Systems integration is the process of linking together different computer systems and software applications. What is key is that they are able to work effectively as if they were always intended to be part of the same system.
A good example is the integration of websites with offline systems such as stock control or accounting systems. Web applications will be on a different server to a back end system so integration is required to ‘connect’ these applications securely over the internet.
Websites that have online ordering or full ecommerce can integrate with stock or accounting systems to negate the need to re-key an order into the back end system. At the same time an order hits the sales ledger of an accounting system the stock will be decremented and picked for shipping to the customer. Meanwhile the accounts have recognised the order with the payment and updated the profit and loss account. This kind of integration saves huge amounts of time and thus business overhead cost and speeds up the business process.
Other examples may be the integration of two software systems between companies; direct XML ordering is becoming a fast and effective way for major customers and suppliers to work, particularly if orders between these companies are regular.
Bright Matter have a team of developers who build and integrate systems as well as being part of the ATW group which writes bespoke programs and supplies full stock control and accounting systems.