Follow the data from end to end
We start with real cases: a paid order, a price change, a return or the last unit in stock. I trace each step and establish which system is allowed to change the data.
Shopify and business systems
Shopify integrations that connect ecommerce, ERP and fulfilment
When an order reaches Shopify, the work has only just started. It must reach the ERP, reserve the right stock, move through the warehouse and return with an accurate status and tracking number. I design those steps to be automatic, observable and understandable when something stops.
Connecting two APIs is not enough
A useful integration makes ownership clear: where prices originate, which system controls availability and who is allowed to change an order. It also deals with real-world problems such as missing SKUs, unavailable services, duplicate updates and incomplete records. Sending the first request is easy; keeping the flow dependable is the real job.
Systems I can connect
- ERP and finance systems for orders, prices, price lists and documents
- WMS, warehouses and 3PL providers for inventory, shipping and tracking
- PIM and DAM platforms for products, variants, attributes, images and translations
- CRM and B2B platforms for customers, companies, consent and commercial terms
How I approach an integration project
Choose a proportionate solution
An existing connector may be enough. Other projects need an integration platform or custom middleware. The choice follows the operating rules, rather than a preference for the most complicated technology.
Design for failure as well as success
I define what happens when the ERP is unavailable, the same event arrives twice or products do not match. Queues, controlled retries and reconciliation keep one error from spreading.
Make the flow visible
The team needs to see when a flow is late and recover a record without digging through unreadable logs. I include alerts, practical controls and operating procedures.
What the work includes
- A map of the systems and data moving in each direction
- Clear rules for who creates, changes and corrects each record
- A reasoned choice between a connector, integration platform or custom build
- Implementation of the flows and their failure handling
- Tests based on orders and scenarios close to day-to-day operations
- Monitoring and instructions for handling failures and recovery
Questions clients usually ask
Does every integration need to be custom-built?
No. If a connector genuinely covers the business process, it can reduce both delivery time and maintenance. A custom build makes sense when the rules, volumes or systems involved cannot be handled well by a standard product.
Should everything update in real time?
Almost never. An order has different timing needs from a catalogue with thousands of products or a finance reconciliation. We set a useful frequency for each flow instead of making constant API calls that add no business value.
What happens when the ERP is unavailable?
The order should not disappear or be sent repeatedly without control. The integration retains the operation, retries according to agreed rules and alerts the right person. A scheduled reconciliation also checks that Shopify and the external system remain aligned.
Who looks after the integration after launch?
That depends on your organisation. I can work alongside an internal team or the ERP vendor and provide the procedures and documentation needed for day-to-day support. We can also agree ongoing support when the flow is business-critical.
Need to connect a system to Shopify?
In the first call, we start with one concrete flow, the systems involved and the work that is still being done by hand. That is usually the quickest way to understand the complexity and the right next step.