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Project dossierIntegration · Middleware · Retail

E-commerce middleware for BlueBioTech International —
four systems, one flow of data.

01 · Starting point

BlueBioTech has been producing and selling food supplements for more than twenty years — among them the Dr. Peter Hartig® brand, sold through the teleshopping channel HSE and through its own online shop. In a first joint project, om3 had already connected Shopware to Microsoft Navision.

02 · Challenge

The follow-up project was to connect Shopify, Plenty and PayPal to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central — several sales channels, one ERP, and between them order, article and payment data that has to flow reliably and traceably.

03 · Decisions

After the requirements analysis, the choice of technology fell on the Alumio integration platform — on the grounds of performance, scalability and compatibility with the systems already in place. Architecture, communication paths and the mapping of data formats were settled before implementation began.

04 · What we did

Configuring and adapting the middleware, including data routing and protocol conversion; functional and load tests along realistic processes; the move into the production environment with data and process migration; setting up monitoring and ongoing maintenance.

05 · Result

Orders, articles and payments flow automatically between the shops and the ERP — monitored, logged, with nothing keyed in by hand.

Integration architecture
Shopify
Online shop
Plenty
Sales channel
PayPal
Payments
Alumio
Routing · Mapping · Monitoring
Dynamics 365
Business Central
ERP · the leading system
Fig. 01 — Integration architecture (schematic)

Techno­logies used

AlumioIntegration platform (iPaaS) — routing, mapping and monitoring of the data flows.
Dynamics 365 Business CentralThe central ERP for order processing and inventory.
Shopify · PlentySales channels with automated reconciliation of articles, stock and orders.
PayPalPayment processing, tied into document handling in the ERP.

What we took away

Choosing a middleware is an operating decision, not a project decision: monitoring, error handling and maintainability count for more than the fastest first connection.

The work began with Shopware and Navision and was extended to the new generation of systems — a follow-up assignment after the first project.

A manufacturer that also sells direct sharpens the systems question: two channels, one warehouse, one price. Direct sales is therefore not a sales decision alone.

Related articles
When a middleware pays off — and when it does notInsightD2C: how companies benefit from direct salesInsight
Related work & services
Case study: online shop with SAP integration (Held AG)Case studyService: Integration and interfacesService

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