Just about every business today relies heavily on two or more distinct software systems. Unfortunately, even systems designed to work well with others quite often come up short in practice.

Developers are almost always able to integrate systems so they work together more effectively. Arranging for some strategic systems integration work will produce considerable benefits in just about every case.

Properly Integrated, Coordinated Systems Deliver More Value

Even a system that initially seems to suit a company’s needs very well can end up revealing weaknesses before long. Quite often the most pressing problems will concern how that piece of software integrates with and supports others.

While some businesses struggle for years under the burdens imposed by such weaknesses, that will hardly ever be necessary. A better option, in many cases, will be to have a developer work on integrating systems that are not currently interacting as hoped.

Doing so will almost always produce some concrete, appreciable progress and benefits. Some of the ways the integration of systems can pay off relate to issues like:

• Efficiency. Many companies see far too much manpower being devoted to making up for the deficits of software systems. A single poorly integrated system can force many workers to carry out far too much menial, repetitive remediation. Once a system has been properly integrated with others, employees will be able to focus on more productive and interesting things. That alone will often repay the investments made into integration work quite quickly.

• Reliability. Systems sometimes appear to work well together under normal circumstances but present regular, significant problems regardless. Not being able to rely on two systems coordinating harmoniously will always drag productivity down. Properly integrated systems will inspire justified confidence and allow resources to be allocated more usefully.

• Capabilities. When two or more systems have been integrated as completely as possible, entirely new options frequently open up. Even giving one system full access to the data produced by another can be powerful and valuable.

An Option Often Worth Exploring

Benefits like these and others regularly ensure that integration work pays off for companies that commission it. When two or more systems fail to work together effectively, looking for a solution will almost always be preferable to tolerating the status quo.