How to Tell if an Integration is Scalable

Introduction

For manufacturers with a software integration, scalability is critical for avoiding forced downtime. System crashes, server overloads, or user issues are some of the worst-case scenarios for a growing business and they are often painfully slow and expensive to resolve. The wrong integration will bring huge amounts of stress to your team by causing these issues, even if your ERP, CRM or other software is designed to scale. To understand if an integration is truly scalable, consider these key factors.

Load Testing

Like other software applications, an integration needs to be load tested extensively when it is being developed. This process reduces the likelihood of a total system crash or extended lag times. When choosing an integration, don’t be afraid to ask about its load testing because you want to find an application that was tested on a scale that well exceeds your company’s typical usage. Fortunately, some integrations are designed to handle large volumes of data for growing manufacturers. Unity: Integration by Datix was built to be scalable and has processed over 350 million records. With a load tested integration like Unity, you can trust that your system won’t lag or crash when you need it.  

Avoiding User Issues and Server Overloads

Even if an integration has been load tested, that doesn’t mean that it necessarily performs well under significant volume. Your server can still overload, or specific users can be prevented from saving changes or updating records. Epicor® users in particular need to be careful of these issues with some integrations, but not with Unity. Unity was designed to handle usage when there is high data volume, so that you can always experience fully optimized software. Because Unity is fully managed for you, our Unity Support Team runs daily monitoring of your system behind the scenes, takes care of updates, and ensures that your organization doesn’t experience unnecessary downtime. In fact, 100% of Unity clients said that our team cares about their account and success when surveyed! Hear more about what our Unity Support Team has to offer.

Processing Individual Records Versus Batches

Lastly, an integration developer’s philosophy about processing records individually or in batches is a clear indication of their application’s scalability. Technically, an integration can function by processing a single record at a time, at least at low volumes. There are many integrations that use this methodology, but it can lead to problems down the line and spending more money than needed. For instance, Salesforce was built to maintain uptime, so it has API limits in place for its editions. Integrations that only update one record at a time are far more likely to exceed these API limits, forcing organizations to spend significant funds to increase their allotted limit. In contrast, an integration designed to process records in batches will yield noticeably fewer API requests, letting you stay within API limits and allowing the system to run smoother in general. At Datix, we are firm believers in the batch processing approach and developed Unity to automatically process records using this more efficient strategy.

Wrap Up

An integration provides a single source of truth to your organization, but it needs to be scalable to avoid major issues like a total system crash or server overload. Choose an integration like Unity that expands with your business and compounds your ROI.

Read how to Save Money & Increase Profits with an ERP-CRM Integration

About Datix

With over two decades in the industry, Datix is the integration consultant of choice for manufacturers and distributors. We believe in “being the best with the best” and look for partners who match our commitment to solving real issues and doing what it takes. Our in-depth analysis of our clients and their business needs allows us to maximize their software investments to the fullest.

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