Integrations
Your team shouldn't be the integration.
When people retype data from one program into another, they're doing a job software should do. I connect business systems through APIs, files or a shared database, with validation and clear error handling, so data moves on its own and problems show up before anyone relies on the wrong numbers.
What I do
Map the data first
Which system owns which data, what each field means, and what should happen to duplicates, deletions and corrections.
Connect through what exists
REST APIs and webhooks where they're available. File exchange, database views or exports where they aren't.
Check data on the way
Every record is validated before it's written. Bad data is held back with a reason, not passed along.
Make failures visible
A log you can read, and a notification when something needs a person, instead of silent gaps.
Bridge older systems
Import and export bridges for software without an API, including desktop applications and on-premises databases.
API, file or database? How I choose
| Situation | What usually makes sense |
|---|---|
| Both systems have a documented API | Connect the APIs directly, with retries and a log |
| One system can only import and export files | A scheduled file bridge that checks every file before importing it |
| The data lives in your own database | Read and write through views or stored procedures, not raw tables |
| Changes must appear within seconds | Webhooks or event-driven sync, if both systems support it |
| A sync once a day is enough | A scheduled job: simpler to run and easier to check |
The right connection is the simplest one that is reliable, and that someone can still understand when it breaks.
How an integration project usually goes
Map
Which data moves, in which direction, how often, and who owns it.
Test the edges
Try the APIs or files with real examples, including the awkward ones.
Agree the scope
A written proposal: what connects, what is checked, what it costs.
Run side by side
The new sync runs alongside the manual process until the results match.
Hand over
Documentation, a readable log and a clear way to see that it's working.
Questions about this
Which systems can you connect?
Most business software can be connected one way or another: through an API, file exports or its database. Tell me which systems you use, and I'll check what they offer before suggesting anything.
One of our systems has no API. Is that a problem?
Not necessarily. Many older systems can import and export files, or have a database that can be read safely. It changes the approach, not always the result.
What happens when the sync fails?
It's built to fail visibly: the record is held back, the reason is logged and someone is notified. Nothing is skipped silently.
Where does the integration run, and who looks after it?
It depends on your setup: on your own server, as a scheduled task on a Windows machine, or as a small cloud service. We agree both in the proposal.