According to Salesforce, only ~28% of enterprise apps are integrated with each other.
Most companies have room for improvement.
Salesforce is often the CRM of choice for managing customer relationships in one place. However, while Salesforce hosts your client data, you might have an ERP system like Microsoft Dynamics that handles your inventory and financial data.
Those two systems work better together.
This guide explains how integrating Salesforce with your ERP system can transform your business by automating data flow, improving accuracy, and empowering teams. Read on to learn key benefits, common methods, challenges, and how Rapidi can help.
Integrating your ERP with Salesforce significantly increases your organizational efficiency. At Rapidi, we have over 30 years of experience with data integration. Most importantly, we’ve helped more than a few companies, like Xsens and CF Group, create new Salesforce-ERP integrations. The result? Better visibility into customer activities, allowing them to improve customer lifetime value and retention.
But as the 28% figure indicates, many companies miss out on these insights. So to help you close the gap, we’ve written this guide on ERP integration with Salesforce. We’ll show you how these integrations help you optimize your processes, the main integration methods, and suggest some best practices for integration.
Read on to learn more about:
- What is a Salesforce-ERP integration?
- Key benefits of a Salesforce-ERP integration
- 3 common use cases of ERP integration with Salesforce
- 5 main Salesforce-ERP integration methods
- Why you need to rethink Salesforce-ERP integration
- Common challenges of a Salesforce-ERP integration
- What are Salesforce-ERP connectors?
- How to find the right Salesforce-ERP connector
- How Rapidi can help with Salesforce-ERP integration
Let's begin!
About Rapidi
Since the 1990s, we've helped enterprises connect data in their enterprise systems with our data integration platform. Our easy-to-use platform and consultative approach have helped our clients transform into more efficient versions of themselves.
Movella (formerly Xsens), a motion capture company from the Netherlands, can attest to our skill in integrating ERP systems with Salesforce. Having spent over a decade using Rapidi for their own Salesforce-Microsoft Dynamics integration, their senior operations specialist said, “It is excellent value for the money, it works, and Rapidi service is good.”
What Is Salesforce-ERP Integration?
A Salesforce-ERP integration is when you connect Salesforce, which you use to manage customer and sales data, with your ERP, where you manage your business’s operations.
Connecting these two platforms creates critical operational efficiencies.
Consider the following scenario:
Before integration, your customers might feel your sales team misrepresented information about your current inventory. You know that’s not true. They simply didn’t have access to the most up-to-date information.
Post integration, your sales team can give 100% accurate information about inventory, perhaps even helping you close bigger deals in the process.
So beyond merely saving you time, this integration empowers…
Your sales team to:
- Manage your customer relationships more accurately and transparently with real-time interview data.
- Identify upsell opportunities with existing customers. For instance, one of our clients, CF Group, used Rapidi’s ERP integration with Salesforce to pitch their customers on new swimming pool products.
Your finance team to:
- Access up-to-the-minute customer information, allowing them to bill customers accurately and create enhanced forecasts.
Your decision-makers to:
- See the complete picture of your business operations at a glance.
Watch the video below to learn more about what happens when you integrate your CRM with your ERP!
Key Benefits of a Salesforce-ERP Integration
Unify data for better decisions and operations
Agile teams have a 360-degree view of their customer information in one place. By allowing your ERP to talk with Salesforce, you back your decisions with real-time data.
2. Streamline processes and automate workflows
Double data entry and manual data transfers aren’t just time sinks. That back and forth also puts you at risk for dangerous errors.
With a Salesforce-ERP integration, you enter the data once, and it appears everywhere else automatically. The potential automations are infinite. A single entry into Salesforce could also update inventory levels and generate an invoice without manual input.
3. Enhanced customer experiences through informed teams
Whereas in the past, a sales rep might have had to contact the warehouse directly about fulfilled orders and then ask finance about payment collection, they can now simply open up Salesforce to keep themselves up to date. Then, they can use this information to create a personalized pitch to existing clients.
CF Group, one of France’s largest manufacturers of swimming pool treatment materials, confirms this. As Sarah Delaunay, who was responsible for implementing Rapidi’s Salesforce integration at CF Group, noted, “It is not just better sales, but also better service. If we have better data we can serve our customers better."
4. Improved cross-departmental collaboration
Sarah also noted that “it is usually easier and cheaper to upsell an existing customer, rather than find new ones.” But in the past, getting that information from different departments could be tricky.
With Rapidi’s Salesforce-ERP integration, it happens instantly. Salesforce becomes a single source of truth for your finance, sales, and operations teams.
3 COMMON USE CASES OF ERP INTEGRATION WITH SALESFORCE
While we’ve emphasized that integrating Salesforce with your ERP facilitates cross-departmental collaboration, we should take a moment to highlight 3 of the most common use cases we’ve seen:
- Syncing quotes & orders – useful for sales, finance, & customer service
- Real-time inventory updates – useful for sales operations managers, & procurement
- Centralizing data – useful for marketing & C-suite
Have a quick look at these 3 use cases to see if any resonate with you:
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USE CASE
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SYNC QUOTES & ORDERS
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REAL-TIME INVENTORY UPDATES
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CENTRALIZED DATA
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Persona
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Lucie, Sales Operations Manager
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Andrea, Supply Chain Director
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Miguel, Business Intelligence Lead
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Job to be Done
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Streamline the quote-to-cash process with error-free order processing
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Ensure the sales team has accurate inventory data to avoid stockout promises
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Create a unified customer view for targeted marketing and sales strategies
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Company Size
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Mid-market manufacturer ($50-250M revenue)
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International distributor with multiple warehouses ($100-500M revenue)
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Enterprise B2B service provider ($500M+ revenue)
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Team Size
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Team of 5-10 sales operations specialists
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15+ inventory managers across locations
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Data team of 3-7 analysts
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Key Stakeholders
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Sales reps, finance team, customer service
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Sales teams, warehouse managers, procurement
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Marketing department, sales leadership, C-suite
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Current Challenges
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Complex billing processes: Manual re-entry causing 12% error rate in orders; 2-day delay in processing
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Missed sales opportunities, Sales reps promising unavailable products; 15% of orders face fulfillment issues
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Siloed data causing contradictory customer interactions; campaign ROI unclear
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Technical Environment
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Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance + Salesforce Sales Cloud
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Legacy ERP system with heavy customizations + Salesforce Service Cloud
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Multiple regional ERP instances + Salesforce Marketing Cloud
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Integration Volume
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100-500 orders per day
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10,000+ SKUs with frequent inventory changes
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Customer base of 50,000+ with complex relationship data
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Success Metrics
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Reduce order processing time by 70%; eliminate data entry errors
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Decrease stockout promises by 90%; improve inventory accuracy to 99.5%
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Increase cross-sell revenue by 25%; reduce customer churn by 15%
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Integration Complexity
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Medium - Standard order formats with some custom fields
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High - Real-time sync needs with legacy system constraints
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Very High - Multiple systems with inconsistent data structures
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We’ve worked with several companies to address these challenges. Most notably, CF Group and XSens have used Rapidi to save time and money. Let’s give you a better idea of how they did it:
Sync quotes and orders for easier processing
Businesses with complex billing processes often struggle to maintain accurate financial records. With Salesforce-ERP integration, sales reps can automatically sync quotes and orders as soon as the client's details are added to the CRM.
As CF Group discovered when integrating their Salesforce with Microsoft Dynamics AX: "For the sales team, it is invoices, orders, and quotes. With this information, they can be much better prepared for customer meetings, with accurate information on price, availability, and the customer's purchasing patterns." Their Marketing Manager emphasizes that "With the integration of Salesforce and our ERP, our sales team can be much better prepared for customer meetings, and more successful."
Update inventory in real-time
Manually tracking inventory changes is impractical, especially for businesses handling hundreds or thousands of orders daily. Delays or inaccuracies in updating stock levels can lead to pricing errors, missed sales opportunities, and even reputational damage.
Xsens, a motion-tracking technology company, experienced this firsthand. According to Jeroen Weijts, Senior Operations Manager at Xsens: "Most of our information flows from NAV to Salesforce, to give our sales team a 360-degree view of the customer. They want to know about the status of orders and payments, as well as historical sales information."
Their sales team can now access real-time data about product availability and pricing directly in Salesforce.
Centralize internal and external data for better insights
Operating CRM and ERP systems independently often leads to data silos, inconsistencies, and inefficiencies, such as outdated customer information or incomplete records after migration. An ERP integration eliminates these issues by synchronizing and centralizing data across both platforms.
CF Group found that their integration benefits went beyond just the sales team: "When we have a marketing campaign, on pool covers, for example, we want to know who has bought them in the past. Now it is easy to get this information via Salesforce because the historical invoices will be routinely transferred from AX. We also might want the opposite, to find out which customers have not been buying certain products from us. It is usually easier and cheaper to upsell an existing customer, rather than find new ones."
5 Main Salesforce-ERP Integration Methods
A CRM-ERP integration involves connecting the two systems to enable frictionless data sharing and process synchronization. Here are the five main Salesforce CRM-ERP integration methods.
A CRM-ERP integration involves connecting the two systems to enable frictionless data sharing and process synchronization. Here are the five main Salesforce CRM-ERP integration methods.
iPaaS
iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) is a third-party, cloud-based solution that connects business applications and data. Functioning in its own environment, it works equally well for both cloud and on-premise ERP deployments.
Implementing an ERP integration with iPaaS is simple, as this software usually offers pre-built connectors and centralized data views.
In general, small and medium-sized businesses prefer iPaaS because it can be quicker and more cost-effective to integrate it with their systems. iPaaS tools are usually low-code or no-code meaning that they don’t require a technical background to implement. Moreover, they are ideal for use cases with frequently changing systems and data flow requirements.
How to use iPaaS to integrate Salesforce with your ERP:
Let’s take Rapidi as an example, you can use our tools to integrate Salesforce with your ERP through a cloud data integration.
To do so, we offer you two options:
- Pre-configured templates: allow you to implement the integration with all your data as is.
- Customizations: you can adapt the integration to your exact specifications using our no-code platform. No programming required.
The data transfers can be scheduled flexibly and incur minimal bandwidth. In every case, the integration is executed in a secure environment as it is encrypted. Best of all, you don’t need to modify your existing ERP system – our iPaaS adapts to you.
Pros:
- IPaaS is often a low-code/no-code solution, which reduces the need for IT involvement in integration maintenance and troubleshooting.
- It offers scalable solutions with dynamic customization options, reducing overhead costs.
- Offers API-based workflows and centralized data views.
Cons:
- You may depend on the iPaaS provider for setup and management, customization, and support.
Middleware-based integration
Middleware-based integrations can exist both in the cloud and on-premise. They act as a bridge between your Salesforce CRM and ERP systems to transmit data. Like iPaaS, middleware can connect with ERPs like SAP, Oracle NetSuite, and MS Dynamics.
While Middleware has traditionally been considered an on-premise solution, the existence of cloud-based Middleware has blurred the line between it and iPaaS.
How to use Middleware to integrate Salesforce with your ERP:
Rapidi is a cloud-based middleware solution that slots in between Salesforce and ERP systems. For instance, you can use Rapidi to integrate Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Salesforce, allowing it to both read and write data using OData.
As Sarah from CF Group mentioned, a Rapidi consultant helped her design the data transfers to handle the complex transformational logic that their use case demanded. Not only does Rapidi provide pre-built connectors, but it also handles complex implementations for larger companies.
Pros:
- Moderate to high initial cost due to middleware subscription or license fees; ongoing operational costs for maintenance and updates
- Highly scalable and reliable
- Offers built-in security, error handling, and monitoring
Cons:
- Higher complexity and dependency on middleware vendors
Third-party connector integration
Third-party connectors are tools that are ready to connect Salesforce with your ERP straight out of the box. Usually, they are custom-made for that particular ERP instance. For instance, aSalesforce-NetSuite integration or aSalesforce-Dynamics 365 integration.
While they could form part of a larger integration platform, these connectors are built specifically for the two software that you’re integrating. Small and medium-sized businesses looking for rapid integration solutions will benefit from this efficiency and standardization.
Rapidi’s third-party connectors
Many integration projects drag on for weeks. Yet, a Rapidi 3rd party connector could take a matter of hours. That’s because in addition to our integration platform, we have built completely customizable templates that connect Salesforce with popular ERP systems like:
- NetSuite
- Dynamics 365
- Dynamics AX
- Dynamics GP
- Dynamics NAV
Plus, we integrate with databases like MySQL, Postgre, and Oracle, among others. Moreover, we integrate several other CRM solutions with ERPs.
For more basic implementations, these connectors have all the data you might need to synchronize between your ERP and CRM systems.
Pros:
- Lower cost than custom APIs, and subscription fees based on usage and platform capabilities
- Fast implementation and user-friendly interfaces; minimal technical expertise required
Cons:
- Third-party connectors can introduce certain compliance risks as they create a new layer in your data architecture. Make sure you choose a compliant solution.
Point-to-point integration
Point-to-point integrations are direct connections between two systems (like Salesforce and your ERP) that are made without an intermediary platform.
In isolation, this can seem simple. For example, directly connecting Salesforce customer data with QuickBooks accounting. However, this approach becomes exponentially more complex as your needs grow. Each new integration point will require its own connection, devolving into a 'spaghetti architecture' that becomes increasingly difficult to maintain and monitor.
Despite these complexities, some small businesses favor this approach because they only want to sync two specific parts of their data rather than implementing a large-scale integration.
Pros:
- Low initial setup cost, but maintenance can become expensive as the system grows due to increasing complexity
- Quick and easy to implement, offering immediate functionality for basic data synchronization
Cons:
- Scalability may be a challenge, as each additional connection requires custom configuration
Custom API integration
Another “methodology” rather than a platform, custom API integration is an integration between Salesforce and ERP made directly with code. Since Salesforce has its own ecosystem of APIs, it supports integrations with nearly any ERP system.
This is ideal for any business that has highly specific requirements or extremely large enterprises with dedicated IT resources that can work full-time implementing and maintaining the solution.
Pros:
- Complete flexibility and control over integration design, meeting all unique business needs.
Cons:
- High upfront cost for development.
- Requires continuous maintenance by skilled developers.
- Time-consuming to develop and implement; high dependence on internal or external developers.
Salesforce-ERP integration checklist
Before we move on, here is a quick checklist to help you choose the right CRM-ERP integration method for your business:
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METHOD TYPE
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BUSINESS NEEDS
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PROJECTED TIME
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Point-to-point
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Small-scale, basic data sharing
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4-8 weeks
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Middleware-based
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Scalable, flexible integrations
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8-16 weeks
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Custom API
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Tailored workflows and niche requirements
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12-36+ weeks
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|
Third-party connectors
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Rapid, standard integration
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2-6 weeks
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|
IPaaS
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Scalable and flexible integrations with minimal IT overhead using a no-code solution
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2-8 weeks
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Why you probably need to rethink your approach to Salesforce-ERP integration
So, there’s an elephant in the room.
74% of ERP projects take longer than expected. “ERP implementation” can trigger negative emotions for some.
The lack of integrations between a company’s CRM and ERP is a major contributing factor.
This can occur for two reasons:
- Most solutions are too expensive. The pricing is usually not adapted for smaller or medium-sized businesses.
- Most integrations require some degree of technical expertise to implement; they could take several months. API integrations are particularly notorious.
The whole point of integrating your Salesforce CRM with your ERP is to speed things up. And if your ERP is one of the older MS Dynamics implementations like AX or NAV, you don’t even have months to build an integration. It won’t be long before Microsoft stops supporting them!
Don’t just integrate your data, integrate your process
We built Rapidi’s Salesforce-ERP integrations to make your implementation as smooth as it was meant to be. You maintain your own processes while still benefiting from the newfound efficiency of the integration.
The key is that Rapidi empowers you to mimic your business processes effectively. In the way that you understand them, rather than forcing your data to fit a rigid structure.
Case in point, CF Group attempted other integration approaches. Sarah, their marketing manager, tried Talend as well as various web services to try to integrate Salesforce with their MS Dynamics AX implementation. However, Jeroen indicated that the “attempt failed because of the amount of customization we had made to AX."
Rapidi was the only solution that could map their custom process effectively.
This proves that Salesforce-ERP integrations don’t need to be inflexible or time-consuming. You can get an implementation that maintains your operational identity in a matter of days rather than weeks or months.
The 6 main challenges of integrating Salesforce with an ERP
As with everything in life, there are some challenges to the Salesforce-ERP integration processes that you should be aware of. Failing to handle these challenges adeptly can cause your Salesforce-ERP integration to fall short.
Let’s take a look at the frequent challenges and their typical examples, as well as what can be done to solve them.
COMMON CHALLENGES OF A SALESFORCE-ERP INTEGRATION
As with everything in life, there are some challenges that the Salesforce-ERP integration processes may entail and that you should be aware of.
Let’s take a look at the frequent challenges and their typical examples, as well as what can be done to solve them.
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CHALLENGE
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EXAMPLE
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SOLUTION
|
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Data format mismatches – Salesforce and ERP systems often store data differently.
|
Salesforce might store phone numbers as (555) 123-4567, while your ERP wants them as 5551234567.
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Set up clear data mapping rules that automatically convert data into the right format before syncing.
Rapidi handles data mapping through pre-configured templates that can be customized. Also, Rapidi can use expressions/formulas to convert data into the destination system’s expected format.
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Data integrity issues –
Duplicate, incomplete, or outdated records in one system can propagate errors to the other.
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The same customer might exist in both systems with slightly different information, e.g. name, email address, tax ID, etc.
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Implement data validation rules and deduplication tools during and after integration. Create a "master data" strategy where one system (usually the ERP) is considered the source of truth. Also, always use an unique Id/Code to identify your customers in both systems. That way, you will avoid having duplicate records.
Rapidi implements master data management where accounts are synchronized in both directions.
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Real-time synchronization failure – Sometimes data doesn't sync properly due to system timeouts or connection issues.
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An order placed in Salesforce doesn’t appear in the ERP immediately.
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Use middleware or APIs for real-time syncing and error alerts. Limit syncs to critical data to reduce load. and use timestamps in order to make sure that both systems perform accordingly.
Rapidi customers have set error notifications and automatic retry mechanisms.
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Timing issues – When many updates happen at once, systems can get confused about which change is the most recent. This scenario will occur if the system does not have record locking implemented.
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A customer calls to update their shipping address with customer service at 2:00 pm, while simultaneously their purchasing manager updates it online through the customer portal at 2:01 pm.
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Rapidi offers timestamp-based synchronization and queue systems. If a customer updates their information in both systems within minutes, the most recent change wins.
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Incompatible systems – Salesforce and the ERP may use different technologies, making integration difficult.
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Middleware converts data formats to make Salesforce and, for example, SAP ERP compatible.
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Use middleware platforms or pre-built connectors to bridge the gap.
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Performance problems – Syncing too much data at once can slow down both systems.
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Trying to sync your entire 100,000-product catalog during business hours, which slows down both systems.
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Schedule large data syncs during off-peak hours and use batch processing for big updates.
You can also save time by choosing a performant solution like Rapidi which compresses and encrypts data to minimize bandwidth. Once the full load is complete, all subsequent data transfers should be based on timestamps to reduce system load and improve efficiency.
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All of these challenges are fixable and avoidable if you take these precautionary steps:
- Test the integration thoroughly before going live to identify and fix issues early.
- Start by syncing the most critical data first (like customer information and orders) and gradually expand to other areas once the basic integration is working well.
- Regular maintenance will ensure smooth operations as your systems and needs evolve.
What are Salesforce-ERP Connectors?
Salesforce connectors are the tools that let you easily integrate Salesforce with other systems that are a part of the Salesforce ecosystem. For example, a Salesforce external connection allows you to sync data from sources such as Tableau CRM or another Salesforce org.
A Salesforce-ERP connector integrates the two systems so that they work together to share data, allowing you to see data collected in one system in the other.
These synergies make the connectors the solution to many common integration problems.
Just as translators help people speaking different languages understand each other, these connectors help Salesforce and an ERP system "talk" to each other effectively.
To better visualize this, let’s imagine that your Salesforce and ERP are like two offices in different countries. Each office has its own way of doing things and its own "language" for handling data. The Salesforce office speaks "sales language" and handles customer relationships. The ERP office speaks "operations language" and manages inventory and finances.
The connector acts like a translator who stands between both offices and takes information from one system to convert it into a format the other can understand. It also makes sure messages are delivered correctly and on time, and keeps both sides updated with the latest information.
Using a Salesforce-ERP connector means that:
- You no longer have to manually copy vital data between systems, so that your staff can access what they need in real-time and avoid errors.
- Teams work better together, understanding each other’s roles more easily.
HOW TO FIND THE RIGHT SALESFORCE-ERP CONNECTOR
Once you have decided to integrate Salesforce with your ERP, you need to choose the right connector. It’s not easy, as there are lots of businesses offering Salesforce data integration tools.
You should start by asking the right questions so you can make an informed decision:
Business functionality
- Does the connector support all the specific data objects I need to synchronize (accounts, contacts, orders, inventory, etc.)?
- How does the connector handle custom fields and objects in both Salesforce and our ERP?
- Can the connector support bi-directional synchronization, or only one-way data flow?
- How does the solution handle conflicting data when the same record is updated in both systems?
- What happens if our business processes change - how easily can we modify the integration?
Salesforce-ERP pricing
- What is your Salesforce-ERP integration pricing model (one-time, subscription, usage-based)?
- Are there any additional costs beyond the base connector price?
- What is the typical ROI timeframe for businesses similar to ours? (Keep in mind that the average ROI for an ERP implementation is 52%)
- How does your solution compare cost-wise to custom development or other alternatives?
- Are there any volume limitations that might affect pricing as we grow?
Technicals
- What connection methods does the connector use to integrate with our specific ERP version?
- How does the connector perform with our expected data volumes and frequency of updates?
- What security measures are in place to protect our data during synchronization?
- How are errors and failed synchronizations handled and reported?
- Does the solution work with our existing ERP customizations?
Implementation
- What's the typical implementation timeline for a business of our size and complexity?
- What internal resources will we need to dedicate to the implementation process?
- Will the integration require any changes to our existing systems?
- What kind of testing procedures do you recommend before going live?
- Do you provide implementation support or work with implementation partners?
Maintenance
- What happens when either our Salesforce or ERP system is upgraded?
- What ongoing maintenance is required to keep the integration running smoothly?
- What level of support do you provide and what are the response times?
- Can we monitor the status and performance of the integration ourselves?
- What's your disaster recovery plan if something goes wrong with the integration?
HOW RAPIDI CAN HELP WITH THE SALESFORCE-ERP INTEGRATION
Most companies have common ways of working and, therefore, have similar requirements. To meet these common requirements, our
Salesforce integration tools include a number of pre-configured integration points.
To find the right solution, get advice from professionals and make sure you ask for a demo, so you can see exactly how the connector you’re interested in works and what it offers.
If you are looking to integrate your Salesforce with your on-premise or cloud-based ERP, Rapidi has an
out-of-the-box solution that connects Salesforce CRM with an ERP system. It is designed to be simple to use, understand, and set up.
We can have your Rapidi Data Integration Solution up and running within hours, so you can start benefiting from your integration right away. And if you need a custom solution to match your specific requirements, we will only need a few days to put it in place.
We’ve led the way in data integration since the early 1990s. The integrations we create and support now are based on nearly 30 years of research, innovation, and development.
Conclusion
Integrating Salesforce with your ERP system is vital for business efficiency, data accuracy, and better customer service. By choosing the right integration method and tools like Rapidi, your teams gain a unified, real-time view of critical business data.
Key takeaways:
- Integration reduces manual data entry and errors.
- You improve real-time insights across sales and operations.
- Choosing pre-configured connectors can speed up time to value.
Ready to unify your Salesforce and ERP data? Contact Rapidi today to get started.
Get in touch with us today to discuss how our connector will work with your IT environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
