With businesses managing an average of 371 SaaS applications in 2023, the cost of inefficient integration can be substantial. Poor integration doesn't just waste time—it increases errors, reduces productivity, and can significantly impact your bottom line. This blog outlines six of the most critical challenges you'll face and how to overcome them.
Every organization requires different software solutions to accomplish their goals. But, when those tools aren't seamlessly integrated, teams have to manually key information between multiple systems—that leaves plenty of room for human error to occur.
Software integration consolidates data from multiple apps so teams can manage business operations accurately and efficiently. There are different methods for implementing them, but you first need to decide whether to rely on internal IT resources or outsource the work to a partner.
Let's dive into some of the roadblocks your team may face during a software integration project:
Challenge 1: Documenting departmental processes
Whether you're building software integrations in-house or outsourcing the work with a provider, you should analyze your internal processes first before making drastic changes to your technology.
At Venn Technology, our logo symbolizes People, Processes, and Technology—in that order. Technology can only do so much without a mediator and fine-tuned workflows that align with business objectives. Process documentation is no easy feat, but it's critical for scaling operations, including adopting technology and onboarding new employees.
How departmental teams can document their processes before integrating software:
- SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) documents: a how-to sheet describing a set of tasks in detail (this is especially important for processes that require a person or multiple people to perform manual steps)
- Video Demos: screen-recorded videos showing processes in action
- Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) & Process Owners: involve the people who perform the processes and identify department subject matter experts who can clarify any nuances
Challenge 2: Building an integration strategy
A software integration strategy consists of clear objectives of what the solution will accomplish—identifying both short and long-term timelines of the project.
To start planning, write down your team's biggest choke points. Are there certain tasks that require days to complete? Are there any redundancies in processes that automation could eliminate? How much time would teams save by automating manual data entries?
Additionally, performing a high-level evaluation of your technology (especially once a year) is important. You may uncover overlaps in the functionality of business apps across different departments. What impact would removing one system have on the organization?
Challenge 3: Understanding APIs & software compatibility
Integrations are not “set it and forget it” solutions. Think of them like any of your business apps undergoing software updates. Sometimes you notice when those changes occur, but most of the time, they're bug fixes and optimization touches that ensure you get the most out of the platform.
Software integrations require high-level expertise to set up and maintain throughout their lifetime. Most SaaS business applications today are cloud-based and provide open API (application programming interface) access. This allows developers to use rulesets and tools needed to build integrations from one app to another. However, no software is built the same, so an integration expert is needed to evaluate the differences of each to understand their compatibility.
Consider a company integrating Salesforce with its ERP system. While both systems supported REST APIs, they discovered Salesforce's API had rate limits of 100,000 calls per day, while their integration needed to sync 150,000 records daily. The solution might require implementing batch processing and a queuing system to handle the volume within the API constraints. This is just one example of many that a partner well-versed in integrations between systems can help your business navigate.
Challenge 4: Ensuring consistent data formatting
Every system has different interfaces and naming conventions. On top of that, if internal processes aren't followed in the same way by every team member, there is room for data discrepancies. For two or more systems to work together seamlessly, clean data in each system is key. Consistent data formatting means that all the information flowing between apps follows the same structure and style. Without consistency, you could end up with mismatched or missing information—disrupting operations and forcing teams to do double work.
During the integration process, data mapping matches multiple different fields together. It's like providing a translation between two people who speak different languages. This careful alignment keeps data accurate and usable across all of your business apps, ultimately helping teams make better decisions based on reliable information.
Challenge 5: Testing the integration thoroughly
Testing is the most crucial part of the process. Software integrations are first built in a sandbox environment, allowing developers and end users to play around with the solution before pushing it into live production.
The testing phase of a software integration project can help teams…
- Uncover errors and data inconsistencies
- Discover what people need to be trained on
- Avoid potential risks of inadequate testing
Every business is unique, but we've provided a checklist below as an example of the types of scenarios you might want to consider when testing your integration workflow:
- Data Volume Test: Push 2x your expected daily transaction volume
- Field Mapping Test: Verify all custom fields, especially:
• Currency fields with different decimal places
• Text fields with special characters
• Date fields across time zones - Error Handling Test: Simulate network outages during sync
- Rollback Test: Verify data can be restored if sync fails
In short: Test, test, and then test again.
Challenge 6: Establishing proactive support & maintenance
Software integrations are like purchasing a new car. As long as you want it running, regular maintenance is key.
Integrations are complex as is, so if you've decided to build the solution using an in-house IT team, delegating ongoing resources should be a priority. These solutions may be built by technical people, but more often than not, they're not the end users. Departmental teams leveraging the integration will uncover errors and have to pull internal IT resources away from other business-critical tasks.
As an integration provider, at least 30% of our clients require a yearly service plan for updates to their solution. Our support requests contain simple to complex changes, often arising from changes to a company's operations, technology, and staffing. Businesses evolve at scale. Ensure you have the right experts with a consultative approach to your integration.
Read more: A Guide to Software Integration: Build, Buy, or Partner
Want to avoid the challenges of DIY integrations? Find a trustworthy integration provider.
Hundreds of siloed software applications can create a big mess for scaling businesses. In a digitally-forward world, organizations must transform their traditional, manual processes into unwavering automated workflows within their technology. Building successful integrations demands clear processes, clean data, rigorous testing, and continuous support. It doesn't mean you have to do it alone.
About Venn Technology
Team Venn builds custom software integrations for busy teams looking to automate their most painful, time-consuming manual processes. We consult and collaborate with your team to identify unique pain points and create automated workflows that scale with business objectives.
Our mission: Integrate. Automate. Be Free!
