An integration is meant connect software, but bad integrations produce bad data. There are a wide variety of integration applications on the market at very different price points, but it is important to find an integration that works for your business needs. Cheap integrations may be appealing, but a system that is unreliable or causes server crashes will cost you money instead of adding value to your business. In this blog, we will cover what to look for when choosing an integration and if it is possible to find a value-adding system at an affordable price.
Efficiency and Speed Through Batch Record Processing
A well-designed, efficient integration beats a budget application in just about every way. They are less likely to break, operate smoother and faster for users, are equipped to scale and integrate better with existing software. One of the main factors for integration efficiency is the system’s record processing methodology. An integration can be designed to process records individually or in batches. Many popular integrations are set up to process records individually, including Infor ION. However, individual record processing can lead to significant problems, including unnecessary spending or system crashes.
This is particularly true for manufacturers who use Salesforce. 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 addition, running so many individual records strains your system and can lead to lag time even for software designed to run quickly.
In contrast, an integration designed to process records in batches will run faster, more smoothly and prevent API limit issues. Batch record processing yields far fewer API requests, so you avoid bogging down your system and stay within API limits. As software experts who have implemented thousands of software solutions, we are firm believers at Datix that batch record processing is a much better approach to use in an integration, which is exactly how we designed Unity: Integration by Datix. Unity allows manufacturers to create a single source of truth without running into system issues or slowing down their operations. Learn how Unity can work for you.
Ease of Use
There are a lot of integrations out there and many are geared towards working with a wide array of industries. The problem with this approach is that a “one-size-fits-all” integration will probably require a lot of customization for it to work with your specific organization and the system may not be intuitive for your staff to use because it wasn’t designed for them (read more about why to avoid a one-size-fits-all integration). What makes an integration intuitive for users? It helps to have a system designed by people who understand manufacturing. Unity was built for manufacturers based on 25 years’ experience providing software solutions tailored to manufacturing clients. With Unity, users work out of their familiar platforms but experience more data at their fingertips. Discover what Unity can do for your organization.
Scalability
It is important to find an integration that can grow with your business, instead of holding it back. Cheaper integrations may work for organizations that are just starting out, but they can run into scalability problems as your company expands. A quality integration is designed to scale and will use batch record processing to make scalability easier. An integration should also be tested extensively during its development to ensure that it can handle large data transfers. We made sure that Unity could handle whatever our clients required and our system has already successfully processed over 350 million records (learn more about the importance of scalability). With such a strong track record, Unity is the integration of choice for growing manufacturers who need an application that can expand with them.
Price
Certainly, value is more important than price when finding an integration, but that doesn’t mean that the most expensive integration is the best choice. For instance, fully custom integrations are time-consuming to implement and expensive to implement, but they are also more likely to break. A prebuilt integration is a smarter choice because the developer had time to thoughtfully create the system, rigorously test it and improve the application over time based on feedback from previous clients (read more about why a prebuilt integration beats a fully custom one). A prebuilt integration like Unity is going to be more affordable than other systems, while still offering solutions specifically designed for manufacturers.
Wrap Up
When choosing an integration, it is possible to find a system that adds value while fitting into your organization’s budget. With Unity, companies can gain a solution that actually generates more money for them in the long run.
Hear 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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