The word integration gets thrown around a lot in the tech industry. If you’ve ever researched software for your business you’ve most likely seen this word, searched this word, or been sold on this word. But what is integration? Some software companies use the word integration loosely and say they offer it, when in reality they don’t.
Do you ever have to wait for data to arrive? If you’re ever waiting for data to upload or sync, your software is not truly integrated. You’ve found a way to get different systems to communicate, but they aren’t fully integrated with one another. This can mean long wait times to run reports, start work or purchase orders, or see correct inventory counts. There is also more room for error. If the data is in different in two systems, how do you know which one is showing the correct data and which one is waiting to be synced?
True integration means no wait time. As soon as you input data in your system it’s there and ready to be used in many capacities. When Nobious builds Viewpoint add-ons all the data is stored in Vista. This is the case with any ERP system we build add-ons for. When a warehouse manager pulls up their inventory management system and starts begins smart barcode scanning, all that data is immediately instantly stored loading right into Viewpoint’s system.directly in Vista
Many vendors hesitate to fully integrate because it takes a lot of effort to do it correctly, so instead you end up with a process that is consistently syncing. Unfortunately, many technology partners charge full price for their partial integrations.
When researching new software for your business, be sure you understand what integration means to the company you’re looking to work with. Make sure you ask exactly how data will be loaded into your ERP system. All systems have certain limitations, but it’s important to be sure your technology partner is truly integrating your business systems to their fullest capacity in order for you to reach your highest potential.
