The problem it answers
- Shelfware that does not talk
- Double entry into a specialist tool
- Vendor APIs unused
How this category works
Automation removes repeated steps. Integration lets systems share a fact once. Together they are how ERP, CRM, finance, and the website stop being islands. RPA has a place when there is no API. An API is better when one exists.
1. Trace the handoff
Where a person copies, waits, or checks is the candidate.
2. Choose the mechanism
Workflow, API, or a robot. The choice follows the systems, not a trend.
3. Build the happy path and the failure
What happens when the other system is down is part of the design.
4. Leave it operable
Someone can see the queue, the error, and how to replay.