System integration is the process of linking software products to act as one co-ordinated system. Joining your databases and data sources together provides new, valuable information and potentially creates new bespoke products.
Recognisable benefits of system integration are businesses avoiding having to re-key the same data into their systems multiple times and having a single version of the truth to enable reporting and analytics.
Benefits of System Integration
An integrated system will streamline your processes, reduce costs and ensure efficiency, benefits include:
- Single view – all data will be in the same format enabling comprehensive analysis
- Widespread user adoption – reduced learning time with a single system use
- Reduction in manual error – that arise from rekeying across many systems
- Computing storage costs reduced – by having all your data in one location and one login to remember!
- Tighter security – having all your data in one system improves governance and reduces the chance of a data breach.
System Integration following Merger & Acquisition
There are many important things that happen following a merger and acquisition. One of the primary tasks is integrating the IT systems and ensuring that important data is protected.
Good, scalable architecture makes integrating two companies possible and it’s likely that up to 75 percent of an integration effort during a merger or acquisition is determining:
- Which systems to keep
- What data is important
- How much integration is needed before the companies are officially joined?
For many companies, once this planning is complete, the actual hands-on technical work should be just like any other integration project just a different scale compared to internal system integration.
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Integrating Applications
Application integration services enable the sharing of processes and business data among a wide range of applications within an organisation. A variety of on-premise and cloud apps are seamlessly connected to transform and orchestrate the data required for business workflows. These applications address a number of business needs and can be anything from CRM and e-commerce platforms to finance and ERP systems.
Application integration involves combining data or functions from one application with another. This is done through using an API (application-programming interface) or web service.
For example, integrating your accounting system for example Sage, QuickBooks or Xero with your sales/job system uses an API. Most proprietary off the shelf systems include an API. It is the job of software engineers and developers to successfully integrate the API that takes technical skills. For quick results call upon a software development company to assist in the integration of APIs, or to add bespoke functionality to your system and applications.
Look out for outsourced skill sets, such as our specialist development team. An example of a few APIs we worked with include:
AKKROO, Experian Credit Reports, Full Contact, Go Canvas, Sage
AIMS (Airline Information Management System), Caleb, Jeppesen, Navision, Navitaire
Get in touch with us if you need system and application integration or have any questions about building APIs.