Your company may use existing platforms such as SalesForce, Shopify, Coupa, or a number of other CRM, eCommerece, or expense reporting software that you need integrated into NetSuite. The benefit of NetSuite integration is having a single accurate database for all your reporting and accounting needs. Many companies struggle getting these integrations right which can result in loss of sales and incorrect financial reporting.
In this post I’ll break down the Pros and Cons and 5 W’s of the popular integrations, integration platforms, and what you need to know before committing to a solution.
First, the Who, What, When, Where, and Why’s of using Integrators with NetSuite:
WHO: The big players for Integrations are companies like Boomi and Celigo ( integrator.io ). However, you could build a customer NetSuite SuiteScript solution that could directly integrate into any API including custom built 3rd party solutions.
WHAT: What do you need to know before you select an integrator? I would check to see if there is a native NetSuite solution already available from the company in form of a NetSuite Bundle. A bundle is a collection of SuiteScripts and custom records made by the company you’re trying to integrate with and often the big players in CRM, eCommerce, and financials have pre-built solutions that directly integrate into NetSuite with light setup.
WHEN: If you are setting up an integration from scratch, then knowing if it’s a standard integration or a custom business process integration goes a long way in making your decision. For very complex custom solutions having a developer write native SuiteScript code may be the best solution as you’ll have to code your custom busniess logic regardless to handle non-trivial business processes in your Boomi or Celigo integrations.
WHERE: Most of these solutions live on the cloud and some offer on-premise for those security and reliability focused companies.
WHY: Why use an integration service? There are many reasons including that they offer more out-of-the box features like templates for common integrations, a mostly no-code way connection software so non-technical people can adjust it, and most importantly is the time-saving aspect of all the features of a integrator service as opposed to a custom built solution.
Second, what are the Pros and Cons of each of the major integrators
| Integration Software | PROs | CONs |
| Dell Boomi | • Easy to understand visual workflow diagramming interface • Built-in templates for document translation ( EDI, XML, etc) • on premise available • version-controlled backups of processes | $$$ • Starting at ~$550 / mo |
| Celigo ( integrator.io ) | • Templates for common integrations • simple integrations can be altered by non-technical users | $$$ • Starting at ~$600 / mo • Clunky and error-prone software • error reporting for integrations is lacking |
| NetSuite Native Solution | • Tailored specifically to your business processes • can grow with your business as it’s tied directly into NetSuite • no recurring costs | $ • Initial setup investment • requires developer to make changes if not integrated into a UI for parameters |
| Bundles | • free • not all companies have a bundle available | • users may need to keep bundles up-to-date |