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Software Tool Evaluation Factor 6: Integrations

Integrations

In my last blog post I was covering factor 4, Scalability and Architecture. In this blog post it is all about Integrations. This is especially important when you´re evaluating a tool for a specific task (like ERP, CRM, ALM) in your company. Around this task you´ve already many other tools and all your tools should be connected and well-integrated.

Around integration you should ask the following questions and create the appropriate requirements:

  • Do you need an integration of the evaluated tool into your whole tool chain?
  • Can the existing tool integrate with other tools you´re using in the company?
  • Which integrations do you need?
  • Is a specific integration key to your decision?
  • Can you use the tool to fill the gaps for existing applications?
  • Can the tool collaborate with other tools and how?

Don´t forget the scoring and weight factors.

Integrations have many faces, among them are different types of integrations and you need to decide, which of these types you need:

  1. Copy and paste
  2. Export and import
    1. without a round trip
    2. including a round trip
  3. URL links
  4. Traceability links
  5. OLE connection
  6. Direct data exchange
  7. Data exchange through a specific format
  8. Data exchange using standard middleware or message queues or hubs
  9. Data synchronization

Which of these integration types are available for the evaluated tool? To better understand the types, we want to dive deeper:

Copy and paste should be available for every tool, unless the tool does not allow copy and paste in the GUI. This is a very simple type of integration, but many vendors will tell you, we have an integration, but they don´t tell you, that it is a simple copy and paste, which is manual, not traceable and can´t be automatically done.

Export and import is no integration, unless there is a round trip possible. A round trip means, you can export the data, change the data in the other tool and import it back and there will be only the changes, additions and deletions imported. When this will be suitable for you, you must ask for this and not for an export and import.

URL links do not a real integration, but they allow traces from one tool to the other. The big plus of URL links is, that the data is not copied and maintained on 2 different places, but only in the original place where it was entered. In order that URL links work well, they must be available in both tools.

Traceability links are very similar to URL links but may be designed differently. The result is the same, you click on a link and the other tool shows up and present the data to which it was connected.

OLE connection is a technology which exist primarily on Microsoft based system. It means that the object of one application is embedded in the other application. Typical example is here a MS Excel OLE in a MS Word document. The data is present only once, but to view and edit the data from one tool in the other, you need to have both tools installed. Also this type of integration is consuming space and CPU power as both tools must be opened.

Direct data exchange means, that you can export and import data directly between 2 tools. You don´t need any additional software and the connection is configured in the tool. Once you click on "Export to XYZ", the tool will force you to enter what you want to export and where it should be added or changed in the other tool.

Data exchange through a specific format means, that the data to be exchanged can be configured and once exported, a specific file format is written and can be imported in the other tool by adding, changing or deleting data. In this case, the data exist twice (in both tools), but you have the control, what data is exchanged, and you can redo this when the exchange failed.

Data exchange using standard middleware or message queues, or hubs is a type where an another tool comes in and do the work. There are many existing tools on the market which can do the job, but the tool must support these tools.

Data synchronization means, you have a specific middleware, what is doing the whole integration/exchange job automatically on a regular basis. You must only configure the synchronization prior the execution. This type of integration is very preferable when you need to have the data in both systems, as you have users, who use only one of both tools.

How are integrations managed?

  1. Possible through API use, but needs to be done
  2. Possible through API, already developed and ready to use
  3. Configurable through the GUI
  4. Middleware by a third party is provided

An answer like: "Integration is possible through the API" does not help at all as you don´t know how long it would take to develop the integration and what are the costs. So your requirements in the integration area must be at least twofold:

  1. An integration between tool A and tool B is possible
  2. An integration between tool A and tool B is ready to use

What can the tool integrate/exchange with other tools?

  1. Data
  2. Configuration
  3. Business processes

This should help you to create your integration requirements and think about the fact that an integration is not an integration. There are so many kinds of integrations, that you must specify very clearly what you need.

When you need any help on this or on other evaluation topics, don´t hesitate to drop me an email.