A typical business has an online store, an accounting package, a CRM, a delivery system and several spreadsheets. Each one works. The trouble is between them, where a person copies an order from one screen into another.

What an integration is

Two systems exchange data without a person in between. Usually this happens through an API, which is the published way for other software to read and write a system's data.

Some older systems have no API. Then the options are files exported on a schedule, or reading the database directly.

Decide who owns what

For each kind of data, such as customers, products, prices, stock and orders, one system should be the source of truth. The others receive copies.

Two systems that can both edit the same customer record will disagree sooner or later, and someone then has to work out which is right. Write the ownership down as a simple table before anything is built.

Three ways to connect

  • A ready-made connector. Many products link to each other out of the box or through a marketplace add-on. It is the cheapest route and it does only what its author expected.
  • An automation tool. Services such as Zapier and Make pass data between products using rules you set up without programming. They suit simple flows at low volume, and become hard to follow when a flow has dozens of steps.
  • A custom integration. Code written for your case, usually a small service that sits between the systems. It copes with unusual rules, high volume and old systems, and it needs hosting and maintenance.

Immediately, or in batches

Some exchanges have to happen at once: stock levels after a sale, or a payment confirmation. Others can run overnight, such as postings to the accounts.

Batches are simpler and more forgiving. Choose immediate exchange only where a delay costs something.

Where integrations fail

  • One system is down and the message is lost.
  • The same message arrives twice and creates a duplicate order.
  • A field changes format on one side.
  • A record exists in one system and not in the other.
  • Nobody is told, and the mismatch is found at month end.

A sound integration logs every exchange, retries what failed, can receive the same message twice without harm, and alerts a person when it gives up.

Where to start

Pick the gap where the most retyping happens, or where mistakes cost the most. Connect that one, count the hours saved, and then choose the next.

A plan to connect everything at once usually stalls on the hardest system.

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