated people |
| Deals | Link to Deals | Associated opportunities |
Deals Table
| Field | Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Text | Deal title |
| Value | Currency | Deal amount |
| Stage | Single Select | Pipeline stage |
| Company | Link to Companies | Associated company |
| Contact | Link to Contacts | Primary contact |
| Close Date | Date | Expected close |
| Probability | Percent | Win likelihood |
| Owner | Collaborator | Sales rep |
Activities Table
| Field | Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Single Select | Call/Email/Meeting |
| Date | Date | When it happened |
| Notes | Long Text | Activity details |
| Contact | Link to Contacts | Who it was with |
| Deal | Link to Deals | Related deal |
Step 2: Create Your Views
Airtable’s views let you see the same data in different ways:
Pipeline View (Kanban)
- Group deals by Stage
- Sort by Close Date
- Color code by Owner
My Contacts View (Gallery)
- Filter by Owner = Current user
- Show photo, name, company
- Group by Status
Follow-up View (Calendar)
- Show activities on calendar
- Filter future dates only
- Color by Type
Step 3: Add Automation
Airtable has built-in automations. Set up these essential workflows:
Automation 1: New Lead Notification
- Trigger: Record created in Contacts
- Condition: Status = Lead
- Action: Send Slack message to sales channel
Automation 2: Deal Stage Change Alert
- Trigger: Record updated in Deals
- Condition: Stage changed to “Negotiation”
- Action: Email the deal owner
Automation 3: Activity Reminder
- Trigger: Daily at 9 AM
- Action: Email list of today’s scheduled activities
Step 4: Connect External Tools
Use Zapier or Make to extend your CRM:
- Lead capture: Typeform → Airtable Contacts
- Email sync: Gmail → Airtable Activities
- Calendar events: Google Calendar → Airtable Activities
- Enrichment: Clearbit → Update Airtable records
Option 2: Build a CRM with Notion
Notion offers more flexibility than Airtable, especially for teams who want docs and databases in one place.
Step 1: Create Your Database Structure
In Notion, create these linked databases:
Contacts Database
Properties:
- Name (Title)
- Email (Email)
- Phone (Phone)
- Company (Relation → Companies)
- Status (Select: Lead, Qualified, Customer, Churned)
- Source (Select: Website, Referral, Cold Outreach, Event)
- Owner (Person)
- Tags (Multi-select)
- Last Contact (Date)Deals Database
Properties:
- Deal Name (Title)
- Value (Number, formatted as currency)
- Stage (Select: Discovery, Proposal, Negotiation, Closed Won, Closed Lost)
- Contact (Relation → Contacts)
- Company (Relation → Companies)
- Expected Close (Date)
- Probability (Number, formatted as percent)
- Owner (Person)Activities Database
Properties:
- Activity (Title)
- Type (Select: Call, Email, Meeting, Note)
- Date (Date)
- Contact (Relation → Contacts)
- Deal (Relation → Deals)
- Notes (Text)Step 2: Build Dashboard Views
Create a CRM Dashboard page with:
Pipeline Board
- Embed Deals database as Board view
- Group by Stage
- Show Value in cards
My Tasks Today
- Embed Activities database as List view
- Filter: Date = Today
- Filter: Owner = Me
Revenue Metrics
- Use Notion’s rollup and formula properties
- Calculate total pipeline value
- Show deals by stage count
Step 3: Create Templates
Build templates for consistent data entry:
Contact Template
## Contact Information
- Company:
- Role:
- LinkedIn:
## Notes
[Key information about this contact]
## Activity History
[Relation to Activities - linked view]Deal Template
## Overview
- Primary Contact:
- Decision Maker:
- Competition:
## Requirements
[What does the customer need?]
## Next Steps
- [ ] Step 1
- [ ] Step 2
## Activity Timeline
[Linked Activities view]Option 3: Hybrid Approach with Softr
For a more polished, app-like experience, combine Airtable with Softr.
What Softr Adds
Softr turns your Airtable base into a beautiful web application:
- Custom login for team members
- Mobile-responsive interface
- Client portal capabilities
- Branded domain
Building the Interface
Homepage Dashboard
- Key metrics widgets
- Recent activities feed
- Quick action buttons
Contacts Page
- Searchable list view
- Click to expand details
- Add/edit functionality
Deals Pipeline
- Kanban board interface
- Drag-and-drop stages
- Filter and sort options
Cost Comparison
| Solution | Monthly Cost (5 users) |
|---|---|
| Salesforce | $375+ |
| HubSpot (paid) | $450+ |
| Airtable + Softr | $44 |
| Notion | $50 |
| Airtable alone | $20 |
Essential Integrations to Add
Lead Capture
Connect your forms directly to your CRM:
- Typeform submissions → New Contact
- Website chat → New Contact
- LinkedIn Lead Gen → New Contact
Email Integration
Sync email communications automatically:
- Gmail → Log emails as Activities
- Mailchimp subscriptions → Update Contact status
- Email opens → Trigger notifications
Calendar Sync
Keep meetings in sync:
- Calendly bookings → Create Activity
- Google Calendar events → Log in CRM
- Zoom recordings → Attach to Activities
Enrichment
Automatically enhance contact data:
- Clearbit → Add company info
- Hunter.io → Verify emails
- LinkedIn → Pull profile details
Automation Workflows to Implement
1. Lead Scoring
Create a formula field that calculates lead quality:
Score =
(Company Size points) +
(Industry fit points) +
(Engagement points) +
(Source quality points)2. Follow-up Reminders
Set up automated reminders:
- If no activity in 7 days → Email owner
- If deal stale for 14 days → Slack alert
- If high-value lead inactive → Manager notification
3. Pipeline Stage Automation
When deals move stages:
- Proposal stage → Create proposal document
- Negotiation → Alert finance team
- Closed Won → Trigger onboarding workflow
- Closed Lost → Add to nurture sequence
4. Reporting Automation
Generate reports automatically:
- Weekly pipeline summary → Email to leadership
- Monthly sales report → Create in Google Docs
- Real-time dashboard → Update Notion/Sheets
Limitations to Consider
Building a custom CRM isn’t for everyone. Consider these limitations:
When Custom CRM Works
- ✅ Small team (1-15 people)
- ✅ Simple sales process
- ✅ Unique workflow requirements
- ✅ Budget constraints
- ✅ Technical comfort with no-code tools
When Enterprise CRM is Better
- ❌ Large sales teams (50+ reps)
- ❌ Complex commission structures
- ❌ Heavy compliance requirements
- ❌ Need for phone system integration
- ❌ Advanced forecasting and AI
Migration Path: From Custom to Enterprise
Your custom CRM can grow with you. When ready to migrate:
- Export data from Airtable/Notion as CSV
- Map fields to new CRM structure
- Import contacts and deals
- Rebuild automations in new platform
- Run parallel for transition period
Most custom CRMs serve businesses well until they reach 20+ users or $5M+ in pipeline.
Conclusion: Start Building Today
A custom CRM isn’t just about saving money – it’s about building a system that works exactly the way you do.
Here’s your action plan:
- Choose your platform: Airtable for simplicity, Notion for flexibility
- Set up core tables: Contacts, Companies, Deals, Activities
- Add essential automations: Lead notifications, follow-ups
- Connect your tools: Forms, email, calendar
- Iterate and improve: Add features as needs emerge
The best CRM is one you’ll actually use. With no-code tools, you can build that perfect system this weekend.
Start with what you need today, and grow from there.
Have you built a custom CRM? Share your setup in the comments – I’d love to see what tools you’re using.
