System Integration

What is system integration?

System integration is the process of connecting different systems and software products so that they effectively "talk to each other" and perform seamlessly. System integration solutions drive efficiencies and performance improvements in your business.

Why do businesses need system integration?

Businesses often have multiple, off-the-shelf applications to handle different business functions, such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM), inventory, payroll and general ledger. Businesses may also have "legacy" systems, which are systems that are old and outdated but are still in use because of their importance. These applications generally can't communicate with each other, and this can lead to process inefficiencies and duplicated data entry. System integration allows these systems to be linked to each other so that business processes can be automated and data can be shared.

Can't I just get a brand new single system that does everything?

Yes, and these systems are known as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. ERP systems handle different functional areas in a single product, while at the same time giving users a common look and feel across the application.

Due to the cost of implementing and customising ERP systems, they are usually more suited to large enterprises. Smaller businesses often choose system integration solutions because they are more cost-effective, maximise return on investment and do not require widespread changes to existing systems.

Case study: Anna's Mobile Accessories

Anna runs an online store which sells and delivers accessories for mobile phones and tablets. In addition to a stand-alone website, she sells her products through eBay and Amazon.

Anna was increasingly becoming frustrated with manually entering her online sales in her accounting system. The fact that her sales were being generated from 3 separate sources made her bookkeeping unmanageable. She also had to maintain her products for each site, which was costing Anna a considerable amount of time.

Anna contacted EYB Solutions for help, and a system integration solution was implemented. She no longer has to enter her online sales because the new system posts the invoices for her automatically. Her online platforms now stay synchronised with her accounting system, so she no longer needs to update separate product lists.

With this system integration solution, Anna significantly reduced her administration costs and allocated more time to promoting her online business.