To integrate business systems, define which data must flow and in which direction, pick a source of truth for each record type, check what each system exposes (API, webhooks, exports), map the fields, make processing idempotent, handle errors with queues and retries, and monitor every sync.
The symptom
Your team types the same order into the store, the ERP and a spreadsheet. Or someone exports three reports every Friday to build one number. People have become the integration layer.
Ways to integrate
- APIs: the most robust option when available and documented.
- Webhooks: systems push events ("order paid") to an endpoint you control.
- Files: scheduled CSV/XML exports and imports, often the only path with legacy systems.
- Database access: a last resort, with care and permission.
Step by step
- List the flows: "store order → ERP", "payment confirmed → CRM".
- Choose a source of truth: one system owns each record type.
- Check capabilities: docs, rate limits, auth and costs.
- Map fields: names, formats, currencies, tax codes.
- Make it idempotent: processing the same event twice must not create duplicates.
- Handle failures: queue messages, retry with backoff, alert humans when stuck.
- Monitor: a dashboard of syncs and a way to replay failures.
No-code or custom?
No-code platforms are fast for simple flows between popular apps. Custom integrations make sense with high volume, complex rules, missing connectors or strict reliability requirements.
Example
A furniture retailer sells online and in a showroom. The integration pushes web orders into the ERP, syncs stock back to the store, and creates a CRM card for after-sales. Three manual entries become zero.
When to replace instead
If a system has no API, no exports and an unhelpful vendor, replacement may be the better investment. See custom software vs off-the-shelf.
See software integration.