ERP integration: types, approaches, key steps & services
November 21, 2023
ERP solutions
- Services
- Platforms
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Head of Itransition's ERP Center of Excellence
About Itransition
10+ years delivering ERP services
50+ completed projects across various industries
25+ years of experience in enterprise software development
Strategic partnership with Odoo, Microsoft, and NetSuite
Looking for a trustworthy ERP technology partner?
Types of ERP integrations
Itransition integrates ERP solutions with your existing infrastructure, internal enterprise systems, custom and third-party applications, including:
Ecommerce platforms
Accounting software
Shipping services
ERP
BI software
Electronic data exchange
Project management software
CRM
Communica- tion tools
Social media
Banking software
Payment gateways
ERP integrations
- Seamless access to different banking services for business users
- Transactions management from a single environment
- Real-time information from banks for corporate clients
Payment gateways
- Payment acceptance, processing, storing, and check activities
- Data synchronization with the ERP system
Ecommerce platforms
- Accurate and relevant commercial data available across all departments
- Real-time data integration between back-end and front-end
Accounting software
- Seamless import and export of data on orders, partners, products, payments, and invoices
- Automated creation of budgets and financial plans based on the company’s performance
Social media
- Centralization of customers’ and prospects’ social media data
- Automated customer data management and instant messaging with bots and AI-enabled functionality
- Social media feed and posts automation
Communication tools
- Scheduled and real-time action-based alerts and notifications
- Automated information sharing and synchronization
Shipping services
- Instant access to actual shipping status and details
- Automated sending of shipping information for real-time shipment confirmation
Enterprise resource planning software
- Bi-directional information flow between two or more disparate ERP systems
- Automated data management activities
Customer relationship management software
- Delivery of all customer-related data across departments
- Automated quote management
- Dynamic price optimization
Project management software
- 360-degree visibility of project-related data
- Seamless collaboration and communication of business users
Electronic data exchange
- Instant and secure exchange of electronic documents between business partners
- Automated data upgrade in real-time
Business intelligence (BI) software
- Ad-hoc analytics querying
- Personalized reports and dashboards
ERP integration approaches we use
Point-to-point
Enterprise service bus (ESB)
Integration platform as a service (IPaaS)
Approach
Approach
We use custom code, pre-built connectors offered by ERP vendors, or APIs to connect ERP to another system
We connect ERP to other applications via a middleware layer, which enables the communication between systems through connectors and adaptors
We set up a dedicated platform with pre-built connectors, data mapping, data transformation and workflow design features for companies to manage ERP integration workflows
Pros
Pros
Low learning curve and initial investments
High scalability with simple addition/removal of apps/systems that doesn’t affect the functionality of other subsystems
Accelerated integration workflows and pricing flexibility with limited to no coding
Cons
Cons
Not future-proof and hard to maintain and scale as the ecosystem evolves
Requires complex maintenance and troubleshooting
Risks of vendor lock-in and limitations in case of complex data flows
Best for
Best for
Companies with a simple IT infrastructure and no complex integrations
Companies with a large and varied (cloud and on-premises) IT environment
Companies with a cloud-based IT environment. Can be also combined with the ESB approach to integrate legacy systems
How to choose an ERP integration method
ERP integration types
Unidirectional
Involves a one-way dataflow, which means the data moves from the sender to the receiver, but not vice versa. For example, data from the ERP system is transmitted to the integrated CRM platform.
Bi-directional
Implies a two-way data synchronization between the integrated systems to fully eliminate double data entry.
Real-time
Data transfer happens in a paired approach, in the form of data chunks or frames, which ensures a high data transfer rate. However, this approach is rather costly.
Batch
Data transfer happens in a half-paired approach, with one byte/character transformed at a time, which means changes in one system appear in the integrated system with delays.
Scheduled
Data transfer happens at a scheduled interval, which is a good fit for companies with multiple integration points that don’t need the data changes to be immediately available across systems.
Benefits of ERP integration
Single source of truth
An integrated ERP system is a centralized database that facilitates business process transparency, quick access to relevant information, and more comprehensive analytics initiatives.
Automated workflows
An integrated ERP platform automates time-consuming data management, which leads to human error reduction, an increase in overall accuracy of business operations, and employee productivity growth.
Data silos breakdown
Connecting ERP applications to homegrown legacy systems simplifies access to critical but previously siloed business information.
Improved team collaboration
ERP system integration facilitates data consistency between systems and enables teams from different departments to work in close cooperation.
Enhanced workflows
ERP integration helps keep track of departments’ performance and compliance with the corporate objectives and assign tasks in real time to minimize the risk of process disruption.
Better customer experience
The uninterrupted data flow between customer-facing tools and back-end applications, especially ERP, accelerates lead conversion and helps all departments better understand customer demands.
Turn to Itransition for your next ERP integration project
Dedicated ERP integration services we offer
Deployment
- Cloud
- On-premises
Platform pricing
Odoo Community Edition
free
Odoo Enterprise
depends on the number of users and modules deployed
Free trial
Deployment
- Cloud
Platform pricing
The annual license fee is made up of three components: the core platform, optional modules, and the number of users.
Dynamics 365 Business Central integration
Deployment
- Cloud
- On-premises
Dynamics 365 Business Central Essentials
from $70 per user/month
Dynamics 365 Business Central Premium
from $100 per user/month
Dynamics 365 Business Central Team Members
from $8.00 per user/month (limited functionality)
Free trial available for 30 days
Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations integration
Deployment
- Cloud
- On-premises
Platform pricing
Standard and premium monthly subscription fees
based on the number of users and selected Dynamics 365 applications
Free 30-day trial available
Custom ERP integration
Itransition’s experts help companies connect their custom ERP solutions with internal and external software solutions via:
- Configuring pre-build ERP connectors and third-party APIs
- Designing proprietary point-to-point integrations
- Building a custom communication system into the enterprise IT infrastructure
Client spotlight
ERP integration lifecycle
When integrating ERP software with a company’s IT infrastructure, our experts usually take the following steps:
1
Scoping
2
Conceptualization
3
Project planning
4
Data mapping
5
Execution
6
Testing & launch
ERP integration timeline
The duration of the ERP integration project depends on:
- Systems to integrate (their number, tech specifics, data volume, etc.)
- ERP integration approach (custom, ready-made, or a combination of both)
- Data management activities (including data migration)
- Non-functional requirements (solution availability, security, scalability, maintainability, usability)
- Software upgrades (if necessary)
Enable seamless data exchange through ERP integration
ERP integration challenges we help solve
Challenge
Solution
Integrating customized solutions, legacy homegrown systems, software systems with different interface protocols may pose serious problems while connecting your ERP software with the existing IT infrastructure.
Integrating customized solutions, legacy homegrown systems, software systems with different interface protocols may pose serious problems while connecting your ERP software with the existing IT infrastructure.
To solve the issues of varying data formats and types, insufficient documentation, poor data quality, we start with a careful technology audit and work out a detailed ERP integration strategy, potentially involving a combination of integration approaches.
Failing to meet non-functional requirements, such as usability, security, reliability, availability, performance, scalability and maintainability, may jeopardize the project’s success.
Failing to meet non-functional requirements, such as usability, security, reliability, availability, performance, scalability and maintainability, may jeopardize the project’s success.
To ensure the overall effectiveness of the system, we identify non-functional requirements early on and outline the optimal integration solution to meet them.
Data hosted across various systems may be inconsistent, old, and incomplete, which hampers ERP integration.
Data hosted across various systems may be inconsistent, old, and incomplete, which hampers ERP integration.
We help you adopt comprehensive data management activities and practices, such as data cleansing and reformatting, validation, access management control, lineage, and deduplication, to streamline the ERP integration process and make the transition smoother.
Complementary ERP services we offer
ERP consulting
We help companies draw up the optimal ERP tech stack and support them during the ERP implementation or optimization project to ensure smooth ERP deployment, high ROI, and business continuity.
ERP implementation
We deliver custom ERP software or platform-based ERP solutions for companies across industries to automate repetitive tasks, increase productivity, and reduce operating costs.
ERP development
Itransition delivers custom ERP solutions equipped with a fully personalized set of features, modules, and integrations in line with your business functions and infrastructure.
ERP customization
We customize and upgrade ERP systems in line with your business needs and vision, following the industry’s best practices.
Testing
We help you assess ERP software functionality, performance, compatibility, and usability to ensure it meets the company’s requirements and user expectations.
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