5 Integration Challenges for Business App Owners—And How to Overcome Them

Blog: The Tibco Blog

Business application owners have a challenging job. In today’s digital world, they are the ones responsible for making sure the applications used by the business run smoothly so that everyone else in the company can do their jobs. The success of a company relies on business applications being connected, so that information is available to those who need it at the right time. However, the business application owner will often encounter several challenges on the integration journey.

Data Islands

For most businesses, digital transformation is a constant journey, rather than a quick fix. Even for the most tech-savvy of companies, some information is likely still stored in a way that is inaccessible to some who could benefit from it. This might be because cloud apps are not adequately connected to each other, leaving business data spread across different islands in the cloud. It is also possible that some data is still stored on-premises in legacy databases or older apps.

Duplicate data entry

Without application integration, users have to enter the same data manually into multiple systems. Other issues include when people accidentally enter incorrect data or forget to update data. By automating data entry processes through integration, companies can avoid problems related to duplicate data entry.

Lack of integration documentation

Sometimes, business applications have been integrated, but not all users are aware of the integration or how to take advantage of it. Or some businesses find it necessary to change their integration solution, due to business process changes, the addition of new record fields, or a change in an API. Whatever the case may be, it is difficult to change an integration if detailed documentation has not been maintained.

IT backlog

Any IT department that isn’t overwhelmed with requests is in the minority. Given the typical IT backlog, many business users have to wait months or longer for a member of IT to get to the task.

Collaboration obstacles

Getting all users that require access to the business apps on the same page can be difficult. Many digital businesses have multiple locations, making communication an issue at times. For some integration solutions, an outside consultant could be necessary to ensure you are getting the most value out of your business apps. Application integration is supposed to make a business run more smoothly, but getting everyone to work together to get to that point can take some work.

Take on all of these challenges with TIBCO

TIBCO Cloud Integration is the solution that addresses all five of these challenges, and any business app owner who wants to DIY is able to do so. Features of TIBCO Cloud Integration include:

Pre-built connectors for most common applications as well as generic connectors for REST and other standards
Easy-to-use, web-based, graphical integration design that business application owners can drive themselves, without writing any code
Self-documenting interface with fields for comments and the ability to track changes and restore old versions if something breaks
Business app owners can integrate applications themselves, no IT department necessary
Anyone can be invited into your web-interfaced account, making collaboration easy for colleagues and consultants alike

To learn more about how TIBCO Cloud Integration can benefit your business, download the whitepaper What is iPaaS and Why do you Need One Now? and start your free trial today.