Is ERP Software Integration Platform or Custom Coding Better?
When it comes to enterprise application integration, there’s two different points of view when it comes to approach. While some businesses choose to build their own sync through careful coding software development, the emergence of the ERP software integration platform has begun to make the need for that type of solution redundant. While some businesses think that creating their own solution may be cheaper, faster or more secure, that’s usually not going to be the case. Here’s a few reasons why you you should consider an ERP software integration platform first.
Time-Saving Integration
A house-built, custom coded ERP and CRM integration may seem to be the comfortable route for your development team, and they may assert that they are totally able to do it. However true that may be, creating your own customized integration, from scratch, will inevitably take a decent chunk of time. To complete the project, they’ll have to delve into APIs for all of your different enterprise applications and build out every different sync field, direction and time. With a software integration platform, also known as an Integration Platform as a Service (IPaas), that work has already been mostly completed when the IPaaS vendor built the product. The coding structure is already there for you to build around—you simply need to align the product to your desired sync schedule and integration directions.
Yes, your IT team says they can complete a coded integration, but wouldn’t you rather save them time so they can redirect to more innovation or mission-critical projects?
An ERP Software Integration Platform is Adaptive
It’s important to underline the fact that business process management within a company should always be dynamic and evolving. After all, your business should never be the same at the end of every day. Sure, that statement seems pretty much intuitive. Yet it often gets forgotten when businesses are deciding on an integration solution. A certain integration structure won’t work for the entire lifetime a business.
Different Workflows will need to be added, or fields changed depending on how your operations evolve. House-made integration code will need to revisited and changed every time a situation pops up. That’s not to mention the fact that a wide variety of different employees will be using your integration solution. Consider that everyone who interacts in the organization will interact with software differently, from those that might just need access to monitor information periodically to other super users who will be involved daily with the software and knee-deep in data entry and analysis. Because these two distinctive users interact with the system in such disparate ways, it simply won’t be convenient for them to have the same integration interface or view of the data. With an ERP software integration platform, dashboards and fields can be altered easily and without the need for coding. IPaaS exists as its own piece of user-friendly software that can be altered within the interface.
Just as your business will evolve and change needs over time, so too will the structure of your integration platform. Don’t risk putting your business even deeper in tasks in the future; make sure any type of change is easier to handle by choosing an ERP software integration platform that will facilitate the change, not make it harder.
Pre-Built and Constantly Maintained
We already noted that a successful business should always be changing and innovating. The same should go for your integration—no piece of software or technology should just stagnate over time. If you integrate using a managed application platform, that application will be updated regularly just like any other. Once you pay your per-seat subscription fee, the integration platform vendor is responsible for the smooth running and upkeep of your sync. That includes the release and installation of new versions of the product. Basically—once you have the IPaaS platform customized to your businesses and live, it will run quietly in the background and do all the hard work for you, all while you reap the benefits. You simply can’t say the same about a coded integration, which your IT team will be responsible for both before, during and after the project.
Interested in connecting your enterprise applications? If you’re running currently running CRM and ERP simultaneously, you should be. Consider Unity, Datix’s signature product for ERP and CRM integration. Whether you’re hosting Epicor on-site or in the cloud, or your running Salesforce, Dynamics or Sugar CRM, Unity is a flexible and customizable ERP software integration platform that can be built around your business and foster incredible growth. Get in touch with one of our expert integration consultants today!
