Systems that talk to each other, data entered only once
The hidden cost in every business: the same information typed three times into three different applications, with three chances to get it wrong.
The management system, the CRM, the website, the logistics application, the accounting software. Each one does its own job well, none of them knows what the others are doing. In between there are people exporting a file, tidying it up by hand and importing it somewhere else, and a typing error that comes to light three weeks later.
A well-made integration removes that step. The systems exchange data on their own, with clear rules on which one is in charge of what, what happens when a piece of data is inconsistent and what has to reach a person for a decision.
What we connect
Management systems and ERP
Master records, orders, documents and stock aligned with the other company systems, even when the ERP is a closed product.
CRM and sales
Contacts and deals coming in from the website, the phone system or campaigns land in the CRM already complete, with nothing recopied.
E-commerce and portals
Catalogue, prices, availability and order status synchronised between the online shop and internal systems.
External services
Couriers, payment systems, electronic invoicing, digital signature platforms and sector-specific services.
Signs that you need an integration
These are the symptoms of two systems that do not talk to each other, and that somebody is holding together by hand.
- The same data is entered into several applications
- Somebody spends hours preparing export files
- The figures in two systems never match
- Information reaches the next department by email
- A wrong order only comes to light at invoicing
- Nobody knows which of two versions is the correct one
How we work
- 01Survey
We look at the systems to be connected, what they actually expose and which data has to pass from one side to the other.
- 02Mapping
We decide together which system is in charge of each piece of data, what happens in case of conflict and what must never be overwritten.
- 03Connection
We build the exchange and test it on real data in a separate environment, before touching anything in production.
- 04Activation
It goes live with monitoring switched on: if an exchange fails, we are the ones who notice, not you.
Before we start, in plain terms
- Typical timescales
- One or two weeks for a connection between two systems
- To get started you need
- An internal point of contact, sample data and a clear idea of the result to be achieved
- After release
- If it runs on our infrastructure, a monthly fee with servers, security and maintenance. If it runs on your systems, an annual fee for maintenance and technology updates
- Ownership
- Data, knowledge base, configurations and documentation are yours, exportable at any time. The technology remains PCDUE’s, granted for use for the duration of the service
- Where the data is held
- Infrastructure in Europe, with separate access for each customer
- What determines the price
- How many systems need connecting and how willing they are to be connected
The questions we hear most
Can AI be connected to a CRM, email or management systems?
Yes. Depending on the project, an AI solution can be integrated with CRM, email, web forms, databases, management systems, document systems, ticketing platforms, calendars and other business tools.
Can AI be connected to WhatsApp or other messaging channels?
Yes. Depending on the project, AI can be integrated with messaging channels to read requests, classify them, prepare draft replies or handle controlled interactions.
What if our management system has no API?
It happens often, especially with older sector-specific software. You work with whatever the system does expose: database access, exchange files, import areas. It is less elegant but it works, and we check it before committing to timescales and costs.
What happens if a system throws an error?
The integrations we build log every exchange and retry when the error is temporary. When a human decision is needed instead, the problem is flagged to a person rather than sitting there in silence: this is the difference between a reliable integration and one that surprises you one day.
How long does an integration project take?
Connecting two systems with documented interfaces usually takes one or two weeks. Timescales get longer when the data on the two sides does not have the same structure and you have to decide how to reconcile it: that is the part that takes more discussion and less code.
Can we start with a single flow and expand later?
That is the approach we recommend. You start with the exchange that weighs most, put it into production, check it in the field and then add the others. Better one flow that really works than ten half-finished.
Tell us what you need
A free forty-five-minute call: you describe the situation, we tell you where to start.