Business systems and processes can no longer remain isolated and disparate; the need of the hour is to have an ecosystem of connected systems. are two such systems which add more value when integrated with each other. ERP on one hand streamlines back end processes, eCommerce on other hand directly impacts your bottom line by making it convenient for your customers to shop online. With integration, order information seamlessly travels from the eCommerce store to the ERP system for fulfillment. Similarly the EPR system is the information hub. For example, consider product inventory (with purchase orders registered there, order fulfillment, etc.) with integration you can ensure that this updated information is communicated to your eCommerce and other systems ensuring improved decision making and experience.
You might be doing everything right by deciding to , but it does not end there. Integration is complex and requires more from you than just an approval or decision. We have seen a number of businesses miscalculate the importance of this and in turn pay by compromising on the benefits they desired. Continuing with our series where we have looked at why integration in “Reasons for ERP and eCommerce Integration”, types of integration in “Real Time vs. Scheduler Based Integrations” and setting right expectations in “ERP and eCommerce are Two Different Systems”, in this article we will look at some of the common mistakes that people make while integrating ERP (Microsoft Dynamics ERP) and eCommerce systems. Our objective here is to share our experience and empower you to understand and evaluate the intricacies of the integration and then put in efforts required to overcome the challenges.
Not Understanding Your Requirements
Defining your requirements, without any doubt, is the most crucial step in the process of integration. Without well-defined requirements, proper planning and timely implementation is impossible. Moreover, inadequate effort in understanding the requirements often leads to budget and time overruns. Also you will never be able to measure the ROI of your investment unless you understand what you expect your product to do. Understanding requirements deserves proper deliberation from all the parties involved, one who is offering the solution and the other looking for it; companies looking for an integration solution must involve all stakeholders for a more efficient solution.
Integrating Wrong Systems
Integration is a strategic decision and it is important to think of your long term strategy with integration. It is easy to not consider the scalability of your existing systems and integrate them to meet the increase in demand. While integration definitely helps in streamlining processes, it is limited by the systems it connects. Hence it is important to understand if your end systems are scalable and will be able to meet the increase in demand. Investing in integrating the wrong systems will never benefit you in the long term.
Not Training Your Employees
Changes never come easy; they challenge the status quo and are almost always welcomed with resistance, be it something like your grandparents turning down the use of internet or our reluctance to accept changes in company processes. With any new solution, no matter how useful, it takes time and training for familiarity to gain entry and give way to acceptance. Similarly, with integration businesses need to design an appropriate training and transition plan to help employees adjust to the new system. Moreover, while training can not only educate them about the benefits of it you can also use it to teach them the best practices.
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