Software Integration

Software Integration

Introduction

At work, there is usually a software solution or application for everything. The problem is: how do you sync all your data between all the different tools you use? A lot of precious time can be wasted transferring information between departments and tools when businesses rely on various software solutions and apps. It can also leave your data at risk, resulting in duplicate data entry and unnecessarily complex processes.

One of the most common challenges companies face is integrating disjointed software solutions. Many problems begin to arise as most applications don’t initially connect with one another, resulting in several small data islands.

Luckily, there are various possible solutions when it comes to better integrating your company’s data, applications, and tools. In this blog, we’ll cover the basics of how software integrations work, and more importantly, how they can make your life a whole lot easier.

What Is Software Integration?

Software integration brings together various software subsystems, so they create what feels like a single unified system. In reality, you still have your single systems, but you allow data to be passed between them seamlessly. The skill is making the different systems responsively talk to each other. There are several reasons why software integration is required:

  • Migrating from a legacy system to a new database system, including cloud-based storage.
  • Linking different systems such as various database and file-based systems.
  • Joining various stand-alone systems to make it easier to replicate processes and gain consistent results.
  • Provide your customers with a single source of information and truth for use in a customer relationship management (CRM) solution.
  • Eliminate the need to wait overnight for information to be updated.

This kind of integration is increasingly necessary for companies that use different systems to perform various tasks. These operations can include recording sales, keeping track of supplier information, and storing customer data. Incorporating all of these systems and applications into one system, where data can be collected and analysed, requires specialised functionality.

There Are Four Methods Used For Software Integration:

  • Vertical integration integrates software based on the specific required functionality. The benefits of this method include a tightly controlled user experience and quick and easy integration of necessary vendors.
  • Star system integration, which interconnects one subsystem independently with the rest of the subsystem. This allows for more communication without the need for an Enterprise Service Bus. However, if one subsystem needs to be changed, the others do as well. This is an excellent method when there aren’t too many subsystems in place. The benefits of this method include, all communication happens automatically, each subsystem is individually connected to every other subsystem, and data moves faster throughout the system.
  • Enterprise Service Bus (ESB), where a custom-made subsystem is created, allows various systems to communicate with each other simultaneously. By practising this form of communicative integration, users can see considerably more configuration than integration coding, decreasing production time. There are plug-ins and plug-outs in the system, which helps with software implementation or disconnection. The benefits of this method include more flexibility, fewer overall changes, and you have subsystem communication.
  • Common data format integration is independent of applications so that all data is in one format and so doesn’t have to be converted into others depending on the application using it. With this approach, a new data language is made and is a universal format that all the subsystems use to transfer and process data with one another. This method is often used to avoid having more than one adaptor for every subsystem. This method’s benefits are that all subsystems are fluent and can communicate seamlessly, there is no need to make requests manually, and each subsystem operates independently.

The General Benefits Of Software Integration:

  • Increased efficiency – making software work for you saves time and human labour on redundant or mundane data transferral.
  • Decreased human error – An integrated system cuts down on the likelihood of mistakes, as computers don’t have bad days or get distracted. 
  • Cost savings – time is money. By delegating the small stuff to an automated system, your employees are free to do the most critical tasks.

We have now covered the basics of software integration, the types of system integration, the benefits, and how it can make your life a whole lot easier now it’s time to see how we can help.

Get in touch with us today and see how we can help. We will help run through all your data and systems and see what we can do.


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