Someone on the team manually copies data from one system to another, every week. An order in the webshop, an invoice in the accounting tool, a new customer in the CRM: three systems, three times the same work, three chances for something to go wrong. Sound familiar? The answer isn't necessarily a full replacement. Often it's enough to connect the tools you already have, so systems talk to each other automatically instead of a person doing it by hand. Below: what connecting software actually involves, what it costs, how long it takes, and - just as important - when connecting is no longer enough.
What does connecting software mean
Connecting software means letting two or more systems communicate with each other, so data flows automatically from one system to the next, without anyone retyping it. Think of a connection between your webshop and your accounting software, so every order automatically becomes an invoice, or between your CRM and your scheduling tool, so a new customer immediately lands in the right workflow.
Technically, this usually happens through an API: a kind of digital door that lets two systems exchange data securely, without exporting a file, editing it, and importing it again somewhere else. Connecting systems doesn't replace the software itself, it links what's already there. Your existing tools keep working the way you know them, only now one system talks to the other automatically, instead of a colleague rebuilding that bridge by hand every time.
For most companies this doesn't start as a big project, it starts as a concrete annoyance: someone rebuilding the same report every Monday, or an error that only surfaces after a customer calls about it. Connecting software fixes exactly that, without requiring an investment in new systems your team would have to learn from scratch.
Which systems can you connect
Connecting individual tools is usually the first step for most companies, well before there's talk of a bigger integration project. In practice, almost any system with a modern API can be connected to another. The most common combinations for companies looking to make their software work together:
Connecting your ERP to your webshop, so stock and orders stay in sync.
Connecting accounting software to your CRM or invoicing tool, so invoices and payments update automatically.
Connecting your CRM to scheduling tools, so appointments and customer data live in one place.
Connecting your webshop to warehouse management, so stock levels update in real time.
What these examples have in common: they're systems that each work well on their own, but sit disconnected from each other. Connecting applications means information that already exists in one system doesn't need to be entered again in another. The more systems a company runs, the higher the odds that somewhere there are two tools that should be talking to each other but currently aren't. Integrating systems isn't a luxury at that point, it's a way to structurally prevent errors and duplicate work.
How a connection gets built
More and more companies want their systems connected, simply because manual work is error-prone and eats up time that could be spent elsewhere. Building a connection isn't a black box: the process usually runs through a few clear steps.
Intake - which systems need to talk to each other, and what problem is currently being solved by hand?
Scoping - which data needs to flow from one system to the other, in which direction, and how often?
Build - the API integration is developed and connected to both systems.
Testing - the connection is tested with real data, so information is verified before anything goes live.
Live - the connection runs, and the manual work you were doing disappears.
How long this takes depends on complexity: how many systems are being connected, how clean the data already is, and whether the systems involved offer a solid API. For a standard connection between two well-known systems, market timelines typically run two to four weeks. With multiple systems, more complex data flows, or software without a modern API, it can take longer.
At Interactivated, we speed up this process with AI-assisted development: AI helps build and test the connection, so you get a working, tested integration faster without cutting corners on quality.
What connecting software costs
What a connection costs depends on scope: how many systems are being connected, how complex the data flows are, and whether the systems involved have a modern, well-documented API. A connection between two standard systems with a clear API is relatively straightforward. Multiple systems, custom data structures, or older software without a good API require more work, and therefore a bigger budget.
For reference: in the market, simple connections start around €5,000, while a new, more complex API integration can run €10,000 to €25,000. These are market figures, not fixed Interactivated rates - the actual investment depends on your specific situation and only becomes concrete after an intake. Software integration isn't a flat fee, it's an investment that scales with what your systems actually need to exchange.
A connection solves today's problem. If your systems get patched together a little more every year, that's a signal you're due for one system, not another connection.
When is connecting enough, and when should you replace
A connection is an excellent solution, as long as the systems themselves still meet what your business needs. But not every situation can be solved with a connection. This distinction helps make that call:
- Your systems work well on their own, they just don't talk to each other
- It's about one or a few clear data flows
- A well-documented API is available
- Your situation is relatively stable
- Your systems themselves are hitting their limits, regardless of any connection
- You need more and more connections to solve the same problem
- Systems offer no good API and need workarounds
- Your processes keep growing or changing structurally
In practice, we often see companies build one connection, then a second, and over time end up with a patchwork of links all leaning on each other. As long as each connection still solves a clear problem on its own, that's nothing to worry about. When managing all those connections becomes a project in itself, that's the moment to look beyond the next connection.
Not sure whether connecting is enough, or whether you're actually due for replacing software with custom software? That's the exact question we work through in detail there, including what that process looks like. Want to understand the basics first? Read what is custom software.
Frequently asked questions
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Systems that don't talk to each other don't automatically mean you need to replace everything. At Interactivated, we build connections between your existing software, using AI-assisted development to do it faster and just as carefully.
Considering having custom software built instead? See how we connect systems and build custom software.
Considering a full replacement? Read how that process works.
