By Boomi
As the undisputed leader in enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, SAP has become nearly ubiquitous at enterprise-level organizations worldwide. A vast majority of large companies use SAP – but they also use hundreds of other applications. The data from those other applications often directly impact how well SAP works and the enterprise runs.
But getting the data in and out of SAP can be a monumental task. Manually transferring data is time-consuming and error-prone, which raises the risk of inefficiencies and costly mistakes.
Utilizing SAP’s native integration system, SAP Cloud Integration, to connect SAP with your suite of business applications presents one solution to this problem. SAP Cloud Integration enables companies to connect their ERP and the suite of other applications they rely on, allowing data to flow freely between systems without human intervention.
But implementing SAP Cloud Integration should not be the end of your integration process because it has limitations. Adding an integration platform as a service (iPaaS) solution alongside SAP Cloud Integration will expand your connectivity capabilities and allow you to use all your business data more effectively.
Let’s explore SAP Cloud Integration and how an iPaaS can make it even more powerful.
What Is SAP Cloud Integration?
SAP Cloud Integration is a solution developed specifically by and for SAP. This platform enables end-to-end process integration by using pre-built connectors that allow you to integrate several common cloud-based and on-premises business applications directly with SAP.
One of the main advantages of using SAP Cloud Integration is its ability to make cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-on-premises connections. This is a significant upgrade over the outdated enterprise service bus (ESB) integration approach, which can only integrate systems locally and relies on connectors that are developed in-house. ESB-based integration is time and resource intensive, which slows down the deployment process and exposes the business to countless missed opportunities.
By integrating your suite of business systems directly to SAP with SAP Cloud Integration, you can reduce the need for in-house development and eliminate the risk of data inconsistency due to human error or fractured, siloed business processes.
Benefits of SAP Cloud Integration With an iPaaS Solution
The benefits of SAP Cloud Integration are substantial. But when paired with an iPaaS solution, those benefits become supercharged. Every aspect of your business runs through the ERP, from warehouse management to marketing automation to product planning. That’s why it’s vital to capture and leverage data from all applications effectively by connecting it quickly with SAP.
Here are just a few of the most significant advantages of using an iPaaS solution together with SAP Cloud Integration:
Expanded integration options
Many businesses find the pre-built connectors of SAP Cloud Integration to other non-SAP applications lacking. The pre-built connectors of independent iPaaS providers are brand agnostic. This dramatically expands your connectivity options because you aren’t locked into a single ecosystem like SAP or require custom code to integrate with an application not from a preferred partner.
Enhanced data integrity
An iPaaS tool with pre-built connectors like Boomi for SAP ensures that wherever data lives, it’s always accurate. This is especially important when data from multiple systems is moving in and out of SAP. By employing robust data stewardship capabilities, data remains synchronized no matter how you organize, export, or reconfigure it.
Faster development and deployment
While SAP Cloud Integration has some overlapping features with an iPaaS solution, SAP’s version of those features is not always as efficient. According to research from Forrester, Boomi’s no-code/low-code iPaaS can reduce integration development time by 65%. The faster development time and ease of deployment mean a quicker turnaround for critical processes like order-to-cash.
Better ERP Modernization With SAP Cloud Integration and iPaaS
Getting the best results from your ERP modernization efforts requires using all the best available tools. By modernizing your ERP with SAP Cloud Integration and an iPaaS solution together, you’ll be confident that you’re getting the most from your data.
Ready to connect SAP and improve your business processes? Get started with Boomi’s SAP Integration Planner’s Guidebook.