Data integration is the process of combining data from more than one source, and transforming it into usable information, allowing leaders to make big decisions for the company.
Don’t be mistaken — data and information are not the same things, which is why data integration is so vital to business processes.
Data is raw facts that require processing before it can be used, and you can make sense of it. Information is the processed data, formed into meaningful and insightful facts. Data is useful but is less usable than information.
In essence, data integration is about making raw data manageable and accessible to those who need it.
How do you integrate data into your business processes?
There are a lot of options for your data integration needs. Every organization and IT team has different requirements, meaning the integration solution that works best for one company doesn’t suit another. However, because there are so many options, you’re more than likely to find the perfect fit for your team.
What factors go into finding data integration processes? You might face both external and internal issues when setting up new systems and processes. Without any strategy for finding the right integration product, you might miss the mark and end up back at square one. Set up the correct methods through strategic planning.
Ask yourself the following questions:
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What are your goals?
Different software options are depending on what you need and what your goals are. An eCommerce company will have different goals than a B2B business. You can choose an integration software that has the right features for your type of business.
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What type of product do you need: in-house or off-the-shelf?
In-house products usually cost more than off-the-shelf programs, but in-house software is tailored to your business and requirements, making it ideal. However, most small and mid-sized companies can suffice with using off-the-shelf programs, which are often customizable.
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What type of integration do you need?
You might need embedded integrations, ETL processes with big data, cloud-based integrations, or something else. Research the software before you land on one to ensure that it has the correct type of integration that you need.
Data Integration Software
Boomi is a popular Integration Platform as a Service (IPaaS) product that delivers powerful integration results. You can use Boomi’s specialized tools and features to integrate your application portfolio fully. Boomi works to integrate hybrid applications across your entire IT spread. You can use both on-premise and cloud-based applications and also a variety of data sources and unique devices. Boomi allows your team to improve productivity and is fully customizable to your needs.
Celgio is a cloud-based application integration program that follows the IPaaS theory. Celgio utilizes an integrator.io program that can integrate data for eCommerce, software, banking, Salesforce, Amazon, and more. The program uses a step-by-step wizard to walk you through the connection process and integrate multiple imports and exports in one setting. Also included is access to free integration templates to make the setup easy.
Now Commerce is excellent for B2B businesses and eCommerce platforms that use QuickBooks. The program gives you access to a sales rep portal that includes all customer information so that your sales reps can place orders and provide customer service. The B2B portal allows customers to place orders and check on pricing, inventory, and shipping times. Finally, the warehouse integration transmits shipment requests automatically, freeing your employees from data entry errors, and any potential delays in shipment.
Rivery is designed to work for ETL processes and big data integrations. The software is best suited for enterprises that are looking to mine valuable information from significant sources of raw data. You can load data from apps like Facebook directly to your storage in the cloud and transform it into useful information on potential leads, clients, and more. Possible integrations include Adaptive Insights, Amazon Advertising, Apple, Bing ads, Google Sheets, and more.
CYCLR is designed for embedded data integration with an easy-to-use platform that uses Software as a Service (SaaS) methodology. Integrate your applications with over 250 SaaS services and orchestrate data between various applications in your portfolio to quickly produce useful information. You can quickly add integrations from directly inside your own applications and adapt those integrations and data flows to meet your customers' and sales team's needs. CYCLR is an all-in-one integration software that is both powerful and simplistic, making it an excellent choice.
However you plan to integrate data into your business processes, Punk POS can help you automate and integrate various processes for your company. Contact us today for more information on how we can custom build an integration for you.
Topics: integration, automation, software integration, data integration