If you’re managing customers, sales, stock, and finances across multiple systems, you’re not alone. Many SMEs run into operational headaches because their CRM, e-commerce, and ERP platforms aren’t talking to each other.

In this guide, we’ll explain:

• Why system integration matters for growing businesses
• The best ways to connect your CRM, e-commerce platform, and ERP
• What the implementation process looks like
• Tools and platforms that can help
• Common pitfalls to avoid

Whether you’re in retail, manufacturing, print, or distribution, this will help you build a connected, scalable setup.

Why Integrating Your CRM, E-commerce, and ERP Is Essential

When your systems don’t talk:

• Orders are rekeyed manually
• Stock levels go out of sync
• Customer data gets duplicated
• Teams waste time fixing errors

By integrating your CRM software, e-commerce platform (like Shopify or WooCommerce), and ERP system (like NetSuite, Business Central or Odoo), you can automate workflows, reduce human error, and get real-time visibility across departments.

This improves:

• Order accuracy
• Delivery times
• Customer experience
• Profit margins

3 Ways to Connect Your Business System

1. Native Integrations (Built-in Connectors)

Many platforms now offer pre-built integrations between systems. These are easy to set up and work well for common use cases.

Examples:

• Shopify → NetSuite using SuiteCommerce Connector
• Salesforce → SAP
• HubSpot → Dynamics 365 Business Central

Pros:

• Quick to deploy
• Vendor-supported

Cons:

• May lack flexibility
• Often “one-way” or limited in customisation

2. Middleware / iPaaS Platforms (No-code / Low-code Tools)

Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) solutions let you connect systems without writing custom code.

Popular middleware tools:

• Zapier – good for simple automations
• Make.com (Integromat) – powerful visual builder
• Celigo, Boomi, Tray.io – more advanced use cases

Use cases:

• Syncing online orders from WooCommerce into your ERP
• Updating stock levels from ERP to e-commerce
• Creating leads in your CRM from new website purchases

Pros:

• Faster than custom development
• More flexible than native options

Cons:

• Monthly subscription costs
• Still requires setup and monitoring

3. Custom API Integrations

For complex needs, custom development gives you full control.

Common use cases:

• Complex pricing or discount rules between systems
• Two-way sync of customer or order data
• Connecting niche platforms not supported by middleware

Pros:

• Highly tailored
• Scales with your business

Cons:

• Requires technical expertise
• Higher upfront cost

Integration Strategy: Implementation Step-by-Step

1. Discovery

• List your platforms (e.g. HubSpot, WooCommerce, NetSuite)
• Map the data flows (e.g. orders → ERP, stock → e-commerce)
• Identify pain points and manual steps

2. Design

• Choose integration method (native, middleware, or custom)
• Define direction and timing of syncs
• Align field names and data formats

3. Build & Test

• Set up connectors or develop integrations
• Test every scenario (orders, cancellations, stock updates, etc.)
• Validate accuracy across platforms

4. Launch & Maintain

• Roll out in stages
• Train staff on new workflows
• Monitor and refine the setup regularly

Integration Tools by Business Type

Business Type	CRM	E-commerce	ERP	Recommended Tools
Promotional Products	HubSpot, Pipedrive	WooCommerce, Shopify	NetSuite, Odoo	Make.com, Vpress, Celigo
Retail	Zoho, Salesforce	Shopify, Magento	Business Central, Unleashed	Zapier, Tray.io
Print Services	HubSpot, Pipedrive	WooCommerce	Dynamics 365, Odoo	Custom APIs, Integromat
Food Distribution	Salesforce	Custom ordering site	SAP B1, NetSuite	Celigo, Custom Integrations

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Messy data: Rubbish in, Rubbish out. Clean your CRM and product data first.
• No testing plan: Edge cases will break things. Always test refund flows, tax logic, etc.
• Poor documentation: You’ll need it later especially when something breaks.

Ready to Connect Your Systems Properly?

At NW ERP, we help SMEs in the UK and US design and implement robust integrations between CRMs, e-commerce platforms, and ERP systems.

Whether you’re on WooCommerce, Shopify, Business Central, or NetSuite, we’ll help you:

• Audit your current setup
• Choose the right integration approach
• Build and support the solution

Book a free discovery call and let’s see how we can help streamline your operations.