Business integration is crucial for companies that are on their way to accelerating the growth of their brand and their business. It's essentially a tremendous driving force for organizations to leverage whatever existing technology and processes they have and see a 360-degree view of them all. However, a complete integration isn't always smooth sailing, and you're bound to encounter several challenges along the way. Let's enumerate and break down some of them here.

1. Disparate Data Formats and Sources

The first challenge you're likely to encounter is the variety of sources from which your data is going to be coming from. Keep in mind that while big corporations usually have a single, unified database, the rest of us usually have to deal with a chaotic mix of data spread out across a number of different sources.

The first step to overcoming this is to create a single point where all of the organization's data is gathered and where you can assess and work at it. Don't worry about the different formats or sources; as long as you have access to them, you'll be fine.

2. Integration Costs

The next challenge lies in cost. Due to the increased number of requests for data, the extra time and effort that goes into integrating it all, and the development of more sophisticated programming, you're likely to be looking at a more pricey investment than you first anticipated.

While you might be tempted to cut costs by employing the use of an automated solution or third-party software, it won't be effective to have a single application or service to automate or handle data. It'll also be a waste of time and money on your part. When dealing with a complex integration project, you'll be better off working with a company specializing in full services data integration.

3. Low Quality or Outdated Data

Many companies deal with outdated and low-quality data, which can be a major issue if you're trying to create an effective integration. For example, having a number of different duplicate entries for the same information on your system and having different users accessing them can result in inconsistent and inaccurate data.

To resolve this, you'll need to review, clean, and input data and have it properly validated before it's ready for use.

4. Too Much Data Stored

Even though you need a lot of data to support your company's growth, it shouldn't be at the cost of performance. Data shouldn't consume your server's resources and shouldn't slow down your system's access to other applications.

Luckily, you don't have to go through the trouble of trying to reduce your data's size. You can always have your data archived or stored using other cloud-based services or even remove inactive or non-critical and non-critical data from your system.

5. Wrong Integration Software

Finally, the last challenge when it comes to integration is the wrong software. While a lot of companies try to cut costs by using an automated tool or a third-party solution, it is crucial that you don't fall into this trap and select the wrong type of software.

A good example is an accounting software that doesn't integrate with sales and marketing software. Or even worse, you rush into a decision and select the wrong software for your business and then realize the problems once you start to use it.

When implementing an integration solution, it is essential to make sure that it's the right software for your business and that it doesn't lead to any of the aforementioned challenges.

Conclusion

Integrating your different software systems and data sources is essential for any company that wants to make its processes more efficient and boost overall performance. While the process won't be easy or cheap, you'll be able to get the job done with the right software and the right experts.

If you're looking for the right software to help you with your integration, Firm 360 should be at the top of your list. We offer you an accounting management software packed with a lot of key features to help you become more efficient in your work. If you want to experience the Firm 360 innovation, contact us and book a demo today.