ERP integration with an eStore helps you to streamline your online business. This solution is decked up with many business applications which cater all your e-business departments and ensure seamless data transfer accessible by all department. Facing challenges while integrating ERP with eStore is pretty common. Although the implementation is partially technical, but there are many instance where communication is much essential for the proper implementation. It is seen many firms failed due to improper integration.
Let’s take a look in the challenges commonly faced:
- The difference in Database Structure and Schema –ERP, CRM and eCommerce platforms are different software used in e-business process, each has different architecture and technology. Connecting these systems requires detail knowledge of DBMSs and Table Structure. Data from one table of one platform might require to be pushed to several tables in another platform. APPSeCONNECT automates the whole system.
- The difference in Business Process – ERP systems mostly includes B2B business process like purchase, sale, account, inventory and production module, whereas CRM follows B2B business process and concentrates on sales along with marketing and services. Now eCommerce B2C sales data need to be transfer to B2B sales, inventory and accounting module of ERP as well as to B2B sales module of CRM, by implementing Appseconnect it will sync the process.
- The difference in Push and Pull Protocols – Data format is one of the most important fundamental in connecting two different systems. Often the data output of eCommerce has a format which is unreadable for ERP, so data encapsulation is an important factor which transforms eCommerce data to make it readable to ERP system or CRM system.
- Calculation and Numerical Values –Most eCommerce follows 2 decimal places for numerical value rounding while ERP and CRM are same but based on the high/low ceiling of the third decimal place. So the connector connects your ERP and eCommerce for you to get accurate value on important numeric, such as tax, shipping charges, sales order total etc.
- Mapping of Business Rules – ERP, eCommerce, and CRM has its own business process like on tax, shipping charges, currency exchange rate, stock level, etc., so when APPSeCONNECT is implemented the tax or shipping charges calculated in one platform.
- Discount Rules – Period discount, volume discount, customer-specific special prices, item group specific discount and all these modules are separate in ERP, eCommerce, and CRM. The structural difference present in ERP, B2B supports customer specific pricing. Whereas in eCommerce B2C supports customer group specific pricing.
- The difference in Business Entity Structure – ERP supports multiple contact person associated with a customer entity also provision for leads. CRM supports leads which can be converted into account and opportunity, eCommerce supports each consumer as an individual with a login id. So all these are business entities but with a difference in representation. Similarly representation of sales order, invoice, shipment, inventory structure etc. are different in each platform.
- The difference in Data Integration Technique – ERP, CRM and eCommerce both has options to connect these systems to any third party system, these functions are called APIs. Like Web Services APIs in eCommerce, DI Server in ERP, etc., but these APIs are developed and programmed in the different programming language, like PHP for eCommerce, Net/ABAP for common ERPs, etc.
The challenges are generic in nature while integrating ERP solutions. It also depends on the sector in which the organization functions, the scope of complications may vary. APPSeCONNECT easily fits in these platforms without making any glitches, streamlines it. Hence, it is essential to bring together an expertise team of advisers for better implementation.
