Shopify-SAP Integration – Does Shopify Integrate With SAP?

Establishing a business is like opening a box of possibilities, but moreover, it is a box of opportunities. Rather than fixating on what might happen, if you do it yourself, you adopt a set of circumstances that only then something substantial can happen if you adhere to it. Every aspect of the entity opens a world of potentialities, be it marketing, sales, human relations, research and development, administration and management. Every branch has to use its resources optimally to realise the entity’s objectives, function well, create a niche for its goods and services, and carve a mark in the global market. However, a business can only grow and deliver the best when managing its business processes. Therefore, an establishment needs to induct methods to account, administer and manage its various business performance and mechanisms. Many stakeholders on Shopify in UAE use SAP for the same purpose.

This blog will understand how integrating Shopify with SAP provides an advantage to business owners.

For a better understanding of eCommerce website development in Dubai and integration of Shopify with SAP, let us first understand how each one of them individually works.

Shopify

Shopify is, in simple terms, cloud-based software that operates as a service shopping cart solution and enables entities to set up an online store. It has categorically made different subscription plans for prices varying the service feature it offers. Therefore it can cater to the needs of businesses of all sizes, be it large, medium or a small scale retail store. It equally benefits start-ups that are yet to grasp the market. In addition to its features being handy and easy to use, it gives plenty of options for integration.

How exactly does Shopify work? 

Operating as cloud-based software, harbouring services on a monthly subscription basis, Shopify provides business owners with an admin panel to feed store information, add products, and facilitate orders. The interface is lucid and has a slight learning curve for beginners. Therefore, with a few clicks of buttons, an eCommerce entity is up and running.

It offers a pool of attractive and stylish templates, some are free, and some are for purchasing, but that too at a very economical price. Moreover, the editing tools of the software helps you to customise all its features as per your online store; that is, the themes are not rigid but present in a way that goes the best with your brand.

Shopify offers subscriptions inclusive of secure, reliable web hosting for the eCommerce website in furtherance to creative freedom. Hence, the particular site does not crash during peak traffic hours and is susceptible to hijacked transactions.

One can sell everything on Shopify if it is not illegal and fraudulent.

Therefore, Shopify can be rightly concluded for fulfilling all the eCommerce website development and assembling needs that might arise at the initiation and operation of an online store.

SAP

For starters, SAP made SAP. Yes, both the makers and software share a common name. It is System Applications and Products in Data Processing. They have digitally transformed the dynamic of business operations management with ERP or Enterprise Resource Planning solutions. In simple terms, it has incorporated different modules to streamline various business processes within any unit of the or department at the establishment, resulting in an amalgamation of workers and their idea. The modules are designed to take the form of any operation, be it human resources, finance, sales, and more. It is hard to find a variant of business that does not fit the plethora of models SAP offers.

How exactly does SAP work? 

Other than ERP, SAP has other components as well like, Business Intelligence (BI), Supply Chain Management (SCM), and Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and much more.

In general terminology, it can be understood that SAP effectively facilitates data processing and the flow of information across the organisation. Delving into the technology, SAP pilots all parts of a business entity into an intelligent suite on a fully digital platform. With 230 million cloud users, more than 100 solutions, it has become the most extensive cloud portfolio of any provider. It is rightly deemed the leader in revolutionising the operations of a business. It eliminates any duplication or redundancy in data and is a catalyst in efficient and effective operation.

Besides being well suited for any business, it also provides a futuristic approach to your entity. It automates repetitive tasks saving time, money and resources with its ‘future-proof cloud ERP solutions. Furthermore, it is very much flexible when it comes to customisation. You can choose to use private or public cloud, customise processes as per your establishment, and you get to pay only for what you induct and need. Furthermore, it guarantees robust security against hackers and provides an unmatched level of data security.

Does Shopify Integrate With SAP?

Yes, Shopify can be integrated with SAP. It is where you perform manual data entry between your SAP accounting software and Shopify software. Once done, you will experience a smooth flow of business operations, and finance will be managed effectively.

How to integrate Shopify with SAP?

The integration might seem daunting and complicated, but you need not worry because we have a step by step guide to help you with the same.

Step 1. Creation of Shopify account

We start with, you creating a Shopify account and creating a store; if you already have one, you shall skip this process.

Step 2. Creation of App

• Now to connect your Shopify account with SAP, API is used, but an app has to be created. For creating an application in a Shopify account, the following instructions must be abided by.
• Click on apps, and then on “manage private apps”.
• Go to “create new private app” and add a relevant name to the application considering your business.
• Agree to “allow the app to access the data using API.”
• Now once the settings are saved, your app is ready.
• The API key, access token, URL and shared secret will be created automatically when the application is ready.

Note– These are unique for every store to ensure the security of the connection and integration.

Step 3. Using connector agents to connect SAP and Shopify

• To use the connectors, you must have the base URL, API password, key and shared details.
• Now, after filling out the details, you have to click on the ‘validate’ button
• Complete the basic authentication process
• Click the save button

And you are all set!

Step 4. Connection of SAP with the connector agent

• Open SAP and press the ‘plus’ button
• Now you have to add the SAP credentials, including system ID, server host, username, client, system number, password, and the language you prefer.
• Once you have added all the above informations, click on ‘validate’ and save all the details.

Step 5. Syncing processes between SAP and Shopify 

• One has to use the product add touchpoint, for which one needs to use TCODE WPC2.
• Now choose the connector agent’s logical system.
• The connector will process the IDOC through a touchpoint, and it will synchronise the product details to the Shopify store by hitting the product API.

Finally, the products are synced to the Shopify store. You can also sync the invoices, delivery, customers, and everything else.

Aspects to consider for integrating Shopify and SAP

Documentation Of The Keytouchpoints 

The store owners must devise the list and describe the rules around inventory control, customer management, order flow, and fulfilment. To put this simply, one has to precisely draw a line and determine which business functions rely on communication between Shopify and SAP. In addition to that, one also has to consider the communication cadence, frequency, and load.

Note– At this point, one must not forget to opt between uni-directional and bi-directional communication.

The Connector Application 

In the most straightforward language, the connector apps are the plugins installed on Shopify and use the hosted service. It works as a bridge for data flow between SAP and Shopify stores and negates the hefty amount paid for custom integration. Moreover, the maintenance cost of connector apps is comparatively lower than what one loses when customer services are not on point.

API Limitations And Capabilities 

Even though Shopify has a robust API and supports several functionality extensions and customised integration, the complexity can seldom push the API’s limits. Hence, before choosing a customised integration, one must ensure that the data flow and goals are compatible with the API’s limitations and capabilities.

Boons of integrating Shopify with SAP

Integrating Shopify with SAP is now a primary and widespread practice among Shopify partners because of the following reasons:

Fraud Verification

Businesses can identify quickly and efficiently the high and medium risks and then either process or put such orders on hold. In furtherance, it immediately communicates an alert to the store admin for detailed processing and investigation. Finally, the store itself is shown out of stock in the possibility of fraud. And all of this is initiated automatically, with no manual intervention needed.

Automated Order Information 

Integrating SAP with Shopify allows it to send automated order information to Shopify, with its dynamic and intensive information transfer system. The information for order status appears on the dashboard for further action. In furtherance of order status, it also conveys the pricing and inventory updates to Shopify and makes alterations on the storefront.

Product Updates   

SAP also automates product updates, like changes in product SKU, retail charges, inventory levels, tax and weight on the Shopify store. In addition, when there is an order placed, it also affirms the same to the courier service contracted.

Alerts And Invoice Notification 

The incoming AR invoices and payments get automatically created and updated in the finance tab. In addition, it identifies and verifies each transaction and alerts in case of an error, like in an instance where the sales process fails; an alert will be sent out for immediate attention.

Generally, an eCommerce website development company in Dubai is hired for setting up the integration. But even after this setup, with this integration, the Shopify store owners can access additional integrations and services for invoice automation, pick-up list development, and note dispatching. In addition to that, one can add more plugins and integration for managing various Shopify stores together and for receiving the shipping alerts. Consequentially this enhances customer experience and satisfaction. Furthermore, it improves the efficiency of the store process, reduces fulfillment time, refines employee productivity, and eliminates the hassles of manual data entry forever.

Shopify-SAP Integration is conclusively both incremental and elemental for your business. Since when Shopify orders get automatically inserted into SAP, inclusive of customer information, billing and shipping address, payment method, delivery method, product description, with the desired quantity, the customer experience gets enriched, and so does your business. You can process, communicate, administer, and account for business operations like never before.