Software Integration: What Is It and How Does It Work?
When most of your processes pass through multiple software tools and generate tons of data, software integration becomes essential. But unless you’re already well-versed in these platforms, even a simple Google search can be enough to get overwhelmed. Between automations, iPaaS, iSaaS, WFM, where should you start?
With a little bit of know-how, choosing the right software integration doesn’t have to be any more complicated than any other tool. Here’s a full guide to get you started.
In this article
- What is software integration?
- Common options for software integration
- Software integration examples
- A software integration checklist
What is software integration?
At its most basic, software integration takes two digital platforms and makes them work as one. In practice, that means you have access to data from multiple sources in one place without jumping back and forth between them or copying and pasting that data.
When you integrate two platforms, you essentially build a bridge for that data to go back and forth between them.
Sounds simple right? But because these software tools aren’t built to play nice with each other, it can be a bit more complicated. Some tools have built-in options for software integration, though they’ll usually only give you a limited amount of data from another tool — and you often can’t do much with the data once it’s been sent over.
You’ll often need a third-party application to connect two other tools. Some of these applications can be set up pretty easily by providing your credentials for the tools you’re trying to connect. Others need some significant technical setup, usually done by a dedicated IT team.
So how do you find the right tool for you?
What are common options for software integration?
When you need to integrate your tools, you’ll be spoiled for options. iPaaS, iSaaS, WFM, two-way sync, it’s enough to make your head spin. Before we cover all your options, let’s break down a simple way you can compare integration solutions without diving into their more technical differences. We call this the integration triangle.
The integration triangle has three points: ease, breadth, and depth. Here’s what they mean:
- Ease: How easy is this software integration to set up? Do you need coding knowledge or other technical skills? How easy is it to troubleshoot?
- Breadth: How many integrations does this platform support? Does it just integrate one type of tool or does it cover more?
- Depth: How much can the integration platform do? Can it sync just about any type of data available in a single tool or just a few fields? Does it push data in one direction or both?
No point of the triangle is necessarily better than another; it all depends on your needs. Some teams need an easy integration that everyone can set up and use, while others will want something that can only be deployed by an IT department but creates a true seamlessness between tools.
To help you determine the kind of integration that suits your organization, you’ll find a breakdown some of the most popular categories below, along with their advantages and disadvantages. Finally, you’ll get an idea of where they fall on the integration triangle.
Let’s cover some of your options.
Native (or built-in) integration
Most software tools you’re using already have built-in integrations that let you pair them with data sources that naturally complement them. There’s no consistency around how deep these integrations are, since they’re all built by different teams for completely different purposes.
The only thing they all have in common? You can use them from your tool without too much setup time. Sometimes it’s just a matter of hitting a few buttons and giving your credentials for the tool you want to integrate with. Even when there’s a bit more setup required, you’ll rarely need any technical skills.
Advantages
- Usually available at no extra cost.
- Simple to set up.
- Covers the most relevant integrations.
Disadvantages
- Doesn’t cover as many integrations as other options.
- Limited depth compared to other integrations.
Examples
- Quickbooks automatically connects with tools like PayPal, Square, and Etsy so accountants and bookkeepers can process financial transactions without manual data entry.
- Slack Apps add tools like Asana, Google Drive, and Zoom to your Slack channels, allowing you to do more without switching tools.
- Zoom has native integrations with calendar apps like Google Calendar, chat apps like Microsoft Teams, and cloud storage platforms like Google Drive.
Ease: High
Breadth: Low
Depth: Low
Automation
An automation platform builds simple, one-way relationships between tools that automate simple actions. Most — if not all of them — use trigger-based logic to do this. All a user needs to do is pick a specific trigger that kicks off the automation and the action that automation will carry out. You could, for example, set up an automation that triggers when a task is created in your project management tool and sends specific data from that task to a database in another tool.
Usually, anyone can set up these simple automations without much technical skills, which makes them an attractive option — especially when you’re just getting started with integration.
Advantages
- Easy to set up, even without technical skills.
- Usually covers a huge range of integrations.
- Depending on the platform, can be relatively inexpensive.
Disadvantages
- Usually only supports a few fields.
- Typically only pushes data in one direction.
Examples
- Zapier is one of the most popular automation solutions out there, with integrations for project management tools, spreadsheets, and more.
- IFTTT is another popular automation solution which also supports smart home services and physical devices on top of software tools.
Ease: High
Breadth: High
Depth: Low
Two-way sync
This software integration solution creates a two-way relationship between platforms that sends data back and forth. That means you could pair a project management tool with a customer service platform, for example, and pull customer data from support tickets for use in your projects.
Automations and other software integration solutions can replicate this in a way, though this usually requires a significant amount of work and frequent troubleshooting. A two-way sync is the best way to move data between two tools and keep it up to date.
Advantages
- The easiest way to get a true two-way sync between platforms.
- Supports more fields than automation solutions and similar tools.
- Simple setup.
Disadvantages
- Doesn’t support as many integrations as other options.
- Less customizable than more technical solutions.
Examples
- Unito is a two-way sync solution for project management tools, spreadsheets, contact management tools, and more.
- Whalesync is another example of a two-way sync solution, with most of its integrations supporting databases, spreadsheets, and CRMs.
Ease: High
Breadth: Low
Depth: High
iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service)
An iPaaS is a cloud-based platform that’s meant to be your one-stop shop for integrating pretty much all your software tools in one place. You typically need some level of technical ability to use these, since the onus is on you to build integrations, deploy them, and troubleshoot them.
With the right support, an iPaaS can solve essentially all your integration needs with a single tool.
Advantages
- These platforms are fully customizable.
- Usually support more integrations than most other methods.
Disadvantages
- Significant technical knowledge is required.
- Troubleshooting can be a pain.
Examples
- Tray.io is an AI-ready iPaaS with automations for email clients, project management tools, cloud storage platforms, and more.
- Workato lets you build, deploy, and scale AI-powered automations across your entire organization.
Ease: Low
Breadth: High
Depth: High
RPA (Robotic Process Automation)
Where other software integration platforms actually build pathways for tools to communicate with each other, RPA takes a different approach. RPA lets users essentially create software bots that can copy human actions across tools, allowing even the most complex workflows to be captured and replicated.
It’s the closest thing to having people work across multiple tools without forcing all that manual work on actual people.
Advantages
- Can take complex actions across any number of tools.
- Not limited to a specific number of integrations since it’s essentially recording human actions.
Disadvantages
- Simple changes in tool interfaces or processes can break automations.
- Not as scaleable as other methods.
Examples
- UiPath combines AI and RPA to automate mundane work enterprise-wide.
- Automation Anywhere lets users automate the impossible with AI agents.
Ease: High
Breadth: High
Depth: Low
iSaaS (Integration Software as a Service)
An iSaaS solution is a lot like iPaaS: a single platform for integrating your tools. The main difference is in the level of complexity involved in using the tool. With iPaaS, users need to have at least some basic level of technical skills to set up an integration. With iSaaS, just about anyone in the organization can quickly integrate their tools.
Users can simple log into a single platform, connect their other tools, and build integrations essentially the same way every time.
Advantages
- Easier to use than many other integration methods.
- Often more affordable than solutions aimed at larger organizations, like iPaaS, WFM, and BPM.
Disadvantages
- Doesn’t always offer the same depth of integration as other platforms.
- Doesn’t have as many integration options.
Examples
- Exalate is an iSaaS with integrations for Jira, ServiceNow, Azure DevOps, and more.
- Front is another iSaaS option with a focus on customer support tools.
Ease: High
Breadth: Low
Depth: High
WFM (Workflow Management)
A workflow is a sequence of tasks — either performed by humans or software — performed repeatedly to accomplish a specific goal. A workflow management platform allows you to automate essentially this entire sequence. Where other integration platforms might focus exclusively on shipping data back and forth or automating specific tasks, workflow management platforms streamline the workflow as a whole.
Advantages
- Can quickly automate sequences of tasks that would take much more work with other solutions.
- More scaleable than other platforms.
Disadvantages
- Not suited to all use cases.
- Can be overkill for some teams.
Examples
- IBM’s Engineery Workflow Management tool.
- Oracle from Netsuite.
Ease: Low
Breadth: High
Depth: High
BPM (Business Process Management)
Where workflow management tools automate sequences of tasks, BPM handles the larger, more unwieldy processes that keep your organization running. If tasks make up workflows, workflows make up business processes. Consequently, BPM tools are usually massive suites of software, deployed by technically-adept professionals — often with the support of a team at the company providing the tool.
They’re powerful tools with deep, complex functionality, and you’ll need the budget to match.
Advantages
- Unparalled depth of integration.
- Support for more tools than other methods.
Disadvantages
- Nearly impossible to deploy without a significant level of technical skills, often needing third-party support to do so.
- Priced for enterprise-sized businesses, meaning this isn’t an option for most organizations.
Examples
- Decisions, a rules-based intelligent process automation platform.
- Nintex, which allows teams to identify, analyize, and automate their business processes.
Ease: Low
Breadth: High
Depth: High
5 software integration examples
You know the tools at your disposal, now let’s cover some of the situations where you might need software integration.
Collaborating across project management tools
Some projects require input from multiple teams, like marketing, customer support, and sales. The problem? These teams usually don’t work in the same tools. That means someone — usually a project manager — has to go back and forth between tools to copy and paste project-essential data.
With the right software integration, you can pair these tools together, meaning every task in one is represented by a task in the other. That makes collaborating a lot easier.
Syncing contacts between databases
Your organization has a ton of contacts, like customers, prospects, partners, and employees. If you ever need to reach one of these contacts — or look up information on them — you’ll usually have to prowl through multiple platforms to find it. Salespeople might keep all their contact info in something they can access on their phone, like Google Contacts or Outlook. Meanwhile, long-standing customers might be better represented in CRM tools like HubSpot or Salesforce.
Software integration allows you to connect all these disparate sources together to either centralize contact information or keep it consistent in all tools.
Reconciling financial accounts
Reconciliation is a crucial process in finance, which essentially matches transactions in accounting software with secondary evidence. A small business with only a few sales a day can manage this pretty efficiently without much help, but a multinational that needs to reconcile accounts across multiple divisions will struggle without the right tools. At that point, software integration becomes essential to put accurate financial data at your disposal.
Kicking off workflows from Slack (or Teams)
How often have you talked about a new project or initiative in Slack, only to rush through manually recapping all that information in your project management tool? This doesn’t just slow down your projects, it can kill them before they’ve even had a chance to begin.
The right integration can automatically turn messages in these tools into tasks in your project management tool of choice, allowing you to go from “talking about it” to “just finished it” in less time.
Populating marketing tools with data
Marketers need data to gauge how well their campaigns are performing. Unfortunately, that data isn’t always easily available to them. It might be scattered across various reporting tools, spreadsheets, or databases. With software integration, they can centralize that data in simple dashboards easily shared with the rest of the team and other stakeholders.
Automating other manual processes
Think of a task you’re responsible for that involves a ton of manual work, like data entry, reporting, or creating meeting agendas. How many times have you wondered if there was a way to automate it?
There probably is.
Whether you us an automation tool like Zapier that you can set up yourself or your organization deploys a BPM platform, just about any process can be automated with the right tool.
Software integration checklist
Convinced you need software integration but not sure how to deploy it at your organization? Here’s a simple checklist you can follow. You’ll find a deeper explanation of each step below.
☐ Assess integration needs
☐ Evaluate integration options
☐ Compare integration tools
☐ Check compatibility
☐ Determine level of technical support needed
☐ Run a pilot project
☐ Review pilot results
☐ Deploy integration
Assess integration needs
Don’t just run out and grab the first integration tool you find and deploy it immediately. Find out which workflows, tasks, or processes you need to integrate to get a sense of the sort of integration solution you’ll need. Then, make a list of all the tools you’ll need integrations for to make this happen. Finally, see which teams will see their work impacted by this integration.
Evaluate integration options
Before you start looking at individual software integration tools, you need to make sure you’re looking at the right options. If you’re an enterprise-sized business with hundreds of employees, you probably won’t want an automation platform. Similarly, a small business shouldn’t be looking at BPM or WFM tools. Eliminate categories that don’t make sense for your organization.
Compare integration tools
Once you’ve picked the right category of software integration platform, then you can start comparing individual tools. Should you be using Zapier or IFTTT? Unito or Exalate? To find the best tool for you, you’ll want to compare these factors:
- Price: You don’t necessarily want to go for the cheapest solution, but you’ll want to get more value for the price.
- Number of integrations: If you only have limited integration needs, you won’t want to go for a solution with more breadth.
- Ease of use: Even within a category, there can be significant variance in how easy one tool is to set up compared to another.
Not sure where to start? Check out some of our integration comparisons.
Check compatibility
Does the integration platform you’re looking at even support the tools you need to integrate? This is the bare minimum for an integration tool, but you’ll also want to see if it can integrate other tools in your stack as you start getting used to it.
Determine level of technical support needed
Some integration tools are almost impossible to deploy across your organization without specialized third-party help while others can be used by just about anyone without technical skills. While the latter might be preferable for some organizations, you might want more centralized control with integration platforms that can only be deployed by your IT department.
Run a pilot project
Before you deploy an integration organization-wide, you’ll want to test it out with a pilot project. You can pick a single team, a specific project, or a small portion of a department as your testing ground. Track the impact of your integration so you can confirm it’s the right choice.
Review pilot results
After running your pilot project, you’ll want to take the time to review its results. Did it actually save the time you were looking to save? Did any problems pop up? Gather all stakeholders you need to get a full picture of your integration’s performance before you make a decision.
If you’ve found that a particular integration doesn’t work for you as well as you thought, you’ll need to start this process over with the next option.
Deploy integration
Once an integration passes your pilot project, it’s time to deploy it. This step will look different based on what you deploy (e.g. an easy-to-use iSaaS or a BPM tool) and you might need specialized support to get it done.
Integrate the right way
With software integration, you can close the gaps between essential tools that eat up your team’s time and drowns them in manual work. Picking the right platform can be tricky, but as long as you focus on getting something that fits the depth of integration you need, supports the tools you use, and is easy enough for you to deploy as needed, you can’t go wrong.