Planning ERP Integration | Shopware & Xentral

Planning ERP Integration the Right Way

The link between shop and ERP does a lot of the heavy lifting in e-commerce. Here's what matters when you connect the two systems.

In short

An ERP integration stands or falls on three decisions: which system leads per data type, which data needs real time and which an interval, and how item numbers, variants, payment and shipping methods are mapped. Add error handling with a queue, retries and notifications. Whether plugin, middleware or custom interface depends on the number of systems and the degree of transformation.

The Goal

A good ERP integration ensures that you don't transfer orders manually, stock levels are always up-to-date, and invoices are created automatically.

1 What Gets Synchronized?

Not every data type needs to flow in both directions. Clearly define which system holds the "truth" for which data:

Data Type	Typical Direction	Master System
Orders	Shop → ERP	Shop (creation), ERP (processing)
Products	ERP → Shop	ERP
Stock Levels	ERP → Shop	ERP
Prices	ERP → Shop	ERP
Customer Data	Bidirectional	Case-dependent
Tracking Numbers	ERP → Shop	ERP/Shipping Carrier

2 Real-time vs. Interval

Not everything needs to be synchronized in real-time. The right strategy depends on the use case:

Real-time makes sense

• Orders (customer expects confirmation)
• Critical stock warnings
• Status updates (shipping)

Interval is sufficient

• Stock sync (every 5-15 min)
• Price changes (daily/hourly)
• New products (daily)

Caution with stock levels

For high-traffic shops with tight inventory, a 15-minute synchronization can lead to overselling. Real-time sync or at least shorter intervals are worthwhile here.

3 Data Mapping

The biggest challenge: Both systems have different data structures. Clean mapping is crucial.

Typical mapping questions

Which product number is leading? ERP number, EAN, or shop SKU?
How are variants represented? Separate products or variant groups?
How do payment methods match? PayPal in shop = which payment method in ERP?
How are customer groups/price lists assigned?

4 Error Handling

What happens when a synchronization fails? A good integration concept defines clear rules:

Retry Logic

Failed transfers should be automatically retried – with exponentially increasing wait times (1 min, 5 min, 15 min, ...).

Alerting

For critical errors (e.g., order cannot be transferred) someone must be notified immediately.

Logging

Every transfer should be logged. In case of errors, you need details to trace the problem.

5 Xentral Integration with Shopware

We are a Xentral-Connect Partner and have implemented many Shopware-Xentral integrations. The Xentral-Connect plugin provides a solid foundation that we extend when needed.

What Xentral-Connect does out of the box

✓ Order import to Xentral
✓ Product sync (bidirectional)
✓ Stock synchronization

✓ Customer data sync
✓ Tracking number feedback
✓ Invoice PDF to shop

Frequently asked questions about ERP integration

Which system should lead in an ERP integration?

That depends on the data type. Orders originate in the shop and are processed in the ERP. Products, prices and stock usually come from the ERP. Customer data is bidirectional, with a clear rule on which system wins in a conflict.

Does stock have to be synchronised in real time?

Not always. For warehouse goods with sufficient stock an interval is fine. For scarce items, one-offs or promotions a coarse interval leads to overselling. There, event-driven updates or reservations make sense.

Plugin, middleware or custom interface?

For two systems with standard processes a ready-made connector such as Xentral Connect is the fastest route. From three systems or with a lot of transformation, middleware such as n8n is the better hub. High volumes and special logic favour a custom API integration.

What happens if the ERP is unreachable?

A clean integration keeps untransferred data in a queue, retries with increasing wait times and logs every attempt. Critical errors, such as an order that cannot be transferred, trigger a notification.

Which item number should the mapping use?

One that is unique and stable in both systems. Usually that is the ERP item number or the EAN. The shop SKU is only suitable if it originates from the ERP and is not changed in the shop.

What determines the effort of an ERP integration?

The number of data flows and their direction, the degree of transformation, data volume and required freshness, and the quality of the source data and the ERP interface. An overview of the factors is on our data synchronisation page.

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