Running an efficient business of any size is a complicated issue. Even small businesses require hundreds or tens of thousands of business, marketing, and operational applications to function.
These applications should work in tandem to enable the best results important to the business. Business integration is a strategy to achieve this by connecting and enabling members of an ecosystem to function as one whole.
The most important aspect of a successful business integration is proper design from the start. A lot of times integrations are designed in an approach that makes it difficult to modify the design. This type of design error can result in a system that’s difficult to manage and maintain, and can be costly to operate.
Traditionally, most business integrations have been centered on connecting IT and software systems, like CRM and ERP systems. This kind of integration, referred to as application integration, is typically accomplished through APIs or other software to facilitate the connection between systems. These types of integrations are typically restricted in their application and usually require a group of dedicated technical managers onsite to maintain and manage the integrations.
The key to modern business integration success is a holistic approach that focuses on the integration of business services. This is achieved by mapping the business processes to the right technology. It also involves the design of the required components for integration, including connectors and data mappings. A thorough testing and deployment procedure is also required in a controlled environment. A monitoring process and optimization process is put in place to ensure that the integration is in line with its goals.