ERP API integration with multiple eCommerce platforms is highly essential for such software providers. It allows getting access to all the necessary data from retailers' online stores. Without such information, ERP systems can not perform their primary functions. Why is it so? That is because ERP systems are responsible for a significant amount of operations that help e-retailers to automate and optimize their business activity. However, to be able to do that, it is needed to have the ability to work with various types of data and process it effectively by their systems.
In this article, we are going to explore the most important features of ERP software and find out what data they require from online stores. We also want to show how it is possible to develop ERP integration with dozens of shopping platforms and marketplaces at once with no difficulties.
What is an ERP System?
ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) is a type of business software that assists companies in managing their core operations, processes, and resources. It is often regarded as the primary system of record due to its various modules and complexity, as it gathers data from multiple areas of the company, including accounting, HR, sales, manufacturing, eСommerce, and more.
ERP is a stand-alone solution that can cover various business functions. The most common ones are supply chain, human resources, customer relationships, finance, commerce, and manufacturing. However, it is uncommon for organizations to use ERP alone for all of these functions. Oftentimes, ERP supplementary modules like CRM or HCM handle basic processes such as payroll, record keeping, or contact management. These modules work well for small businesses, but as the business grows, more complex needs arise. These include sophisticated customer behavior analytics, mobile device support, and talent retention and onboarding.
Businesses often encounter limitations with the embedded modules of their ERP systems, prompting them to seek out comprehensive solutions to address these gaps. This, in turn, requires integrating the ERP with other applications and data sources, which will be discussed in the next section on ERP integration.
What is ERP Integration?
Nowadays, it is hard to overestimate the role of enterprise resource planning systems (ERP) in eCommerce. These software designed for middle and large-sized businesses to manage their everyday activities, such as project management, accounting, procurement, and risk management.
ERP software help retailers to improve their efficiency, lower operational and management costs, make effective forecasts, and reduce risks connected with financial operations. It gives the possibility for employees to manage data easily and share it between different departments without any difficulties. For management ERP systems provide access to the data which allows to make important business decisions for the future and analyze the previous activity and company’s results.
Quality of ERP software depends on their level and quality of integration with shopping platforms. Why is ERP system integration with eCommerce platforms so important? Because for ERP providers it is vital to have access to the data from retailers’ stores connected with products, orders, stock levels, shipping to realize and automate their activity.
But the data integration is time and money consuming process if to make it by yourself and a lot of software providers choose to use API2Cart to avoid a great number of problems.
3 Main Difficulties of eCommerce ERP API Integration
If you have a goal to develop the connection between your ERP solution and multiple eCommerce platforms like Magento, Shopify, WooCommerce, etc. on your own, be prepared for a vast number of issues you may face during it. Explore the list of the most common problems that may appear during the ERP API integration with different shopping platforms:
- Integration requires a lot of time. The API architecture of various platforms differs a lot. Some of them are not hard to connect with, but some APIs are really hard even to explore as API Docs of some platforms not always contain all the necessary information. That is why the development of connection requires previous platform investigation and weeks of your developers' work to complete it.
- Integration costs a lot of money. You will need to find a qualified team of developers to build the integration with multiple eCommerce platforms. Their salaries usually variate from 2000 to 6000$ per month. Of course, it depends on the number of platforms, qualification of specialists, etc. However, you will have to spend thousands of dollars for sure as integration with shopping platforms is a technically complex process that can be done for a few days.
- Integration needs further maintenance and upgrades. The development of the connection is not the end of the story. Shopping platforms change their API versions all of the time. What does it mean for you? It means that you will have to make changes and upgrade the integration continuously. As a result, you have to spend more money, time, and effort.
Moreover, sometimes it is hard to provide the API connection security and protect your clients' data as it should be. You can overcome all the problems associated with ERP system integration with multiple shopping platforms using API2Cart solution.
API2Cart API Methods for ERP Systems
API2Cart provides a unified API for integration with multiple shopping platforms and marketplaces at once. Using it, you will easily connect your ERP solution to Magento, Shopify, Opencart, PrestaShop, eBay, Amazon, etc. You won't need to develop the integration with all of these platforms separately and spend your company's time, money, and effort. Moreover, API2Cart takes care of further integration support and update. So, you won't need to hire full stuff of new developers.
In particular, integration with multiple eCommerce platforms via unified API provided by API2Cart enables ERP systems to retrieve product lists, synchronize inventory on all storefronts, determine shipping details and organize the data in detailed reports.
Below we describe the main API integration methods for EPR software.
Inventory control
Keeping inventory data accurate and in sync across all sales channels is vital for retail business.
You get notified about the order via webhook for order.add event or retrieve new orders via order.list method.
You can update stock quantities on all sales channels via product.update method using increase_quantity and decrease_quantity parameters.
Import orders
First is setting the webhooks for order.add event to get notified every time the new order is placed. Using webhooks is a much more beneficial way in comparison to polling an API, as it decreases the server load, saves API requests, and provides more up-to-date info.
Another option for tracking new orders is executing order.list method once in a while to get a list of products to be imported to your system. Filter orders by creating time with created_from and created_to parameters.
Automate shipping
Automatically insert shipment tracking URL or update tracking info into the eCommerce store by using order.shipment.tracking.add to seamlessly notify end customers.
Create shipments and add tracking numbers to orders with help of order.shipment.update and order.shipment.add methods.
Update order statuses via order.update method.
Work with categories
API2Cart provides the ability to work with categories in a number of ways. In particular, we have the following methods:
Make reports
Let your customers get a full view of what’s going on and how resources are being spent through analytics and reports:
It is very easy to learn more about supported methods of integration by API2Cart visiting our documentation section.
Conclusion
As you can see, API2Cart is a perfect choice for developing connections with the various platforms with no spending a lot of money and valuable resources. API2Cart has all the necessary API methods that help ERP solutions to provide all their functions to e-retailers.
Also, API2Cart has detailed API Docs with examples, 24/7 customers support, and a 30-day free trial period. Our specialists will help you develop your ERP API integration with more than 40+ eCommerce platforms fast and efficiently.
You can also schedule a call with our sales representative if you want to get detailed information and examples of how API2Cart can help your ERP software to win more clients and integrate with shopping carts at one go.
