If your team types the same information into several systems, you have an integration problem.
Signs it's time to integrate
The clearest one is the same information typed into two or more places. Another is the report that only comes out after someone combines data from different sources by hand.
Also watch for errors caused by out-of-date data between systems. And for people on the team spending too much time on administrative tasks.
Ways to integrate
Direct API
When the systems have an API, it's the most solid path. Data moves from one side to the other right away.
Webhooks
System A notifies system B when something happens, like a new order or a new customer.
ETL and sync
This fits large volumes of data that need to be consolidated from time to time.
Middleware and iPaaS
Platforms like Zapier or Make handle simple integrations. For complex ones, I would build something specific for the case.
Where projects stumble
The first stumble is integrating without mapping the flow. Before connecting anything, understand how the information should move.
The second is not handling errors. What happens when an API goes down?
The third is forgetting monitoring. An integration needs alerts when something fails.
Where to start
To me, integration stopped being a luxury. Start with the most critical data flow and expand from there.
