As time goes by, successful companies tend to increase their content and activities, both in the production area and in the planning and management sector.
Regardless of the institution’s service segment, the challenges of managing data and information from internal processes are factors that make the administrative task more complex and challenging. To help with this issue, the use of automated tools — such as software that, among other things, integrates systems — has become quite common within businesses.
These systems are capable of performing several functions, such as centralizing data and optimizing the work of the management team. As a result, companies that do not invest in this technology end up falling behind the competition due to their inability to keep up with market demands . For those that already work with some type of software, it is worth noting that there is a way to further improve business activities by integrating systems.
It is worth remembering that, even though it offers several benefits, many business owners are still not familiar with the subject. If this is your case, we have prepared this article containing the main information about systems integration. Continue reading and stay up to date!
When is it advantageous to opt for systems integration?
First, it is worth mentioning what systems integration means in a company. This strategy is nothing more than an organizational format that aims to unite all software into a single system or even interconnect them through another management tool. In this regard, any automated management accessory, whether in the financial, inventory or customer service sectors, can be connected to a single command.
Following this idea, the main tool we can mention is the well-known Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). This resource was created to enable the interaction of several departments of the company, which guarantees the optimization of administrative work and greater security regarding the protection of the company’s data. Because of this, businesses that already invest in this technology come out ahead.
Just imagine a company in which there is, for each service sector, an isolated information control. In this case, the management work ends up losing efficiency due to the separation of data and the increase in the flow of information, which can often leave the professional confused when analyzing a given situation.
But is opting for systems integration always advantageous? The answer lies in the specific characteristics of your business: when there is not a large flow of information and demand for data, investing in this strategy may be somewhat unfeasible. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the configuration of all your systems and determine whether integrating them will allow the company’s activities to be more productive.
What are the benefits of systems integration?
As previously highlighted, investing in systems integration in a business can exponentially improve the results of all management departments, enabling the team to obtain gains in time and labor savings. To learn even more about this subject, check out the main benefits made possible by implementing this technology!
Greater integration between sectors
Not only will the systems be integrated, but the environments will be integrated as well. This is essential for any company capable of meeting the needs of its business sector. Thus, integrated services enable the integration of its sectors, which will have a more precise alignment, with more efficient strategies. As a result, complex and dynamic environments will unify the workflow. For this to work, services must be prioritized according to the company’s needs and then the sectors must be integrated.
Increased productivity
First of all, a very important advantage that we can mention with systems integration is the increase in productivity. In cases such as a company’s expense and finance management system connected to the ERP, the operator is able to completely optimize his/her tasks , as all data monitoring and analysis processes are simplified, in addition to enabling information to be accessed more efficiently.
This means that employees no longer need to manually store information on each server. These and other integration features can significantly increase company productivity.
Error reduction
Another factor that should be mentioned is the possibility of reducing the incidence of errors. In this regard, duplicating information in different systems ends up generating less accuracy. This increases the chances of errors and confusion when reading data, as the operator may, for example, not know which of the programs has the most recent update.
Therefore, since data is the basis for making decisions and drawing up action plans, it is essential that it is reliable and accurate. By replacing the registration of content in different software and by different collaborators, it is possible to minimize the chances of human error.
More quality in decisions
One of the advantages generated by systems integration that has led many entrepreneurs to become interested in this tool is the achievement of efficiency in decision-making. Through this strategy, errors can be detected more clearly, as well as the possibilities of organizing and managing each task.
With content centralized in a single medium, each operation has an immediate effect and is passed on to all interconnected systems. This fact reduces, for example, the occurrence of incorrect analyses by users. Thus, everything is evaluated with greater clarity and precision, allowing employees to make better decisions based on the correct analysis of the information.
Cost reduction
We also need to highlight the advantage of reducing costs related to the company’s management processes . By gathering all data in a single system, it is possible to optimize the volume of information and obtain greater savings in the storage of company files. Another factor is related to the need to hire fewer professionals to operate some departments of the institution, since integration can optimize work and guarantee greater savings.
What are the steps to ensure efficient systems integration?
But to ensure that the integration between systems is as good as possible, it is necessary to follow some steps. The most important ones can be seen below!
Set the system integration type
First of all, define the type of integration required to meet your needs. There are four well-known types, analyze each one and define which one best fits your needs!
1. Database
Here, several systems use the same database, having simultaneous access to the information required to perform their functions. To implement this, it is necessary to use software that extracts information that is shared with the database. The professional who performs the data extraction is the Database Administrator (DBA). In order for him to perform the integration, it will be necessary to grant access to confidential information. Therefore, security and trust are important aspects when choosing a DBA .
2. Electronic data
Through electronic data sharing, different software programs export data between them, paving the way for a rapid exchange of information. In addition, it is possible to import information, a feature that allows one system to request data from another if necessary. A little more complex than the first type, this requires software that will function as a universal translator. Its success depends on efficient management of the integration mechanism, which imports and exports data between systems.
3. iPaaS Platform
The automated systems integration platform iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) is a solution that is stored in the cloud and connects applications and software that are in different environments. In practice, it is used by B2B (business to business) companies that want to integrate their systems and local data with the data already present in the cloud.
4. API interface
This type of systems integration is more modern and more widely used today. It uses an API (Application Programming Interface) to communicate between software, allowing data exchange without the use of intermediaries, since it works as a bridge, connecting applications. The result is a systems integration that is done confidentially, extremely agile and very effective.
Avoid palliative options and prioritize definitive solutions
Even though they know the most effective ways to integrate systems, many managers are still tempted to look for very quick, cheap and often temporary integration solutions. However, as is easy to see, these are usually not very effective and, what’s more, they can end up being even more expensive.
Therefore, investing a little more in permanent systems integration measures is always the most viable option. Furthermore, projects need to be planned and defined according to the purpose of the business, always considering how they will be used now and in the future.
Empower your team with custom configurations
Systems integration cannot be carried out in a one-dimensional manner. This is because every investment needs to benefit all employees involved, directly or indirectly. This phase will depend on the systems that the company uses and the information that is already associated, which is already well known to employees.
Thus, with good knowledge of the data, it is possible to make customized configurations using the type of integration chosen, and based on the goals defined previously. It is essential that the IT team is qualified to carry out this process and, therefore, be able to indicate the configurations required for each company, individually.
Evaluate and prepare company data
The company data to be integrated needs to be evaluated and prepared properly. In addition, it is essential to organize and make the data available in the best possible way to synchronize the systems. Based on the data that the company has collected over several years, it is possible to evaluate, measure and think of innovative strategies to improve its brand.
It is important to remember that data is your company’s most valuable asset and one of the main reasons why systems integration is necessary. Therefore, it is important to consider whether a large amount of data can be synchronized in the chosen system and how often it should be done.