Data Synchronisation and Middleware for Shopware 6
We connect Shopware with ERP, PIM, marketplaces and other systems so that products, stock, prices and orders stay in sync automatically and without double maintenance. For mid-sized retailers and manufacturers who no longer want to retype orders or reconcile stock by hand.
Who data synchronisation is relevant for
Four starting points we find most often in projects.
Orders are retyped
Shop orders are entered into the ERP by hand, delivery notes and invoices are created twice. Every growth step adds workload.
Stock levels disagree
Shop and warehouse management show different availability. Overselling and cancellations follow.
Product data is scattered
Master data in the ERP, texts and images in a PIM or Excel, prices in a third source. Every channel gets a different version.
Marketplaces are added
Amazon, TikTok Shop, eBay or Otto should be served from the same data, without separate maintenance per channel.
Data flows and leading system
Not every data type has to flow in both directions. For each flow we define which system holds the truth.
| Data type | Direction | Leading system | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orders | Shop → ERP | Shop creates, ERP processes | Status, tracking and invoice flow back to the shop. |
| Product master data | ERP or PIM → Shop | ERP or PIM | Shop-specific texts and media may remain leading in the shop. |
| Stock | ERP → Shop and marketplaces | ERP or warehouse | Real time for scarce items, intervals for large catalogues. |
| Prices | ERP → Shop | ERP | Including customer groups, tiers and individual price lists. |
| Customers | bidirectional | case by case | New customers from the shop, terms from the ERP. |
| Documents | ERP → Shop | ERP | Invoice and delivery note PDFs in the customer account. |
Systems and approaches we cover
On the shop side, Shopware 6 is our system. We connect ERP, PIM and inventory systems via their interfaces and via middleware, regardless of vendor. Implementation and operation of those systems is handled by specialised partners; Zerosoftware is responsible for Shopware and the integration.
Other systems in our projects: CRM and marketing (HubSpot, Salesforce, Pipedrive, Klaviyo, Mailchimp), marketplaces (Amazon via Channable or Xentral, TikTok Shop with our own connector, eBay, Otto, Kaufland, Zalando), headless CMS (Strapi), product search (Doofinder, Meilisearch) and fulfilment (fulfillmenttools).
Xentral Connect
iPaaS platform for Xentral users. We are a Xentral Connect partner and extend the standard flows where needed.
Fits: Shopware with Xentral, marketplaces via Xentral
n8n
Workflow automation under a fair-code licence, self-hosted on your or our infrastructure, so the data never leaves that infrastructure.
Fits: data protection requirements, many systems, custom logic
Make and Zapier
Cloud platforms with many ready-made connectors. Quick start for standard flows to marketing and CRM tools.
Fits: small data volumes, standard flows, little transformation
Synqup
Integration platform for product and order data between shop, ERP and channels.
Fits: structured product data flows across several channels
Custom interface (PHP/Laravel)
Own development directly against the APIs of both systems or as a Shopware plugin. Full control over mapping, error handling and performance.
Fits: high volumes, special logic, systems without a standard connector
Middleware or direct interface: a decision aid
Five questions that settle the choice in most projects.
How many systems are involved?
Two systems with standard flows: direct connector or plugin. Three or more: middleware as the central hub.
How much transformation is needed?
Pure pass-through: connector. Merging, enriching, converting: middleware or custom interface.
What data volumes and frequencies?
High volumes and real-time requirements favour a custom interface or self-hosted n8n over cloud plans with operation limits.
Where may the data reside?
Personal data and data protection rules favour self-hosted middleware or a custom interface in your own data centre.
Who will operate the solution later?
If your team should adjust flows themselves, a visual middleware has the edge. If everything should be versioned in the shop, a plugin.
The basics on tools and comparison are explained in the articles Middleware for SMEs and Planning ERP integration properly.
How an integration project runs
Six steps from recording the data flows to operations.
Record data flows
Which data, in which direction, how often, and which system leads? We document the current state including all manual steps.
Define the mapping
Item numbers, variants, customer groups, payment and shipping methods are mapped field by field. Conflict rules are defined.
Choose the tool
Connector, middleware or custom interface, following the decision aid above, in many projects as a combination.
Build and test
Set-up on a staging environment with representative test data: products, orders, customers, edge cases such as partial deliveries and cancellations.
Set up monitoring
Logging of every transfer, retry logic on failures, notification on critical aborts.
Go-live and operations
Switchover with an initial reconciliation, then observation of the first days. Optional ongoing support and extension with further flows.
Error handling and monitoring
A synchronisation is only ready for operations once it is clear what happens on failure. Three building blocks are part of every integration we deliver.
Logging
Every transfer with timestamp, payload and result. On failure you can trace what went where and when.
Retries
Unreachable systems do not cause data loss. Transfers are retried with increasing wait times.
Notification
Critical errors, such as an order that cannot be transferred, immediately alert defined contacts.
What drives effort and duration
After recording the data flows you receive a quote with itemised positions. These factors determine the scope.
- Number of systems and data flows
- Direction per data flow: one-way or bidirectional with conflict rules
- Degree of transformation: pass-through, merging, enriching, converting
- Data volume and required freshness (real time, minutes, daily)
- Quality of source data: duplicates, inconsistent item numbers, missing mandatory fields
- Availability and documentation of the ERP or PIM interfaces
- Edge cases: variants, tier prices, customer groups, partial deliveries, returns
Typical pitfalls
What delays integration projects when it is not settled at the start.
No leading system
If prices or stock are maintained in two systems, changes overwrite each other. One source must lead per data type.
Item numbers do not match
ERP number, EAN and shop SKU differ or are not unique. Without clean mapping, orders end up on the wrong items.
Variants are modelled differently
What is one item with sizes in the ERP is a variant product in the shop. The mapping must translate the structure, not just copy fields.
Errors disappear silently
Without logs and notifications, an untransferred order is only noticed when the customer asks.
Interval too coarse for scarce stock
A stock reconciliation every 15 minutes is fine for warehouse goods, not for one-offs or promotional items. Those need real time or reservations.
Status mapping forgotten
Payment, shipping and order states have different names in every system. Without the mapping, orders get stuck or ship twice.
Connecting systems, with or without an online shop
Data synchronisation does not end at the shop. Customer data between ERP and CRM, product data from the PIM into all channels, documents into accounting: wherever data has to be consistent, we connect systems directly with each other.
Data automation as a standalone offering: ec data
When it is less about the shop and more about recurring data flows across the company, we bundle that under the ec data brand: replacing manual transfers between systems, self-hosted with n8n, GDPR-compliant (website in German).
Data automation at ec dataFrequently asked questions about data synchronisation
Middleware or direct interface: what suits us?
With two systems and standard flows a connector or plugin is usually enough. From three systems, with a lot of transformation, or if your team should adjust flows themselves, middleware is the better hub. High volumes and special logic favour a custom interface. In many projects it is a combination.
Which system should lead?
That depends on the data type. Orders originate in the shop and are processed in the ERP. Product master data, prices and stock usually come from ERP or PIM. Shop-specific texts and media can stay leading in the shop. We define this per data flow.
How fast is data synchronised?
It differs per data flow. Orders are transferred event-driven as soon as they are created. Stock in real time or at intervals depending on the catalogue. Prices and new products usually in fixed time windows. The sensible frequency depends on order volume, scarcity and interface load.
What happens if a transfer fails?
Every transfer is logged. Failed transfers are retried automatically, critical errors such as an order that cannot be transferred trigger a notification. Untransferred data stays in a queue until the cause is fixed.
Do you also connect our ERP or PIM if it is not Xentral?
Yes. We connect Shopware with ERP, PIM and inventory systems via their interfaces and via middleware. Implementation and operation of those systems is handled by specialised partners; Zerosoftware is responsible for Shopware and the integration.
What determines the effort of a data synchronisation project?
The number of systems and data flows, the direction per flow, the degree of transformation, data volume and freshness, and the quality of source data and interfaces. After recording the data flows you receive a quote with itemised positions.
Can marketplaces be included in the same synchronisation?
Yes. Orders from Amazon, TikTok Shop, eBay, Otto, Kaufland or Zalando run bundled into the ERP via middleware or a connector, and stock flows back to all channels. For TikTok Shop we offer our own connector for Xentral.
Can a PunchOut connection for business customers be added?
Yes. PunchOut via cXML or OCI is a focus area of our data synchronisation: buyers order from their procurement system and the order reaches Shopware or your ERP electronically. Details on the E-Procurement and PunchOut page.
Related services and knowledge
E-Procurement and PunchOut
Connect Shopware to procurement systems via cXML or OCI
Shopware Migration
Data migration to Shopware 6 from Shopware 5 and other systems
Shopware 6 Development
Shop development, plugins, themes, operations
Planning ERP integration properly
Data ownership, mapping, intervals and error handling
Middleware for SMEs
n8n, Make, Zapier and Xentral Connect compared
TikTok Shop Connector
Sync TikTok Shop with Xentral automatically
Request an integration
Describe your system landscape: shop, ERP, PIM, channels. We will propose the right approach.