An ERP integration is a software connection that couples an ERP system (Enterprise Resource Planning) with other applications such as online shops. It automatically exchanges data such as products, prices, stock levels, orders and customer data in both directions.
An ERP integration works like an interpreter between your business software and your online shop: both systems speak different languages, and the integration translates between them. Stock levels and orders stay up to date on both sides automatically – without anyone having to enter data twice.
Why do I need an ERP integration?
Without an integration, online shop and ERP system live in separate worlds: products are maintained twice, orders are transferred by hand, and stock levels stop matching after a short time. This costs working hours, leads to transcription errors and, in the worst case, to overselling – orders for goods that are no longer in stock.
An ERP integration automates this exchange in both directions: product data, prices and stock levels flow from the ERP into the shop, while orders, customer and payment data travel back into the ERP. Order processing, invoicing and shipping then continue there as usual. Technically, the connection is usually established via a REST API, via file formats such as CSV or XML, or via an intermediary middleware.
Practical relevance for shop owners
At the latest when more than a handful of orders arrive each day, manual double entry becomes a bottleneck. A well-implemented ERP connection keeps stock levels current across all sales channels, speeds up shipping and noticeably reduces data entry errors. Common systems in mid-sized companies include SAP Business One and Microsoft Dynamics 365, plus merchandise management systems such as JTL-Wawi in online retail. Which fields are synchronised in which direction depends on the business model: a B2B merchant with customer-specific prices and volume discounts has different requirements than a D2C shop with a small product range. Our article on ERP integration of Shopware and SAP shows what such a connection can look like in practice.
Typical mistakes in ERP integration projects
In our experience, similar problems recur in integration projects:
- No leading system defined: If it is unclear whether the shop or the ERP owns the data, conflicts and mutually overwritten records are the result.
- Stock synchronised too rarely: If stock levels are only reconciled once a day, fast-moving products risk being oversold.
- Edge cases forgotten: Partial deliveries, cancellations, credit notes and returns are frequently overlooked during planning.
- No monitoring: If synchronisation fails silently, errors only surface when customers complain.
- Full sync instead of delta: Transferring every record on every run creates unnecessary load and long runtimes.
What to look out for
Before implementation, define which system is authoritative for which data and document the field mapping in writing. A delta sync instead of full exports, a staging environment for testing and monitoring with alerts in case of errors are also advisable. Plan special processes such as returns and credit notes from the start – retrofitting them is usually more involved than a clean initial design. Our consulting services support you with selection and implementation.
We connect online shops to ERP and merchandise management systems – from SAP Business One and Microsoft Dynamics to JTL-Wawi. See our integrations overview for details.