| After decades of investment in IT systems large and | | | | The power of integration can be seen in the depth |
| small, many companies are now faced with a frankly | | | | and variety of applications for which it can be |
| daunting array of hardware, software, operating | | | | exploited. For example: |
| systems, processes, tools and methodologies. | | | | Creating seamless links between bill of materials |
| Some work, some don't and with many, no-one has | | | | and supply to ensure minimal stock wastage and |
| any idea what they do. | | | | efficient manufacture/assembly |
| However, one thing is clear. If all these systems could | | | | An enabling tool for companies wishing to |
| talk to each other, share data and open up to internal | | | | migrate to new enterprise wide systems in stages |
| and external systems, companies could generate | | | | Allows modification to be made to core systems |
| significant productivity gains through minimal | | | | that can be transferred to new version, ensuring |
| investment. | | | | companies remain eligible for standard upgrades. |
| Today's successful businesses are expanding to | | | | Improve customer service by allowing orders to |
| include markets and business partners from all over | | | | be received in customers' preferred format and |
| the world. As companies grow and business becomes | | | | automatically converting and delivering these into core |
| more sophisticated, the need to connect and | | | | systems. |
| optimize integrated systems and information | | | | The list is potentially endless, with the only restriction |
| increases - inside and outside the organization. | | | | being imagination. The effect of this capability for |
| Integration of information or enterprise application | | | | rapid change to the automation of business critical |
| integration gives a vital competitive advantage. | | | | processes is very much a cultural one. It is now fairly |
| Mergers, acquisitions and global markets require an | | | | straightforward to enable connections and utilize |
| EAI solution from all systems and business partners | | | | functionality across multiple and cross business |
| to provide a competitive edge. And it has to be quick | | | | systems and this means companies are able to offer |
| - when business terms have been agreed, the last | | | | services that they couldn't before. This alone impacts |
| thing anyone wants is to wait for respective business | | | | other areas of the business and so the whole ethos |
| systems to be able to speak to each other. | | | | of company operations comes under scrutiny. |
| There are now many EAI solutions available in the | | | | This is why IT systems must be flexible, and remain |
| market, but to be effective they have to be | | | | flexible throughout their lifespan. Integration between |
| affordable, fast to deploy, platform-independent and | | | | applications and trading partners opens companies up |
| easy to use, customize or change. To put it simply, | | | | and systems must be ready and able to adapt to |
| an IT integration solution should make it easier to do | | | | ensure maximum benefit is achieved. There is little |
| business and gain a fast ROI on IT investment. | | | | point in allowing customers to check stock levels prior |
| More importantly, it needs to be unobtrusive, allowing | | | | to ordering if this information is inaccurate; it would |
| business partners to keep preferred routines and | | | | cause more damage than good. |
| systems, rather than forcing them to adapt. | | | | The proliferation of integration ERP solutions has |
| Integration solutions allow companies to maximize | | | | been the most significant development in IT in recent |
| existing investment while also helping to implement | | | | years. Properly implemented within the business |
| new systems and technologies faster and more | | | | management supply chain solution, it has already |
| effectively. The application of integration has no | | | | reaped massive efficiency and profitability benefits |
| boundaries, with hundreds of companies around the | | | | for companies all over the world. It is only going to |
| world already using them to deliver seamless | | | | get bigger and companies should look closely at this |
| solutions to specific business problems. | | | | technology. |