Understanding Software Integration: Simple to Advanced Examples Explained

What is a software integration - but in plain English, not in geek-speak? Imagine you have different software tools for various tasks in your business. One might be for accounting, another for customer management, and yet another for email marketing. A software integration is like a bridge that connects these tools so they can share information and work together smoothly. Instead of manually moving data from one tool to another, integration does it automatically. This saves time and reduces errors. For example: your phone's calendar syncs with your email, or when a business's online shop works with their inventory system and customer service tool. You place an online order and fill out your contact details - the emails and SMS updates you receive after are likely from an integration, linking the shop (e-commerce platform) with their marketing tool. Other examples of integrations include linking your email marketing tool with your customer database, so when you get a new customer, they automatically get added to your email list. A more complex integration could be connecting your ecommerce platform with your inventory management system and your shipping provider, ensuring that when someone buys a product, it updates the stock levels and automatically arranges for delivery. However, there are some common problems with integrations: 1. Compatibility Issues: Not all software tools are designed to work together. This can make it difficult to connect them without custom development. 2. Data Sync Problems: Sometimes, data doesn't sync correctly between systems, leading to inconsistencies and errors. 3. High Costs: Custom integrations can be expensive, especially for smaller businesses. 4. Technical Complexity: Setting up and managing integrations can be tricky, requiring technical know-how. Here are some recommendations to address these problems: 1. Use Integration Platforms: Plug'n'play tools like Zapier and Make can help bridge the gap between different software. They offer pre-built connectors and workflows that simplify the integration process. With a moderate learning curve, anyone can use these tools. 2. Regular Monitoring: Keep an eye on your integrations to ensure data is syncing correctly. Regular checks can help catch and fix issues early. Most tools will provide some automated notifications, letting you know of any errors. 3. Invest in Training: Even if you're using user-friendly tools, a bit of training can go a long way. Understanding how your integrations work can help you troubleshoot problems more effectively. If someone else sets up the automation for you, you should still have someone on your team (ideally more than one person) familiar enough with it to check or troubleshoot, even at high-level. 4. Start Small: Begin with simple integrations and gradually move to more complex ones. This helps you build confidence and ensures your systems work well together before adding more complexity. Now, let's look at why certain tools might be suitable for your business needs: Switchboard: They build custom integrations and workflow automations. This is fab because they can be fully customised to your business's needs and offer software solutions to a wide range of sectors. However, it may not be the best choice for smaller businesses as they are targeted more towards larger organisations and enterprise-level clients. Boomi: This is an integration and automation software. It's fab because of its great application integrations, good data sync, and excellent APIs. The drag-and-drop workflow designer is a particularly useful feature. On the downside, it can be cost-inefficient, the user manual could be more detailed, and the free license could be improved to ease the learning curve. Workato: Another integration and workflow automation software, Workato is fab due to its rapid software development, prebuilt recipes, and accessible technical support. However, it can be tricky for nontechnical users to create a recipe if it does not already exist. Do also look at Zapier, Make and other similar tools, as well as your various platforms' built-in marketplace. More and more are offering "out of the box" integrations to one another - e.g. Calendly and Google - which are the easiest, most stable and usually free (or already included in your plan) place to start.