Integration Capabilities at the Core of Enterprise Bespoke Solutions

Integrations for enterprise software

Enterprise software is built to serve a large user base. After all, enterprise organisations by their very nature have lot's of staff and (probably) even more customers. Whilst some enterprise companies may have a behemoth of a system that is used by every department for every process...that is hardly the norm. The reality is most of these organisations use a range of different systems for different purposes - all equally as important as each other. However, problems can and do arise when these systems don't talk to each other and that is why integration is so important.

API integration and third-party connectivity

As standard, enterprise organisations rely on a complex ecosystem of software systems to support their operations. These systems are likely to have been put in place at points in time when a specific problem needed to be solved and whilst that is all well and good, the software stack can very quickly become unmanageable. Imagine having one system for sales, one for support, one for billing, one for order management, one for project management so on and so forth. How does one get a full view of the end to end customer journey in this instance without having to look through several different systems? Furthermore, how do you correct the information in the sales system that does not reconcile with the data in the finance system? The answer is: through integration. 

Custom integration layers

Regardless of whether an enterprise is using bespoke software, off-the-shelf or a mixture of both - custom integration layers can be developed that effectively act as a bridge between them. This allows data to be transferred between these systems reliably and more importantly - securely - faciliating record synchronisation, workflow automation and consistent data across all platforms.

So how's it done?

Common types of API

Application Programming Interfaces or 'APIs' are the most common method for enabling communication between these systems, automatically pushing and or/pulling data between them. An example: A customer calls and requests that their contact details are updated. The agent updates said details in the organisation's CRM system and through the use of an API, this information is automatically pushed out to billing, support and reporting systems as well. 

RESTful APIs

Follow a standardised structure for requesting and exchanging data between applications. They are widely adopted, regarded as straightforward to implement (there are exceptions!) and are well suited to many integration scenarios. A REST API usually provides predefined endpoints that return a fixed set of data for a specific request. Not all of which, may be relevant or required.

GraphQL APIs

More flexible in that rather than receiving a predefined response that might include irrelevant data, applications can specify exactly which data fields they require. This can greatly improve efficiency and the performance of the application by reducing the amount of unwanted data being transferred. They are particularly useful when working with complex datasets or apps that require information from multiple sources.

The choice between these APIs comes down to factors including the complexity of the systems in question, performance requirements, development resources and the volume of data being exchanged although both play an important role in enterprise software integration today.

Integration options

So what kind of systems do enterprise organisations need to integrate? Well, it could be absolutely anything. As we have touched on previously, most businesses have accumulated a mixture of platforms over time with different departments adopting the independent software that best suit their needs. As a result, it's common to find several business critical systems operating independently of one another.

Let's assume the company in question is a large manufacturing business. The sales team uses Salesforce to manage leads, opportunities and customer relationships. The finance and operations teams rely on SAP to manage procurement, inventory, production planning and accounting. Customer service teams use Microsoft Dynamics to manage support cases and customer communications. Alongside these commercial platforms, the organisation also has a bespoke legacy system developed years ago to manage specialised production processes that are unique to the business.

In this scenario, information needs to flow uninterrupted, between all four systems. When a deal is won in Salesforce, order information may need to be passed to SAP for production and invoicing. Updates from the bespoke production system may then need to be shared with Microsoft Dynamics so customer service teams can provide accurate progress reports. Without integration, these processes would probably rely on manual data entry, spreadsheets and email communication, vastly increasing the risk of errors and delays. An effective, custom integration would ensure that data is shared automatically between these systems, creating a single source of truth, allowing all departments to work more efficiently.

CRM and CMS integration within bespoke enterprise platforms

Some software systems are more common than others in enterprise organisations - two of those being Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Content Management Systems (CMS). Both of these systems often form an integral part of operations and are business critical. For that reason, they need to be fit for purpose and fully accommodating of all business requirements, which isn't usually the case with off-the-shelf solutions which can be restrictive and inflexible. It is however the case with bespoke software!

Bespoke CRM functionality

In enterprise organisations, customer management is not always straight forward and certainly doesn't always fit the standard assumptions of what is involved. Therefore, many such organisations choose to develop bespoke CRMs that align with their ways of working. This approach allows businesses to capture the specific data they need, automate processes unique to their operations and provide their staff with the tools that reflect how they actually work in the real world.

Custom CMS development

Content Management Systems are critical for most enterprise organisations. The content they put out shapes the perception of their brand and value proposition. Whilst CMS platforms are usually associated with website content, they are also widely used for social media scheduling and other digital content. As with off-the-shelf anything, there are limitations on what and how things can be done.

An example: a regulated pharmaceutical organisation might require a complex content approval workflow involving multiple departments, legal reviews, regional sign offs and compliance checks before content can be published. Many off-the-shelf CMS platforms can only support these requirements through plugins, customisations, manual workarounds or not at all. A bespoke CMS however, can be designed around these exact processes, allowing the content team to work more efficiently whilst ensuring governance and compliance requirements are met.

Unified platform development

Naturally, CMS and CRM systems in enterprise organisations rarely function as standalone solutions as customer data, marketing information, product catalogues, support records and analytics often need to be shared with other enterprise systems. Whilst these systems can be integrated directly with other applications, it makes sense for many enterprise organisations to adopt a unified platform that allows multiple systems to exchange information through a centralised architecture. The reason for this is because as the number of systems grows, managing individual integrations can quickly become complex and difficult to maintain. A unified bespoke platform provides a central hub for data and business processes, reducing duplication, improving data consistency and creating a single source of truth across the organisation. 

Enterprise Resource Planning and Process Automation

Whilst not the same as the unified platform we discussed above, ERP systems are developed and used to bring together certain core business processes that are all interlinked such as finance, procurement, inventory management, ops and reporting into a single platform. Similar to the unified platform, this gives multiple departments the visibility they need across their particular function whilst allowing them to access data from other relevant functions. 

ERP components

ERP systems vary in terms of what functions they incorporate but they are typically made up of a combination of the following:

These components may also be developed and integrated into an existing bespoke system.

Automation 

Many enterprise, and indeed other types of organisation, choose bespoke software because of the extensive automation opportunities it presents. Tasks and processes that are time consuming and repetitive can be a real strain on valuable resources - but they don't need to be. Here are some operational resource drainers that can be automated through the use of bespoke software:

• Customer onboarding - Customer records can be automatically created, account managers automatically assigned, documentation created and welcome communications triggered. This not only reduces manual work but also ensures a consistent experience for all customers.
• Order processing - Order information can be transferred between sales, inventory, production, logistics and finance systems on input, reducing any need for manual entry into all of these systems.
• Invoices & payment reminders - Invoices can be automatically generated when products or services have been delivered and payment reminders can be triggered if invoices are overdue.
• Approvals - Purchase requests, contracts, expenses and content approvals can be routed automatically to the relevant authority, moving through the chain until sign off.
• Inventory management - Stock levels can be monitored with triggers set to replenish stock when it reaches certain levels. This avoids customers being disappointed through items not being in stock.
• Reporting - Data can be collected from multiple different sources and used to automatically generate reports with predefined parameters.
• Ticketing - For organisations that use ticketing systems, automation can allow tickets to be automatically assigned to the relevant department as well as automated comms to the customer.
• Onboarding - Relevant for both employees and customers, accounts can be automatically created, training materials assigned and  equipment requests generated and tracked.
• Data synchronisation - Last but not least, data can be automatically synced around multiple systems, keeping information consistent and up to date.

The problem with manual labour

So why do enterprise companies want automation? Aside from the fact automation can significantly boost efficiency and ensure work does actually 'flow' in the most literal sense, it can also reduce the need for manual input. This is important for a couple of reasons:

1) Prioritisation

Employees are generally most valuable when they are applying expertise, solving problems and making decisions - not carrying out repetitive administrative tasks. Whilst some enterprise organisations will have people employed specifically for such admin tasks, others don't and it is just a consequence of the job for many employees who's time would be much better spent elsewhere. By automating tasks including data entry, document creation and client communications, employees can focus their time on more pressing, business impacting matters.

2) Human error

As humans, we're imperfect. That's just how it is. And because we're imperfect, we make mistakes. Incorrect data entry, missed approvals, duplicated records and forgotten tasks can all have significant consequences, particularly within large organisations where thousands of transactions and processes take place every day. Automation can reduce or even eliminate such errors altogether. 

3) Scalability

Machines are easier to scale than people - fact. Processes that work when a company has 100 employees and/or customers will not necessarily work when the same business has 1000 employees or customers. Instead, manual workflows typically require organisations to increase headcount in line with operational demand which can significantly increase costs. Automation on the other hand, allows businesses to manage larger volumes of work without a proportional increase in resources.

How does automation work with bespoke systems?

Now we know the what and why, let's take a look at how automation works in bespoke environments. In short, business processes are connected via integration to databases, internal applications and other third party systems. When a predefined event occurs such as a new order being placed or a customer record being updated, the system can automatically trigger a series of actions that essentially complete the task without requiring manual intervention. 

These automated workflows can be built specifically around the organisation's specific processes and business rules.

An example: A sales rep marks an opportunity as won. This action then triggers one system to create a customer account, that action triggers another system to raise an invoice, that action triggers another system update inventory records, notify the onboarding team and send out relevant documentation to the customer. A process that would otherwise involve a number of different people, systems and manual steps can be completed through a single, automated workflow.

To finish

Ultimately, the value of bespoke enterprise software lies not just in the individual features it provides but in its ability to bring together systems, data and business processes into a single, unified environment. Whether through integrations, custom CRM and CMS functionality, ERP capabilities or intelligent automation, bespoke software allows organisations to build their technology around the way they operate in reality. As enterprise organisations continue to grow and evolve, this flexibility becomes increasingly important for maintaining efficiency, scalability and competitive advantage.

See also

Business Types - Enterprise