Modern business is built on various system entities. WordPress and WooCommerce offer customizable platforms for online visibility and e-commerce to suit different needs. The best benefits for business are achieved by integrating them seamlessly into the company’s other key systems. These include, for example, customer relationship management (CRM), enterprise resource planning (ERP), and product information management (PIM) systems.
In this guest article, we will discuss the benefits of integrations, typical integrations and their operating models, as well as things to consider when implementing integrations.
The aim is to provide a comprehensive information package for anyone who is considering whether integration is worthwhile or who has already identified the need and is wondering how to proceed.
The article contains technical terminology and abbreviations related to integrations. At the end of the article, you will find explanations of the terms if you are not already familiar with their meanings.
What Does Integration Actually Mean?
Integration is the connection of two or more different systems for the automatic and systematic transfer and synchronization of data.
Integration ensures that the necessary information can be found in the right system when it is needed, without manual intervention.
Information can be updated between systems either synchronously (in real time in connection with an event) or asynchronously (at specified intervals or with a delay). The best approach always depends on the situation, the need, and the technical limitations of the platforms.
Implementing integration always requires that both systems are integrable. In practice, a system that can be integrated with WordPress must have some kind of interface (API). It is worth finding out about the existence of interfaces and their pricing when selecting a system, even if integration is not immediately planned.
What Are the Benefits of Integration?
The main goal of integrations is to eliminate manual work steps, reduce the chances of human error, and ensure that essential information is always up to date and consistent across all systems that need it.
Instead of manually transferring data from one system to another, integration does it for you – quickly, accurately, and automatically.
- Efficiency and time savings
Automation frees up time from routine data transfers for more important and productive tasks. This improves the efficiency of the entire organization. - Fewer errors
Manual data transfer is prone to errors. Integration minimizes the risk of human error, resulting in more accurate data and reducing the costs associated with errors. - Real-time or near real-time data
Up-to-date information is critical, especially in ecommerce. Integrations can ensure that inventory levels and prices, for example, are always up to date, preventing the sale of out-of-stock products and improving the customer experience. - Better customer experience
Fast and error-free processes (e.g., order processing) and up-to-date information in online stores directly improve customer satisfaction. - Scalability
As your business grows, manual processes become a bottleneck. Automated integrations scale more easily as volume increases, enabling growth without a disproportionate increase in resources. - Consistent data and better decision-making
When data moves automatically between different systems, the overall picture of the business is clearer and based on more accurate information. This enables better and faster decision-making.
The Most Popular Integrations for WordPress and WooCommerce
The strengths of WordPress and WooCommerce compared to many other content management systems (CMS) and e-commerce platforms lies in how customizable they are.
The amount of external systems used by companies vary greatly, so the number of different integrations is almost limitless.
Typically, however, integrations can be roughly divided into a few main categories. A single website may have several different types of integrations at the same time, and they may be linked to each other.
1. Integration of forms into a CRM or ERP system
When a visitor fills out a contact form, request for quotation, or other form on your website, the information is automatically transferred directly to your customer relationship management (CRM) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) system.
Benefit: Lead processing is significantly accelerated and the risk of leads falling through the cracks is reduced.
Level of challenge: Varies from simple to moderate.
Examples: HubSpot, Active Campaign, Pipedrive, Salesforce, Zoho, Easoft, Leaddesk
With the implementation of a CRM system and direct integration, contacts can be distributed to company personnel directly based on the user’s form responses, and they are processed more reliably than in an email-based process.
In some cases, forms can be linked directly to the product range or work guidance, which further speeds up the follow-up processing of contacts.
2. Importing content from another site
Blog articles, news, events, or even the latest references are automatically and regularly imported from another source to your own WP site.
Benefit: The content of the site remains up to date.
Level of challenge: Simple
Examples: WordPress, RSS, REST API
Larger organizations in particular may have several different websites, and it may be relevant to cross-reference their content. WordPress offers a built-in RSS feed for articles, which makes it easy to automate content retrieval to another site.
Another typical use case is an event organizer that uses a separate system to manage events. This makes it easier to market different events on their own website.
The integrations themselves are typically simple, but displaying events for example may involve filtering, styling, and decisions about how to display events that last for several days.
3. Importing products from a PIM or ERP system to an online store
Product information, images, descriptions, technical data, and categories are imported from a centralized product information management system (PIM) or enterprise resource planning (ERP) system directly into the WooCommerce online store.
Benefit: Product information maintenance becomes easier, information is consistent across all channels, and the risk of overselling is reduced.
Level of challenge: Medium
Examples: Netvisor, Rackbeat, Websales, Merx, Adeona
Importing products into an online store is one of the most time-saving integrations that improves the quality of online store data, especially if the product range is extensive.
For example, for online stores selling spare parts, integration is practically the only realistic option for importing tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of products into the online store.
Typically, product integrations are done in one direction, with data being imported into the online store from a PIM/ERP system. If necessary, the data can be enriched in the online store after import, for example by adding product images or product descriptions, if the system in use does not support text formatting or video embeds.
With a wider product range in particular, it may be relevant to implement separate imports of basic product information, stock and price updates.
This is especially true if keeping product stock up to date is critical and the system in use does not provide real-time information on product updates. In this case, product information can be updated once a night, but balances and prices can be updated every 15 minutes, for example.
Some systems may offer ready-made integration with WooCommerce. It may be wise to approach these with caution and test the functionality of the integration in advance, especially if you are choosing a system based on ready-made integration and you use variable products, such as clothing with size and color information.
It is also worth exploring the possibilities of customizing WooCommerce so that a separate system is not needed at all.
4. Logistics integration of orders
Order information is automatically transferred to the enterprise resource planning system or, for example, to a logistics company for processing. Once the order has been processed, its status is updated in the online store and the customer is informed of the change.
Benefit: The speed and accuracy of the order process are dramatically improved. No manual data transfer is required.
Level of challenge: Varies from simple to moderate.
Examples: Microsoft Dynamics, Posti Glue, REST API
WooCommerce offers tools for order processing that are sufficient for small-scale operations, but if volumes are high, outsourced logistics are used, or order processing involves work stages such as customization, a separate system may be necessary.
In these cases, real-time order integration is emphasized and may even be a prerequisite for the functionality of the processes.
In some cases, the logistics company may have implemented a ready-made integration using the WooCommerce interface or webhooks. In this case, there is no need to implement your own separate integration.
5. Order warehouse integration (ERP / PIM / Cash register)
Orders automatically reduce balances in the external system.
Benefit: Up-to-date stock balances for products in different systems and in the brick-and-mortar store
Level of challenge: Medium
Examples: Confirma POS / Jeemly, Solteq Tekso, Solteq Merx, Visma Rackbeat
In some cases, it may be necessary to export orders to a separate system in order to maintain the balance, even if the orders are processed in WooCommerce.
When a separate system maintains the stock balance, a very typical approach is to retrieve balances unidirectionally to WooCommerce and orders unidirectionally from WooCommerce. In this case, orders reduce balances in the external system and the information flows back to the online store through product integration.
Basically, WooCommerce’s inventory management reduces the product balance when a sale is made, which lowers the risk of overselling, even if there’s a slight delay in updating the balances. The same logic works well with brick-and-mortar cash register systems.
The format of order data may vary considerably between systems, and there may be significant differences in the handling of taxes, discounts, and shipping costs, for example. Different rounding practices may cause problems between tax-free and taxable amounts in different systems.
6. Invoicing integration
An invoice is automatically generated based on the order, which can be sent automatically on a case-by-case basis and tracked.
Benefit: Order processing and, in particular, invoice sending are accelerated, which is reflected in cash flow.
Level of challenge: Medium
Examples: Netvisor, Fennoa, Procountor, KTI Invoicing
In B2B commerce in particular, it is typical for invoicing to be handled through Netvisor or Procountor, for example, so that invoices are sent directly to the accounting department. In this case, an invoice is generated from the order in accordance with the Finvoice standard, for example, or the invoicing software interface is used in some other way.
The invoicing software typically handles reference payment tracking from the bank, reminders, and other invoicing-related processes. However, if necessary, the invoice status can be tracked via the interface and the order status can also be updated as paid in WooCommerce. This is particularly relevant if the order is only processed after payment and the processing is handled by WooCommerce.
In small-scale operations, invoicing can also be handled by sending payment instructions with the orders and using, for example, the order number as the reference number. In this case, payment tracking and order export to accounting are done separately and require manual work, but this may be acceptable for small order volumes.
7. Enriching customer data
Orders are exported to a separate customer system (CRM/CDP), which provides a centralized view of customer history.
Benefit: Enables more effective marketing targeting and improves customer understanding.
Level of challenge: Medium
Examples: Active Campaign, Klaviyo, Mailchimp
Exporting orders and customer data to CRM may also be relevant when orders are processed in WooCommerce and product balances do not need to be integrated.
In this regard, many stores use a newsletter tool, such as Klaviyo or Mailchimp, which offer ready-made integration and enable customer segmentation and remarketing based on order data.
If customer data is exported to systems for marketing purposes, it is important to remember to ask the customer for the necessary marketing permissions.
8. User and login integrations
User data (e.g., customer or member data) is synchronized between WooCommerce accounts and an external member registry or CRM. Login can be implemented as centralized (Single Sign-On).
Benefit: Consistent and up-to-date user information in all systems. Easier management of memberships and customer relationships.
Level of challenge: Varies from moderate to challenging
Examples: WordPress, Google, Microsoft, Telia Sign, Kilta member register, Membra
User/login integrations are slightly less common in online stores, but some typical use cases include B2B customer-specific pricing or membership sales that involve granting access rights to other systems.
WordPress enables login integrations in both directions, i.e., logging into WordPress with external system credentials or logging into an external system with WP credentials. Logging in to WordPress can also be done anonymously by creating a temporary user, in which case no personal data needs to be stored on the site at all.
WordPress also offers several ready-made implementations that enable centralized login management (SSO) with, for example, Microsoft or Google credentials for company employees or customers.
Examples of Implementing Integrations
CASE 1: Online course store connected to an ERP system
One of the most interesting login integrations has been the integration of the online store’s ordering process into the customer’s own enterprise resource planning system via a login interface based on OAuth 2.0, and data retrieval using the OpenID Connect (OIDC) protocol.
OAuth enables logins to an external system without having to disclose credentials to the external system. OIDC also allows selected user data to be shared with the external system.
Training courses are offered through the online store, allowing staff to apply free of charge by logging in with their own credentials. In practice, a payment method has been added to the checkout, which directs the user to log in, and successful login is equivalent to successful payment. At the same time, the user’s email and name details are retrieved for the order so that participation data can be maintained centrally on the online store.
Some of the company’s internal courses are restricted to employees who have logged in. When logging in, a temporary WordPress user is created for the user without any personal data.
Orders placed by staff are also used to create work shifts based on the time information added to the product settings, which prevents overlapping shifts. If a course overlaps with an existing work shift, the system sends a notification to the supervisor.
CASE 2: Importing a car dealership’s vehicle data and exporting leads and reservation fees
It is important for car dealerships to keep their selection up to date, and changes are made continuously throughout the day. Typically, the selection is also published on several different platforms, and there is a lot of detailed information associated with the vehicles, meaning that integrations are the only realistic way to maintain up-to-date and comprehensive information in different systems.
Product integration was implemented by retrieving all public vehicles in JSON format from the interface using a separate interface call. This regularly updated JSON file is converted into WooCommerce products using the WP All Import plugin, which speeds up the linking of different fields and properties between the source data and WooCommerce. It can also automatically retrieve product images from links found in the data.
To speed up the update frequency, the import was optimized so that only changed data is processed. For example, with images, many systems face the challenge that image file names do not change even if the image file itself changes, so the update of the image must be determined from a separate timestamp.
In addition to regular CRON runs, product imports also start whenever the previous import ends. In practice, this means that it runs continuously in the background and monitors for product data updates.
In addition to searching for product information, contacts from the website are directed to the sales system so that vehicle-specific contacts are automatically linked to the correct vehicle and accompanied by information about the vehicle being offered in exchange, for example.
Later, the option to make a reservation payment for vehicles through the site was introduced using WooCommerce and the ready-made Paytrail integration.
CASE 3: Importing products and export of customized product packages
An extensive range of products is retrieved from the PIM system via the SOAP interface once a day, and orders are exported to the interface in real time.
What made the integration interesting were the product packages built on the e-commerce side, which combined different products and quantities into a more affordable whole. The product management system imposed restrictions, and sales reports had to be kept accurate, which meant that package discounts had to be calculated for the different products in the package.
Ways to Implement Integrations
There are several different approaches to implementing integrations, and it is not always necessary to code everything from scratch. Sometimes it can be challenging to assess the best approach in advance, but there are pros and cons to all of them.
Integration platforms (Zapier & Make)
In some cases, no code is needed to implement an integration. If the system to be integrated is popular, a ready-made integration may be available from an integration platform. In practice, platforms offer ready-made interface integrations for various systems, enabling the transfer of structured data from one system to another.
Using a ready-made service can be particularly relevant when the amounts to be transferred are small and the service is popular, such as exporting order data to Google Sheets. At best, the integration can be set up in a few hours and works relatively reliably. Platforms usually offer good logging and error management.
With larger amounts of data, the running costs of the services begin to increase, and especially when implementing more complex integrations, an experienced coder may be able to do the same thing even more efficiently with code. In some cases, real-time integration is not possible, which means that regular searches must be used, which are slower and increase costs.
It should also be noted that the data circulates through third-party servers and the service may also operate outside the EU, which means that the use of these platforms may be problematic in terms of data protection.
In addition to “everyman” platforms such as Zapier and Make.com, there are also “iPaaS” service providers suitable for more demanding use. Integrations are primarily implemented with code, but the platform provides tools for monitoring the functioning of integrations and, in particular, for managing larger entities. The use of the platform makes it easier, for example, to use different experts for different areas of integration.
Ready-made integrations
WordPress and WooCommerce offer a long list of ready-made integrations that may have been implemented by a system supplier, form plugin developer, or some other third party.
A ready-made integration is generally the best option when the integration’s operating logic is clear, the system is popular, and the integration has been in widespread use for a long time.
However, we have encountered many ready-made integrations whose operating logic is very limited, which do not work reliably, or which are expensive in the long run.
On the other hand, at its best, free integration can be implemented in minutes and does not need to be thought about for years afterwards. It is therefore always worth finding out what is available!
Import & Export plugins
Many stages of the integration process can be made easier by using tools such as WP All Import & Export plugins, which support a wide range of content types and handle a lot of conditional logic during import. For example, when importing products, features and categories are added automatically and images are imported directly.
The source data can be easily combined with product fields, and if necessary, the data or logic can be modified with code.
In many situations, the add-on also handles the creation of variant products relatively easily.
Using the add-on often speeds up the process and thus reduces costs. However, it does impose restrictions on the structure and quality of the source data. In some situations, performance can also become an obstacle if large numbers of products are being updated.
Customized integrations
Case-by-case customized integrations always offer the best flexibility. Data can be combined from different interfaces, conditional logic can be built, and performance requirements can be taken into account.
The workload is typically greater during the implementation phase, but the ongoing costs are lower than with integration platforms, for example. However, it is worth noting that any changes to systems or interfaces may also require changes to the interfaces. However, changes of this type are quite rare, and many integrations do not need to be touched for years after implementation.
What to Consider When Planning an Integration?
Before starting an integration project, it is important to stop and consider a few key issues:
- Objectives: What specific benefits or problems does the integration aim to solve?
- Systems: Which systems exactly need to be connected to each other? Do they have the necessary interfaces? Do they enable real-time data transfer?
- Data transfer: What data will be transferred, in which direction, and how often? Is all the necessary data available and in the right format?
- Complexity: How complex is the data structure? Does the data need to be modified or enriched?
- Budget and schedule: What resources are available for the project? Also consider the maintenance and further development of the integration.
- Future needs: How might the business or systems change in the future? Should the integration be easily expandable?
- Data security: How can you ensure that data transfer is secure and complies with legal requirements (e.g., GDPR)?
When is an integration worthwhile?
The profitability of integration can be assessed purely on the basis of economic criteria, i.e., the working time saved from manual data transfer and the impact of minimizing errors.
In addition to pure numbers, it often makes sense to evaluate the issue from the perspective of job satisfaction. Manual work can be tedious and have a negative impact on well-being at work. The time and energy freed up are often reflected in the quality of work and new ideas. On the other hand, for some people, boring routines can be an important part of the day and an opportunity to give their brains a rest.
Sometimes, integration that saves a day’s worth of weekly working time may mean that there is no need to hire a completely new employee, in which case the savings are significantly greater than the calculated hourly wage.
It is also always worth thinking about the future, i.e., whether there are any changes on the horizon that could affect the assessment in a year’s time, for example. When aiming for growth, it may be justified to improve scalability in advance to avoid problems.
Integration Project and Its Implementation
Choosing an implementer
When looking for an integration implementer, it is worth paying attention to their experience with different types of integration. Experience with a specific system is rarely necessary, as a skilled software developer can read the interface description and take into account the special features of the systems.
Extensive experience with different types of integration helps to take into account, for example, interface query volume limitations and various exceptions in business logic. Experience may also mean that the implementer has ready-made, tested models for different types of integration.
It is also worth keeping in mind that integrations often undergo changes or encounter problems after implementation. The implementer always has the best expertise, so it is worth considering the implementer from the perspective of continuity as well.
Initial information
Right from the start, it is worth ensuring that the implementer has all the necessary information, i.e., various interface IDs and keys, access to a test environment, if applicable, or other means of ensuring the functionality of the integration, for example, through system access rights.
When integrating a new website in particular, the more realistic the test data, the better. For example, will there be additional options for online store products (e.g., engravings) that affect the functionality of the integration?
Technical limitations of interface connections
When connecting interfaces to a WordPress installation, you should take into account rate limiting and other possible technical limitations that the service provider may have.
Checklist for creating interface connections:
- How does the integration connect to the WordPress installation?
- Is each product in the online store updated individually?
- Does each change, e.g., the product stock amount, make its own HTTP request?
- Is each product in the online store updated individually?
- Is it possible to transfer the data with a single request?
- Fewer requests, but a larger amount of data transferred at once
- Integration timing: when and how often?
- WordPress Cron vs. Linux Cron
- Finding the most efficient methods regarding performance
- WordPress Cron vs. Linux Cron
- IP-based restrictions
- Does the integration need to transfer data with IP addresses (servers) other than selected ones?
- Do you need to create rules for the integration firewall or other protections?
Logging
For almost every integration, it is advisable to implement as extensive logging as possible from the beginning. Integrations often involve exceptional situations that were not taken into account during the implementation phase, and there may be undocumented exceptions in the interfaces, e.g., the length of product information text fields is limited, which leads to missing information.
Troubleshooting is much easier when the different stages of integration are comprehensively logged. WooCommerce has a built-in logging system that allows logs to be recorded and browsed structurally at different levels of criticality. Critical errors can also be automatically reported by email, allowing for immediate response if data is not transferred between systems.
Even someone who is less technically savvy can check the logs to see if the integration is working normally or if any information essential to the integration, such as product codes, is missing from the systems. Log data does not need to be limited to separate log data; for example, information about the time of the previous update can be added to product data.
Documentation
Simple product integration does not necessarily need to be documented in great detail. However, all exceptions in interfaces, such as schedules and the handling of exceptional situations, should be clearly recorded so that, for example, the question “why has information x not been updated” does not need to be answered by the supplier when the answer is that “the information is updated with a delay.”
The more complex the integration, the more important it is to comment on the code and document the integration in general. Staff and developers change, and with them, tacit knowledge is lost. The code will eventually reveal how the integration works, but high-quality documentation significantly speeds up the process of resolving critical problems.
Summary
WordPress and WooCommerce integrations offer a significant opportunity to streamline your business, save time, and reduce errors by automating data transfer between your website/online store and other important systems.
Whether it’s order transfer, product data management, or customer data synchronization, a properly implemented integration makes everyday life smoother and enables business growth.
This article does not discuss the costs of implementation, as each case is unique and seemingly small details can have a significant impact on the amount of work involved.
The workload and, consequently, the price are also affected by the scalability and modularity of the integration, as well as the time spent on documentation and testing, for example.
Typically, simple integrations take a day or two, medium-level integrations take a week, and challenging integrations take several weeks. However, the final workload is always case-specific for each integration.
In addition to the amount of work involved in implementation, the schedule is also affected by the time spent on planning, delays in obtaining credentials, and the time spent on testing.
There are many types of integrations, and there are different ways to implement them, from ready-made tools to fully customized solutions. The most important thing is to identify your own needs and choose a partner who can reliably meet them and identify the most suitable implementation method for the situation.
About the author
Parvus Vulpes Oy focuses specifically on technically challenging WordPress and WooCommerce implementations, with decades of combined experience. Parvus has implemented integrations with dozens of different systems and is constantly creating new ones, always choosing the tools best suited to the situation.
If you are planning an integration and would like an expert’s assessment of the situation, please feel free to contact Olli: olli@parvus.fi
Terminology
There is a lot of different technical terminology used in connection with integrations. We have compiled a table of common terms and brief explanations for them.
| Term | Meaning |
| API Application Programming Interface | The software interface can be used to retrieve, edit, or add information. Interface calls between different systems are typically made via the internet. |
| REST Representational State Transfer, API | REST describes the technical operating model and architecture of an interface. In practice, most modern interfaces follow the REST model, which is typically the clearest and easiest model in terms of integration. |
| SOAP Simple Object Access Protocol | SOAP is a typical interface model, especially in older software, where both calls and responses are in XML format. SOAP is slightly heavier than the REST model in terms of both implementation and execution. |
| GraphQL Graph Query Language | GraphQL is an interface that enables more limited retrieval of specific data and improves performance in certain situations. It is typical in systems with highly variable data. |
| RSS Really Simple Syndication | A feed in structured XML format that allows you to read articles from a WordPress site, for example. |
| XML Extensible Markup Language | A structured and hierarchical way of presenting information. |
| CSV Comma Separated Value | A table in which the separator between cells can be a comma, tabulator, or semicolon, for example. |
| JSON Javascript Object Notation | A data structure similar to XML, in many cases slightly simpler and easier to process. |
| XLSX | An XML-based file format used by Excel. |
| Webhook | A notification sent via the Internet, for example, about a change in the status of an order. May contain data. |
| CRM Customer Relationship Management | Customer relationship management software. Many newsletter tools have features that are typical of CRM. |
| CDP Customer Data Platform | A platform that aims to centralize all of a company’s customer data to facilitate its management and, for example, the handling of data protection obligations. |
| ERP Enterprise Resource Planning | An enterprise resource planning system can include a wide range of functions, from product management to shift planning. |
| PIM Product Information Management | A dedicated product management system often helps to combine product data from different sources (e.g., suppliers). It acts as a hub for different sales channels. |
| Dropshipping / 3PL Third Party Logistics | Outsourcing logistics |
| Asynchronous | Something that happens with a delay or, for example, according to a schedule. |
| Synchronous | An event that occurs simultaneously: for example, when an order is created, it is immediately exported to an external system. |
| One-way vs. two-way | Is the editing of data imported from the PIM system in the online store updated back to the PIM, for example, in terms of product data? |
| Master data | The primary source of truth for data. |
| Overselling | Sales transaction for a product that is out of stock |
| IPaaS Integration Platform as a Service | Integration platforms provide tools for implementing, managing, and monitoring integrations. Examples include Zapier and Make.com. |
| SSO Single Sign-On | Centralized login management. A single login can be used to log in to multiple systems, which facilitates the management of employee logins, for example. |
| OAuth Open Authorization | A login protocol that enables login to external systems. |
| OIDC | A protocol based on OAuth login that allows controlled sharing of user information and permissions between systems. |
| Cron | A server application used to schedule recurring tasks. |