Nowadays, with the development of technology, the competitive environment has also increased. This situation has brought about competition among companies. For example, AI integrates and provides data flow between businesses’ systems such as supply chain, CRM, ERP. Particularly innovative companies invest in various software applications to grow. Because these software programs and applications simplify and accelerate business operations and provide many benefits to companies. With the digitalizing world, we are closely witnessing digital transformation in business processes.
Of course, this process is not that easy and smooth. If companies use many applications, data silos can arise. For example, if the integrations required to run business processes from different applications are not provided, it may lead to data loss or data complexity. In this direction, we come across the concept of “integration”. Let’s take a closer look at “Application Integration”, which has gained great importance in recent years. Also, if you want to learn more about how data comes to the game at this point you may want to read our wiki post “What Is Data Mapping?“.
What is Application Integration?
Application integration is a type of data integration that allows different applications and systems to work and communicate together. Its purpose is to meet the business needs of enterprises and bring automation to business operations. With application integration, organizations optimize multiple software applications by providing automatic data flow to simplify business processes. In this way, companies/organizations can increase the efficiency of their workflows and strengthen their infrastructure.
What are Application Integration Approaches?
There are many different approaches to application integration. The best approach for an enterprise’s need will be determined based on the specific requirements of the integration project. The most common approaches to application integration are as follows:
Point-to-point integration
point-to-point integration is an integration approach that connects two applications. This approach is pretty easy to implement. However, as the number of applications that need to be interconnected increases, its sustainability decreases.
Enterprise service bus (ESB) integration
ESB is a middleware platform that works by providing a central point to integrate applications. ESBs have more scalability, flexibility and security than point-to-point integration. Therefore, it is suitable for ESB to use in more complex integration scenarios.
iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service)
iPaaS is a cloud-based platform that provides businesses with the tools and services they need to connect, integrate and provide business intelligence to their internal and external applications.
Advantages of Application Integration for Businesses
Application integration has many more advantages for businesses. Application integration acts as a bridge, connecting businesses’ existing systems with cloud-based applications. Integrated applications work seamlessly, eliminating business problems and making everything related to integration processes easy and simple. In the business world where data is very important, businesses can easily transfer data between different applications and prevent data loss with application integration. It can also provide process automation. Application integration is important for both companies and employees with the various benefits it provides.
- Improves Business Processes
Application integration provides the connection between other applications. One of the most important things that businesses in the digital transformation process should pay attention to is the integration between applications. The fact that a company uses more applications or software programs does not define that company as innovative. A successful digital transformation is measured by how integrated these applications work with each other.
With application integration, businesses can achieve a successful result from digital transformation. Thus, streamlines the work process, simplifies, and increases efficiency.
- Facilitates Information Sharing
Integration makes easier data access and reduces information pollution by eliminating data collection and storage redundancy of each application. Moreover, creates a single point of access to data for businesses or companies. This situation increases the reliability of data and reduces the time spent on workers. Application integration also enables more effective collaboration between individuals and departments.
- Improves Customer Experience
Customer satisfaction is important for the self-development and growth of businesses or companies. One of the strongest advantages of application integration is that it provides customer expectations. Application integration enables customers to quickly solve problems and access data easily. In this way, organizations can expand their customer networks while satisfying their existing customers.
- Reduces Costs
Application integration technologies are highly effective in reducing companies’ costs. There is no need to delete the old software in two different software integrations thanks to application integration. This situation allows for cost reduction. Thus, companies can achieve huge savings in the long run.
- Increases Company Control
It is vital to increase control over the company and to be informed about everything. Application integration is a good way to keep track of everything related to data management, information flow, and business process. This improves information management and expands the company’s vision.
- Increases Employee Productivity
Application integration reduces existing effort and increases productivity by saving time. Thanks to, this situation employees act more motivated and focused in the work processes. Moreover, it increases the communication and collaboration between departments and provides that employees are more successful. The success of company employees means the success of the company. In this way, thanks to application integration, the workload of company employees is reduced while the productivity of the company increases.
MIP is an iPaaS. MIP provides application integration solutions. You can contact us to get information about MIP’s Integration Suite.
