ERP Integration for Manufacturers: What to Know Before You Start
When manufacturers come to us to integrate their ERP with their website, they often assume the hardest part is the tech. But in reality, the root cause behind failed or delayed integrations our team see most commonly? Data complexities, misaligned expectations, and systems that weren’t built to play nice with modern ecommerce platforms.
Even when there’s a so-called “standard” or pre-built connector for your ERP and ecommerce platform, that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear. These connectors are often built for the lowest common denominator, not for your specific use case. If your ERP has been customized (and if you’re a manufacturer, it probably has), you’ll quickly run into limitations.
In this blog, Sander Mangel, VP of Tech Solutions at Above The Fray, shares his experience and insights on what makes ERP integration successful (or painful) for manufacturers.
Legacy Systems Aren’t a Dealbreaker But They Are a Red Flag
Manufacturers don’t typically choose the most common or modern ERP systems with pre-built connectors to the top website platforms. Their ERPs often lack robust API layers and even the more modern ones might not offer APIs for all endpoints, or include the customizations made within the ERP system.
“Manufacturers tend to have very niche ERP systems they’ve been working with for 20 years and it’s only suited for a very specific manufacturing branch because they have like a killer feature for that industry, right? And that’s it. They don’t have any APIs or advanced tools. It’s difficult to work with, but that one feature is amazing,” says Sander.
So, is there a limit to what integration can be done with legacy ERP systems? The short answer is no, but it’s important to be pragmatic. Start by looking at what the ERP system does offer and build from there. Is there an API or file export option? Does it send out updates via email?
“We’ve done an ERP integration where there wasn’t any API or export possibility. We literally used a screen scraper to get data visually out of the system. So nothing is impossible,” explained Sander.
For manufacturers who are committed to a legacy ERP system without an API, you just need to be aware upfront that it can be done but it is incrementally more difficult and will take additional time and effort to complete.
Don’t Try to Sync Everything in Real Time
Real time data syncs sound good in theory but often lead to issues (and cost). When planning an integration, it’s critical to think through what is actually necessary to accomplish your goal so you don’t over-architect the solution.
According to Sander, “The only thing that you really want to sync in real time or as real time as possible is probably your stock, and that’s about it.”
Instead of automatically defaulting to real time across the board, answer the following questions:
- What data actually needs to move between systems
- How frequently does that data change?
- What does the team (finance, logistics, ops) need in order to work effectively?
- What level of granularity is required for each data type (orders, payments, customers, products)?
The more selective you are, the better. Syncing large volumes of data at high frequency can lead to performance issues, sync failures, and inflated build costs and timelines. Prioritize high-impact, business-critical data and keep everything else off the table, scheduled, or on-demand.
Messy Data Is the #1 Integration Killer
Bad data doesn’t always cause issues in your day-to-day operations but it will break an ERP integration.
“We had one client that thought they knew what was coming out of their ERP, but they had never really taken the time to look at it. After starting an ERP integration project, they started to figure out there was a lot of incorrect data in the system. It’s just never bothered them previously,” shared Sander.
It’s not uncommon.
“Where integration gets bogged down is almost always because of data… If we tackle the data clean up to some extent, then we probably eliminate most of the complexity,” said Sander.
Cleaning up messy data can be simplified to two key principles:
1. Only one source of truth
While data can be replicated to many systems (customers and orders from ecommerce platform to CRM and ERP) only one system should be the source of truth. This can be the source system where the data originates from, but doesn’t have to be. For sales invoices, for example, you likely want it to be your ERP since that’s where finance is handled.
2. Independently verify data
Relying on data without verifying can lead to major issues. Be sure to cross-check verify all critical data points. For example, when receiving a sales order, match it against a transaction in your payment processor’s settlement batch. For purchase orders, match against sales orders and inventory goods received.
It’s not fun or glamorous work but it is the most important foundational step. If you want your ERP integration to succeed, you’ve got to confront the mess.
Final Word: Be Ready Before You Build
ERP integrations don’t fail because of the technology. They fail because of assumptions, blind spots, and messy data. If you’re a manufacturer preparing to integrate your ERP, the most valuable thing you can do is start with clarity.
Understand that you are likely the foremost expert on your ERP and your data, not your integration partner. Your input is critical. Prepare by documenting what your data looks like, what it means, and where it lives. Create overviews that clearly define fields like inventory levels, pricing rules, and customer data. Make time to be available during the integration process, especially for QA and testing, because your team knows the edge cases no one else can catch.
Being prepared, present, and pragmatic will ensure a successful ERP integration. Have questions or want to get started? Reach out. We’ve helped manufacturers like you navigate complex ERP integrations, reduce friction, and build solutions that support operational growth.
