Application integration has become more vital as companies transition to digital models and information is shared across employees, suppliers, and customers. An integration strategy involves coordinating workflows and components between applications. Integration provides benefits like increased automation, scalability, customer service, and data accuracy across systems. However, gaining stakeholder buy-in can be challenging as integration is less exciting than new applications and requires optimizing existing systems.

1. "#Enterprise #Application #Integration"
(#EAI)
As companies transition from a manual model to an IT model, and information travels from
one application to another among employees and with suppliers and customers, application
integration has become a more vital IT force.
An application integration strategy involves an ordered movement of work between applications
and components. Workflow and component location and registration are both important.
In the late 90's this subject was driven by a wave of ERP integration. In this decade the same will
be true of Web Services.

2. Benefits of application integration:
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Whether you’re talking about traditional enterprise applications or brand new Web applications,
integration creates greater efficiency and sets the stage for future expansion. Here are some of
the benefits you can expect to gain from application integration:
 More application processes can be automated, reserving IT and other business labor
resources for strategic activities instead of routine maintenance tasks.

3. 
 Interrelated applications can be revamped
during the integration stage to be scalable and stable so they do not create bottlenecks
when rapid expansion in workload capability is required.
 Better customer services can be achieved
since all data necessary for CRM is accessible via a single access point without delay.
 Processes can more readily make the transition from internal to online to mobile if the
apps are integrated properly – aiding the change to a self-service model that today’s
customers crave.

4. 
 Workflows can be streamlined or modified as needed to promote better efficiency
across all areas of business – both inside and outside of IT.

 Data can be updated accurately in real-time (or close enough) across all systems,
increasing the speed of business processes and reducing errors.
 An agile environment can be created that supports more rapid development of new
products, providing an edge over the competition.
 Future business applications may be easier to develop and implement once a structure
designed for integration is in place for new apps to be slotted into.
Barriers to application integration:
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5. Lack of stakeholder buy-in is likely an important
factor that keeps application integration from happening. The process of making existing
applications work better together isn’t nearly as glamorous as designing or developing new
applications.
You don’t get to say "Here’s something we’re creating that will revolutionize our business."
Instead, you have to make a case for how integration will create savings here and there and
how these small savings add up over the long run.
The bottom line is this: When IT must expend
significant resources optimizing existing applications, this can seem like an admission of failure
– and finger pointing is sure to follow. However, it’s important to get beyond the questions of
who is to blame and focus on how to ensure better performance going forward. It’s never too
late to integrate!