What is...?
Integration Platforms as a Service (iPaaS) provide a centralised console for managing, controlling and integrating cloud-based applications. These tools connect cloud applications and services and control the integration flow. They can accelerate company automation and business development by integrating existing tools and increase data volume by leveraging external sources. Companies use these tools to scale performance requirements, add product functionality, structure application integrations and automate processes. Features or data can be added or removed quickly, reducing downtime and development time.
Cloud BPA platforms complement iPaaS with middleware andother functions such as code execution and service delivery.
What you should know about iPaaS software for your business.
The modern workplace relies on digital solutions to work together seamlessly. Implementing the optimal software applications in the workplace is only half the battle - there is an increasing demand for strong, robust integrations that enable scalable communication and performance of these systems. Platforms in theiPaaS category allow users to easily create integrations so that teams and customers can connect applications and reap the benefits of a collaborative software stack.
As new applications are introduced every day, a company's existing connectors can become obsolete as they are migrated to other solutions or new technologies are integrated into the IT infrastructure. As new cloud services and applications are introduced, the need for updated interfaces (APIs) and other integrations that enable data flow increases. Integration Platforms (iPaaS) help companies develop and deploy solutions that connect disparate platforms across systems. With these intuitive tools, seamless integrations can be created for companies. Companies can create rich cloud automations instead of using their own API programming. Many platforms now exist to help create and deploy integrations while allowing users to monitor integration performance and activity. Whether you are using proprietary solutions on-premise (e.g. RPA) to bridge the gaps between legacy platforms and third-party vendors, or bridging data sources in the cloud, the goal of iPaaS is to create an enterprise integration platform. iPaaS is designed to automate business processes and greatly support digital transformation.
Main advantages of iPaaS and cloud BPA software:
iPaaS does not classically have message-based middleware. Companies often need this form of middleware in order to use web services or the JSON format (JavaScript Object Notation) in processes. iPaaS is also not application-based middleware, even though many iPaaS providers offer these functions today, they are no longer considered iPaaS by definition, but are generic cloud BPA providers (cf. Zapier).
Simply put, cloud BPA is an iPaaS that also has graphical interfaces and complex cloud-based middleware systems.
The leading cloud BPA and iPaaS are Zapier and Make.
Known for its ease of use, Zapier offers users a simple solution for creating workflow automations between applications. Focusing primarily on simple, clickable tools, Zapier offers more than 2,000 out-of-the-box integrations that allow you to automate simple workflows. Zapier calls these automated workflows "Zaps". What is Zapier?
Make : Make has a coding-free drag-and-drop application for setting up integration and automations. A notable feature of Make is its usefulness in handling loops and arrays. Although this platform is known for enabling more complex logic, it requires more experience than Zapier, especially in solving automation scenarios. Make complexity enables more automation options for businesses. Which is better Make or Zapier?
You can find more iPaaS providers in G2's grid .
Cloud Integration, iPaaS, SaaS, BPA… Ough, hard to keep track of all these terms. They are currently used frequently (and increasingly) in the context of automation, and it is sometimes difficult to make a clear distinction and distinction. We have already written blog posts on the terms iPaaS, SaaS and BPA, but we’ll take them up again here to make the difference.
But let’s start with cloud integration, because that’s the central umbrella term in which we embed all the other technologies in this blog post.
Arrange a free cloud integration consultation now
Arrange a free cloud integration consultation now
To illustrate these advantages, an example is suitable that we know well from our everyday work as an automation agency:
The central data to be used here is the data of a major customer. This can be the simplest information, such as the address. This address is required in numerous but completely different processes in the company: on the one hand, for correct invoicing in accounting. On the other hand, in the CRM system, where all the data of the large customer is also stored. But the address is also important in sales, for example, when employees go to the sales meeting on site.
Now the customer announces that the address of the company has changed after a move. This information will reach you by e-mail. There are now two options:
01. The e-mail is forwarded to all affected departments, accounting, sales, customer service, marketing… All persons open their corresponding program, CRM, accounting software, marketing tools (such as newsletter marketing) and change the data already stored there of the customer. This means that in multiple applications, different people do exactly the same thing: change one address.
02. But there is also an alternative: By connecting your applications, thus by integrizing them, the customer’s e-mail, or rather the information it contains about the address change, is automatically passed on to all affected applications: CRM, accounting, marketing, ERP. This does not require any clicks, because the cloud integration detects a trigger, i.e. address change, and thus automatically starts the process.
What sounds unimpressive in a single process becomes more effective when such a process occurs several times a day or weekly. Because there is a lot of data that is available in different applications and should always be correct. If these applications are cloud applications they are suitable for cloud integration.
But cloud integration doesn’t just happen. There are now a variety of applications that enable and implement this. Such tools usually allow us to link the relevant cloud applications on a central platform and define clear rules on when, how, where, how much data should be passed on and what happens to them.
To realize cloud integration, there are various applications and technologies that are sometimes used interchangeably.
We have made a first distinction between iPaaS and BPA here.
We explain the term SaaS in more detail here.
Cloud integration is rather an umbrella term that includes numerous technologies, such as SaaS, iPaaS and BPA, and this is also absolutely necessary. Cloud integration is a concept that is made possible by appropriate technologies.
However, all terms share the commonality that they are cloud-based and thus offer enormous potential for growth and scaling. In addition, they are often cheaper to implement and maintain because changed requirements are easy to implement.
As an independent automation agency, we implement cloud integration according to your requirements. We use a variety of SaaS tools and iPaas (strictly speaking BPA) software. Together we find individual solutions that are flexible and scalable.
