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SAP e‑commerce solutions: Which ones are truly integrated?
Lena Santen
May 20, 2022
May 20, 2022
SAP produces some of the most valuable Enterprise Resource Planning tools (ERPs) on the market. With your SAP ERP, you can unify all your back-end data, ensuring that everything from stock units to shipments is synchronized across your internal systems.
But when it comes to getting that accurate data from your ERP to your e-commerce, things can get a lot more complicated.
How do you go about making sure that your e-commerce solution has that accurate, real-time data from your ERP?
By choosing an integrated e-commerce solution.
Here’s the problem: lots of e-commerce solutions tell you that they integrate with your SAP ERP.
But sometimes that integration isn’t seamless. Sometimes, that integration is only skin-deep.
Before you choose your e-commerce solution, you need to know how robust that integration is.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide which will show you which e-commerce solutions integrate best with your SAP ERP.
Let’s find out who integrates and who scratches the surface.
Your ERP knows exactly what you have, where you have it, where it’s going, and when you’ll get more.
That’s pretty critical information, right?Â
Your e-commerce solution should have that information.
Integrated e-commerce solutions sync with your SAP software to keep both systems aligned.
Here’s why this is important.
Your e-commerce solution is updated by your ERP, and your ERP is updated from your e-commerce solution.
This workaround is known as a connector. It’s a third-party piece of software that takes information from your e-commerce solution, then sends it to your ERP.
SAP Integrated e-commerce solutions don’t require additional pieces of software. No additional costs, no data delays.
Integrated e-commerce solutions help make that happen. These solutions pull data straight from your SAP ERP so that your customer can see exactly what is in stock and how their order is being processed.
Fewer errors mean happier customers. Happier customers mean more repeat business.
But when it comes to getting that accurate data from your ERP to your e-commerce, things can get a lot more complicated.
How do you go about making sure that your e-commerce solution has that accurate, real-time data from your ERP?
By choosing an integrated e-commerce solution.
Here’s the problem: lots of e-commerce solutions tell you that they integrate with your SAP ERP.
But sometimes that integration isn’t seamless. Sometimes, that integration is only skin-deep.
Before you choose your e-commerce solution, you need to know how robust that integration is.
That’s why we’ve put together this guide which will show you which e-commerce solutions integrate best with your SAP ERP.
Let’s find out who integrates and who scratches the surface.
Why do SAP users need to integrate with an E-Commerce solution?Â
As an SAP user, you know that your ERP is the brains of your business. Your ERP manages and synchronizes all your business processes from HR to supply chain to manufacturing.Your ERP knows exactly what you have, where you have it, where it’s going, and when you’ll get more.
That’s pretty critical information, right?Â
Your e-commerce solution should have that information.
Integrated e-commerce solutions sync with your SAP software to keep both systems aligned.
Here’s why this is important.
Data is synchronized and accurate
Integrated e-commerce solutions make sure that your webstore has real-time accurate information by drawing directly from your ERP. Your online store accurately reflects stock and order tracking. In turn, your e-commerce solution will sync with your ERP to make sure your internal “business brains” have been updated.
Fewer systems are required.Â
If your e-commerce solution doesn’t integrate with your SAP ERP, you will need to figure out another way to get information from these two systems.This workaround is known as a connector. It’s a third-party piece of software that takes information from your e-commerce solution, then sends it to your ERP.
- Adding additional systems means
- Additional training for employees
- Extra costs
- Increased risk of data inaccuracies
- Reduced speed; synchronization will not be instantaneous.
SAP Integrated e-commerce solutions don’t require additional pieces of software. No additional costs, no data delays.
Increased customer satisfactionÂ
Customers want to be able to go to your webstore, order an item, and be confident that their order will be processed accurately, ship quickly, and that they will receive an item without errors.Integrated e-commerce solutions help make that happen. These solutions pull data straight from your SAP ERP so that your customer can see exactly what is in stock and how their order is being processed.
Fewer errors mean happier customers. Happier customers mean more repeat business.
Looking for a B2B e-commerce portal for your SAP ERP?
Download the factsheet to learn how we can build a web store from your ERP.
What e-commerce solutions partner with SAP?Â
Many e-commerce solutions are compatible with SAP, but they aren’t equal when it comes to the seamlessness of their integration.The most popular e-commerce partners for SAP are Sana Commerce, SAP Commerce Cloud, Adobe Commerce Cloud, Shopify, and k-eCommerce.
These platforms can be divided into three categories: complete integration, interfaced solution, and shopping cart integration.
Sana Commerce: Complete integration
Sana Commerce is the e-commerce solution that directly integrates with SAP. With Sana, your webstore pulls information directly from your ERP – no additional connectors required.
With Sana, your webstore will always reflect exactly what your ERP shows, because Sana constantly pulls data directly from your ERP.
Through Sana Commerce’s tight integration with SAP, you get:
- Realtime accurate data – your ERP is your single source of truth
- No redundancies – data is only stored in one location
- Unified business environment that is easy to scale
Interfaced solution: SAP and k-eCommerce
The lower level of ERP integration is called an “interfaced solution.” Interfaced solutions, such as k-eCommerce and SAP’s in-house SAP Commerce Cloud, are powered by a webstore that has its own database separate from your ERP. This webstore business logic handles orders, taxes, and customer information.
Then, this information needs to be ferried to your ERP through an in-house connector.
This solution still allows data to be transferred from your internal business logic to your customer-facing webstore, but it isn’t as efficient as an integrated solution.
Instead, you have two databases that periodically must sync with each other. Not only is this process more complicated, but it’s also more error-prone.
Shopping cart e-commerce solutions, such as Adobe (formerly Magento) and Shopify are standalone solutions.Â
This means that your webstore is not connected to your ERP. All product information (pricing, inventory) must be created inside these solutions; it will not be pulled from your ERP.
To get that information from your ERP to your e-commerce solution, you’ll need to use a 3rd party connector.
Then, this information needs to be ferried to your ERP through an in-house connector.
This solution still allows data to be transferred from your internal business logic to your customer-facing webstore, but it isn’t as efficient as an integrated solution.
Instead, you have two databases that periodically must sync with each other. Not only is this process more complicated, but it’s also more error-prone.
Shopping cart integration: Shopify and Adobe Commerce Cloud
The lightest level of partnership with your SAP business logic is called a shopping cart solution.Â
Shopping cart e-commerce solutions, such as Adobe (formerly Magento) and Shopify are standalone solutions.Â
This means that your webstore is not connected to your ERP. All product information (pricing, inventory) must be created inside these solutions; it will not be pulled from your ERP.
To get that information from your ERP to your e-commerce solution, you’ll need to use a 3rd party connector.
As we’ve mentioned, 3rd party connectors mean:
Sana’s tight integration with SAP means that all data is synchronized and accurate. No additional connectors are required, resulting in fewer business expenses. Ultimately, this nimble and seamless integration improves order efficiency and accuracy, boosting customer satisfaction and retention.
- Additional training for employees
- Extra costs
- Increased risk of data inaccuracies
- Reduced speed; synchronization will not be instantaneous.
Sana: completely integrated e-commerce solution
Sana Commerce is the only e-commerce solution that directly integrates with SAP. Through this integration, your SAP business logic becomes the engine that powers your webstore.Sana’s tight integration with SAP means that all data is synchronized and accurate. No additional connectors are required, resulting in fewer business expenses. Ultimately, this nimble and seamless integration improves order efficiency and accuracy, boosting customer satisfaction and retention.
Discover all 46 benefits of
integration with Sana
Learn how integration paves the way to happier clients, more sales,
and better partnerships.
and better partnerships.