You already run an online store based on Shopware that needs to be connected to the ERP system. Or you want to create a Shopware online store, which then must enable data exchange with Wawi. Let’s first determine in which cases Shopware integration with ERP is really necessary.
- The manual processing of a large number of online orders takes a lot of your time.
- The product inventory must always remain up-to-date in ERP and Shopware.
- The new products have to be synchronized with the Shopware store and with the Wawi.
- The financial accounting is done in Excel until now and you need to know the actual status of things.
If you manage a large online store with a large number of goods, orders and customers, then you have a problem with data synchronization and reconciliation.
For this reason, data synchronization between enterprise resource planning and the online store via the interface is a common practice.
Advantages for Shopware Interface Merchandise Management
One of the most important advantages of the store connection with Wawi is that the API interface enables automatic data exchange of product images, descriptions, features and characteristics. In doing so, you synchronize the layer inventory and thus keep the product assortment of your online store as well as the merchandise management up-to-date. Orders and customer data are also transferred automatically.
As an additional benefit, Shopware interfaces allow you to minimize the number of human errors and save not only your time, but also the time of your employees. All this significantly increases the efficiency of your business.
Shopware SAP Interface
We have integrated many online stores. Each project had its own peculiarities. Each cross-system integration required a careful approach.
After all, our experience is now based on the assumption that the integration of a Shopware store with ERP should be considered as a separate sub-project. In this way, it is possible to solve the set tasks much more efficiently and respond to customer problems much better.
At the bottom of every online store lies the standard procedure for data exchange. Shopware is also no exception and offers a standard API interface for connection with third-party systems, ERP, SAP etc. However, the use of standard API functions often does not allow you to achieve the desired integration and thus the desired data exchange.
If you are already thinking deeply about the organization and structure of your online store, you must then answer the following questions for yourself:
1. What is the concept of cross-system integration?
How is the product, customer and inventory data handled between the enterprise resource planning system and the online store?
Our experience shows that enterprise resource planning could hardly be considered a flexible and universal site content management system. This means that an attempt to keep and handle absolutely all data in the accounting system will most likely lead to failure.
And the reason is not that both the Wawi API interface and the Shopware API interface need to be changed or extended for successful data exchange. It is rather because such an idealistic approach incurs highly uncontrollable costs for maintenance and upkeep.
The general recommendation is as follows: each system fits for it to solve individual problems. Shopware as CMS fits best for management over website content. The ERP system is used to record inventory and prices, as well as to automate routine operations directly related to accounting in the company. It follows that the business processes of content management and accounting should be assigned to the appropriate systems, should not overlap and certainly should not be assigned to third-party systems that are not designed for these purposes.
Would you like more information?
Contact us now2. What are the conditions for data exchange?
Here it must be determined which system is the initiator of the exchange. This seemingly simple question, however, contains many subtleties.
Moreover, this question is subject to the selection of the optimal time interval for data exchange. After all, none of the business managers we know ever wanted to remain without online sales and wait for the data exchange process to be completed. A suboptimal data exchange process can lead to serious delays and operational disruptions of both systems, and consequently to lost sales.
In this context, we are absolutely sure that every EURO invested in building a high-quality integration between an online store and an ERP or SAP system will pay off very easily due to the continuity of the work and the increase in its efficiency.
Alex Samoylenko
Oleksii Samoilenko has been working in the IT industry since 2004 and possesses extensive experience in e-commerce (B2C and B2B), SEO, online marketing, conversion optimization, and digitalization.
As the Managing Director of WebiProg GmbH, he guides companies on their path toward digital transformation and develops sustainable strategies for successful online projects. His blog articles provide practical insights, in-depth expertise, and valuable tips for optimizing online shops and digital business processes.
