Modern businesses have a range of processes they need to optimise, and often this requires several different third-party applications. Integrating ERPs with third-party applications has therefore become an essential requirement for organizations striving for operational excellence, as it enables seamless data flow and collaboration across diverse business functions. In this blog, we'll explore the reasons to integrate Oracle NetSuite with third-party applications, the challenges you may encounter, and the diverse integration methods at your disposal.
Why Integrate NetSuite with 3rd Party Applications?
Integrating NetSuite with third-party applications brings about a lot of benefits. These include:
- Enhanced Functionality: Third-party integrations allow businesses to extend the capabilities of NetSuite ERP beyond its native features. This can include specialised tools for e-commerce, CRM, marketing automation, HR, and more, providing a more comprehensive solution tailored to specific business needs.
- Improved Efficiency: Integration eliminates the need for manual data entry between systems, reducing the risk of errors and saving time. Automated data flow ensures that all systems are up-to-date, allowing employees to focus on more strategic tasks.
- Real-time Data Synchronisation: With integrated systems, data is synchronised in real-time across platforms. This ensures that everyone in the organisation has access to the most current information, leading to better decision-making and more responsive business processes.
- Better Data Visibility and Reporting: Integrating third-party applications can consolidate data from various sources into NetSuite, enabling more comprehensive reporting and analytics. This unified view helps in identifying trends, tracking performance, and making informed decisions.
- Customisation and Flexibility: Third-party integrations allow businesses to customise their ERP environment to meet unique business requirements. This flexibility can lead to a more tailored and user-friendly system that aligns closely with business processes.
- Scalability: As businesses grow, their software needs evolve. Integrating third-party applications allows for scaling capabilities as needed without overhauling the entire ERP system. This means businesses can add or upgrade functionalities without disrupting operations.
Challenges in Integration
Despite these advantages, certain challenges can act as hurdles. However, understanding these challenges is the first step towards finding optimal solutions.
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Development Time: Creating seamless integrations requires time for development, testing, and deployment. The longer the development process, the more disruptive it can be to ongoing operations.
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Too many integrations: If a company has too many third-party integrations required, it can become very complicated for the end user.
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Cost: Integrating with third-party applications incurs development and implementation costs. Balancing these costs with the expected benefits is crucial for a successful integration strategy.
Different Integration Methods
Oracle NetSuite offers a range of integration methods, each tailored to specific needs. Here are some notable options:
CSV Imports/Exports:
CSV imports offer a quick and straightforward way to transfer data between NetSuite and other systems. While suitable for bulk data transfer, it may not be the most efficient option for real-time integration and will likely take up your team's time to upload data and correct failed imports.
Pro tip: the straightforward nature of this type of integration lends itself well to projects where NetSuite needs to be implemented in a short period of time and there's not sufficient time to build a more robust integration method. CSV imports are also useful for low volume and less critical interchanges of data.
SuiteTalk (Web Services):
SuiteTalk utilizes SOAP-based web services, offering a robust integration platform for developers. It supports essential operations like Create, Read, Update, and Delete (CRUD) and facilitates seamless communication between NetSuite and external systems.
Pro tip: Utilise a SOAP integration for a more structured interchange of data where data integrity is key and you're utilising standard NetSuite records, such as a sales order.
RESTlet:
NetSuite supports RESTful web services through RESTlets, providing a lightweight and flexible integration option. RESTlets are well-suited for modern web applications and mobile platforms.
Pro tip: Utilise the REST API for creating more flexible logic, for example if you are building a custom integration with a proprietary system and need to build in a variety of different logic to conform to business rules. Your NetSuite technical consultant should be well versed in both SOAP and REST API.
Third-Party Integration Platforms (iPaaS):
Leveraging third-party integration platforms, such as Datablend, Boomi, Jitterbit, or Celigo, can expedite the integration process. These platforms often provide pre-built connectors, reducing development time and effort.
Pro tip: Integration platforms are purely built for this purpose and often get around limitations of custom scripting by a developer using web services. Common issues faced through web services are the transformation of data and a need to have a whitelisted IP for a 3rd party system (Something NetSuite cannot do). Your NetSuite partner will likely have a preferred iPaaS solution that their developers are trained in.
So, which option is best for me?
The answer to this depends on a variety of factors. CSV imports are best utilised in either scenarios where you need to begin integrating data quickly between systems or there isn't enough commercial benefit to building a more robust integration.
Building a custom integration using either SOAP or REST API can be a strong option if you have someone with the expertise to perform the development and there's no technical barriers to completing the project. A key benefit of this approach is that once the development work is completed, there's no ongoing integration license costs as there would be with an iPaaS.
An integration platform is perhaps the most robust way of building your integration due to pre-built connectors between applications, error handling, ability to handle high volume integrations and tools to get around technical barriers. The downside is that you will have an ongoing license cost and it's a little harder to find consultants with the skill set to work on the platform as it's a little more niche than, for example, knowing how to write SOAP or REST API that most developers are able to do.
Common NetSuite Integrations
E-commerce Integration - Shopify
Connecting NetSuite with Shopify ensures seamless order processing, inventory management, and real-time synchronization, enhancing the efficiency of e-commerce operations.
CRM Integration - Salesforce
Integrating NetSuite with Salesforce facilitates a unified view of customer data, streamlining sales and customer relationship management processes.
Marketplace Integration - Amazon
NetSuite integration with Amazon optimizes order fulfillment, inventory tracking, and financial processes for businesses selling on the Amazon marketplace.
Shipping Providers Integration - FedEx
Integrating NetSuite with shipping providers like FedEx enhances shipping processes, providing real-time tracking and improving overall logistics.
3PL Solution Integration - ShipHero
NetSuite integration with Third-Party Logistics (3PL) solutions, such as ShipHero, streamlines warehouse management, order fulfillment, and logistics operations.
Let's talk!
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