E-commerce integrator – how can connecting an e-commerce store with an ERP system improve your work?

Modern IT solutions have the ability to operate not only independently, but also to work together – even if they were not created by the same manufacturer.

This is possible thanks to specialized integrators. One type is an e-commerce integrator, which provides a seamless exchange of information between an e-shop and other software. In our post, we will talk about integration with ERP systems.

From our entry you will learn:

• What is an e-commerce integrator
• What processes can an e-commerce integrator improve
• What are the advantages of an e-commerce integrator

What is an e-commerce integrator

Integration of information systems means that they can communicate. Two or more systems can be integrated, so they can exchange data with each other.

An e-commerce integrator is a tool that enables the exchange of data between an online store (e.g. Magento, IdoSell, etc.) and another IT system. This communication is two-way, that is, the store can both send and receive information.

The e-commerce integrator is useful both for start-up e-businesses whose owners are concerned about a lot of work, and for long-established companies that need to manage a large number of orders, customers and warehouses.

The integrator runs in the background and does not have a separate interface. The integration can be run once in a while or every shift if you are working with a very large number of orders and need to update inventory on an ongoing basis.

What processes can an e-commerce integrator improve

An e-commerce integrator can simplify virtually every area of work for companies running an online store. First of all, it automates repetitive activities, so there is less chance of making a mistake and you are left with more time to take care of the really important aspects.

An e-commerce integrator will help you streamline:

• Contractor management – adding new contractors, updating contact person data or adding another contact person, assigning a discount group and merchant to a customer, setting and editing credit limits, synchronizing contractors,
• Contractor management – adding new contractors, updating contact person data or adding another contact person, assigning a discount group and merchant to a customer, setting and editing credit limits, synchronizing contractors,
• Bid management – downloading or adding a new bid, editing, accepting or rejecting a bid,
• Order management – changing the status of the order, providing the customer with information with tracking number and VAT invoice, marking the invoice as unpaid, cancelling the order, issuing a correction invoice, disabling the possibility of ordering with overdue payments,
• warehouse management – updating stock levels for all products,
• Claims management – download a new claim, change the status of the claim, and complete the claim with tracking and carrier name.

What are the advantages of an e-commerce integrator

An e-commerce integrator supports the entire sales process, from customer inquiry to order fulfilment. The most important advantages of an e-commerce integrator are:

• Automation – thanks to the integrator, you avoid performing repetitive, tedious tasks such as copying contractor data between systems, rewriting shipment numbers, attaching commercial documents or checking inventory,
• Reduce labour costs – because some of the activities are performed automatically, you can adjust staffing levels to the actual duties performed,
• Minimize mistakes – the integrator eliminates the need to enter data in several places manually; thus, there is less chance of it being entered incorrectly or of accounting or sales documents being duplicated. In addition, the integrator causes inventory to be updated on a regular basis, so you will never again issue the same goods to two different contractors,
• Speeding up order processing and increasing contractor satisfaction – the integrator makes quoting, order processing and handling of possible complaints go much faster. In case of any questions, your counterparties will find their purchase and shipment history and related accounting documents, in one place. This increases your customers’ satisfaction and makes them more likely to return to you for future purchases,
• Increased level of control – with order information available in real-time, you can monitor the number of your customers, the level of payments or the number of complaints in real-time.

Significantly, the operation of a dedicated e-commerce integrator can be continuously expanded with new functionalities. As your company grows or a new market need arises, the integrator can continue to expand its scope.