How to Recover from Systems Integration Failure

Enterprise software integrations connect ERP, CRM, eCommerce and other forms of software into a single source of truth. But when the project goes awry, your integration could become a single source of chaos and waste. A business’s failure to define business needs, build a comprehensive schedule or communicate effectively can lead to a project that is over budget, behind schedule or inadequate for users.

However, even a major setback in your integration doesn’t mean the end of your software journey. With our recovery tips, your business can bounce back from disaster to successfully connect software into the robust system you envisioned.

Create a Software Recovery Plan

Creating recovery plans can sometimes feel like planning for failure. Instead, creating recovery plans should be looked at as planning to prevent failure, even after some mishaps. Sure, you can’t predict what will go wrong with your integration project, but you can use your business needs and knowledge of the most common sources of integration errors to make a blueprint for recovery.

Once you analyze the current state of your project by measuring performance metrics, you can figure out where your project veered from best practices and turn to the recovery plan to get back on track. Nobody enjoys thinking about potential roadblocks, but your business can’t afford to go without these discussions and efforts to prepare for obstacles.

Reevaluate Your System

Steering your software integration to success after a setback requires an in-depth look at the system itself. When going through modules, check for coding errors, botched data entries, issues with program flow control and other problems. But don’t focus on the technology alone. Issues often arise when businesses focus more on software than on their practices and goals, resulting in an integration that fails to work for users. Taking a “plug and play” approach of connecting software instances rarely works. Don’t just assume that the platforms will include features integral for business processes. Customizations will likely be required to support your unique business needs.

However, many businesses experience the opposite problem: over-customization. Excited by the prospects of their integration, companies sometimes add all the bells and whistles, creating a system far too complicated for users to navigate. As you reevaluate your system, remember your business needs and make sure your software features correspond with them.

Stay Focused on Your Mission

It’s often hard for businesses to maintain a positive outlook after a setback, but don’t look at one or two mistakes as the downfall of your integration. Success can still be achieved if you acknowledge blunders, communicate with the project team, stakeholders and consultants and take a strategic approach going forward.

You might have to remind yourself and your workplace of the project’s mission to set the integration back in motion. Which software platforms did you choose to integrate, and why? How is this integration supposed to enhance business practices and help your company break new ground? Consider the advantages you hope to gain with an enterprise software integration and remind your workplace that these goals are still attainable.

Upon revisiting the purposes of the project, you may also find that you need to redefine your goals. A major detriment to software integration is scope creep. Without proper communication with your C-Suite and thorough business process modeling, expectations can surpass the scope of your calendar and budget. Revisit initial goals with the project team, reevaluate the project scope and resume the integration with a sound strategy and constant communication.

Contact the Experts

Often, software integration disaster results from attempting to undergo the project alone. A team of software experts can help you from the beginning of the project, guiding you through business process modeling and preparing a recovery plan to build the best software solution and mitigate risk. However, even if you are past the starting point of your integration or experiencing a setback, it’s never too late to call trusted software consultants.

The consultants at Datix have received their fair share of panicked calls from companies struggling with their integrations. A certified Epicor partner with over 20 years of experience, Datix has the software skills necessary to revitalize these projects and achieve a successful integration.

Unity, our software integration solution, makes Datix the premier source for connecting software into a streamlined system. With no coding on your end and little disruption of daily processes, Datix will rapidly deploy your integration solution to drive efficiency and transparency. We even take care of errors and debugging after go live.

Don’t give up on optimizing workplace functionality. Contact Datix, and together, we’ll revive your enterprise software integration!

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