“Linked to Tally”: what CRM and Tally integration really means.

Why the question matters

Tally is where the books are. Your accountant trusts it, your CA files from it, and nobody wants to change that. A CRM is where enquiries, orders and customers live. Without a link between the two, the same invoice or customer gets typed twice, once in each, and sooner or later the two disagree.

A link fixes that, but only if everyone agrees in advance what moves, in which direction, and when.

What usually flows from the CRM to Tally

• Customers and dealers, as party ledgers, with their GST details, so the accountant does not create them by hand.
• Sales invoices, as sales vouchers, once an order is billed in the CRM.
• Receipts, if payments are recorded in the CRM, for example by a salesperson collecting a cheque.

Not every business needs all three. Some prefer to raise invoices in Tally and use the CRM only up to the order. That is a perfectly good choice, as long as it is a deliberate one.

What usually flows back from Tally

• Outstanding balances, so the CRM shows the same amount owed that your accountant sees.
• Payments received, so salespeople know who has paid before they chase.
• Stock, if stock is maintained in Tally, so orders are checked against what is actually available.

What the accountant needs

Ask your accountant before anything is built. These are the things accountants tend to care about:

• Names that match. Ledger names, item names, units and voucher types in the CRM have to match Tally exactly, or entries fail or create duplicates.
• One place for each entry. Decide where invoices are created and where receipts are recorded. Never both.
• Correct tax details. GST numbers, place of supply and tax ledgers set up the way the accountant already uses them.
• A chance to check. Many accountants want entries from the CRM to wait in a list for review before they reach the books.
• A clear answer when something fails. Which entries did not go through, why, and who fixes them.

The common ways it is done

TallyPrime offers several documented ways for other software to exchange data with it. Which one fits depends on your Tally release, where Tally runs and how fresh the data needs to be.

Importing files

The CRM exports a file and the accountant imports it into Tally. TallyPrime supports importing data from Excel from Release 4.0, with mapping templates, and Tally publishes sample Excel files for masters and vouchers. It can also import data in XML. This is the simplest method and keeps the accountant in control of every import. It is not live: data moves when someone imports it.

XML over HTTP

TallyPrime can act as a server that accepts XML requests over HTTP. It is switched on in TallyPrime under F1 (Help) > Settings > Advanced Configuration, and Tally's documentation gives 9000 as the default port. The CRM can then send vouchers and masters to Tally, and request reports such as outstanding balances. Tally has to be running, with the company open, on a computer the CRM can reach. This is the method to use when entries should move without anyone importing a file.

ODBC

TallyPrime can expose its data through ODBC, which lets tools such as Excel query Tally directly. Tally's documentation describes it mainly for reports and dashboards. It is useful for reading data out of Tally.

TDL customisation

TDL is Tally's own development language. A customisation written in TDL runs inside Tally and can, for example, pull data from another system or support JSON exchange, which Tally lists as available through TDL customisation. This is usually done with a Tally partner.

Practical questions that decide the design

• Where does Tally run? If it is on one office computer that is switched off at night, a live link only works during office hours. Entries made after hours need to wait and go through the next morning.
• One way or both ways? Sending invoices to Tally is simpler than also reading balances back. Decide what you actually need.
• How fresh does it need to be? Every few minutes, once an hour, or once a day are all valid answers, with different effort behind them.
• Which Tally release are you on? The available methods vary between releases, so check before anything is promised.

What “linked to Tally” should say in writing

Before you sign anything, the proposal should list exactly which records move, in which direction, how often, and what happens when an entry fails. If it only says “Tally integration”, ask for that list. Your accountant should read it too.

Sources

Technical and legal points above were checked against these official pages on 11 October 2026. Products and rules change, so check the current versions before you rely on them.

• TallyPrime: Integration capabilities
• TallyPrime: Getting started with Tally integrations
• TallyPrime: XML integration
• TallyPrime: ODBC integrations
• TallyPrime: Import data FAQ (Release 4.0, Excel import)

Karyo Studio builds CRMs and systems linked to Tally the way your accountant needs. If you would like one scoped, you will have a written proposal with a fixed scope, a fixed price and a delivery date within three working days of the first conversation.