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Map the processWe document the event, system owners, source of truth, data, statuses and manual exceptions.
Product development → API and service integration
API integrations
We design and implement API integrations with CRM, ERP, payments, maps and external services: data, statuses, error handling, monitoring and documentation.
Discuss your projectOverview
API integration: what the service is
A successful API response doesn't mean the process works. Services go down, messages get duplicated, statuses drift apart, and staff can't tell whether an operation went through. We design integrations with data owners, error-handling rules, observability and a clear recovery path.
- Systems
- CRM · ERP · payments · API
- Foundation
- the business event and source of truth
- Control
- statuses, errors and monitoring
- Deliverable
- integration and runbook
In plain wordsWhat it is and why it matters
- What it is
- We set up automatic data exchange between your CRM, accounting, payment and external systems. Orders, statuses and payments flow on their own, and failures are visible and fixed by procedure.
- Who it is for
- Companies where staff copy orders and statuses between systems by hand, and a mistake or delay already affects customers and revenue.
- What you get
- A working, tested integration, a map of which data goes where and which system is the master, failure monitoring with alerts, and a step-by-step guide for incidents.
- Where to start
- Describe the process that is still manual: which systems are involved and where data gets lost. We will assess whether automating it pays off and suggest a format.
Solution architecture
How we implement an integration
We start with the event in business terms and only then choose the technical design.
Design
Design the contractWe choose between synchronous calls and a queue, and define idempotency, versioning, access and recovery rules.
Deploy
Build and testWe connect test environments, build the integration and automated checks for critical scenarios.
Drive
Roll out a limited flowWe test timeouts, duplicate notifications, bad data, permission changes and external service outages.
Dominate
Add observabilityWe add logs, metrics, alerts, a runbook and a process for keeping up with external contract changes.
Unit economics and ROI
How integration creates impact
The financial impact shows up where staff manually move data, check statuses and fix mismatches between systems. Integration cuts rework and makes exceptions visible.
At low volumes, a manual operation can still be the smarter choice. So before development we estimate how often the event occurs, the cost of an error and the cost of maintaining the integration.
- What it reduces
- manual data transfer
- What it protects
- critical operations
- What we measure
- errors and delays
- Decision
- automate or keep it manual
Results
What you get
The working integration is handed over together with tests, access credentials and operating instructions.
- A data flow map
- System owners and the source of truth
- API contracts and a status model
- A working integration
- Tests for critical scenarios
- Access and secrets management
- Logging, metrics and alerts
- Technical documentation and a runbook
Comparison of approaches
Direct connection or queue
The architecture depends on how urgently a response is needed and whether reprocessing is acceptable.
| Approach | Strength | Limitation | When it fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual operation | Flexibility with exceptions | Errors and labor costs | Very small volume |
| Synchronous integration | Immediate response | Dependency on service availability | The user is waiting for the result |
| Event queue | Resilience and retries | Status is harder to track | Background and bulk operations |
Limitations and risks
When integration is premature
Automation locks in the rules of a process. If there are no rules, it locks in chaos.
The process changes every week
First, the business logic and decision owners need to stabilize.
The data is contradictory
Before integrating, we define the source of truth and fix data quality.
The volume is too small
A safe manual operation can be cheaper than a complex technical setup.
A good fit
When this service is a good fit
- Data is regularly moved by hand
- Several systems are involved in one process
- An error or delay affects customers and revenue
- You need monitoring and a clear recovery path
Not a fit
When to choose another approach
- The process is still changing all the time
- There's no agreed source of truth
- The operation happens very rarely
- The systems have no reliable official way to exchange data
Terms in plain words
- API
- an agreed way for systems to exchange data
- Source of truth
- the system whose data is treated as the master copy
- Idempotency
- a repeated request does not create a second order or payment
- Queue
- a way to handle the event later and retry it after an error
- Runbook
- instructions on what to do in case of failure
- API contract
- An agreed description of what data, in which format and with which statuses systems exchange. Without it, any change can break the integration.
- Synchronous integration
- An exchange where one system waits for an immediate reply from another. It suits cases where a user is waiting for a result, but it depends on the external service being available.
- Alert
- An automatic notification to the team about a failure or delay in the integration, so the problem is spotted and fixed in time.
Frequently asked questions
API and service integration: FAQ
What if a system has no API?
We look at official exchange options and at changing the process. We consider fragile workarounds only with a clear understanding of the risk.
Can we switch providers later?
Where possible, we separate business logic from the external interface so the cost of switching stays predictable.
Is post-launch support included?
The project includes a stabilization period. Ongoing monitoring and an SLA are agreed separately.
Can you work with our development team?
Yes. Together we agree on the contract, code review, testing and each side's responsibilities.
How much does an API integration cost?
The cost depends on the number of systems and events, the quality of the API documentation, the availability of test environments and the error-handling and monitoring requirements. One-way data transfer is simpler than two-way status synchronization. We give an estimate after the process is described and the external services' capabilities are checked.
How long does it take to implement an integration?
The timeline depends on the number of systems, the complexity of the status model and the availability of test environments from external services. Agreeing on the source of truth and testing failure scenarios usually take longer than the code itself. We estimate the timeline after describing the process and reviewing the documentation.
Can Twenty or amoCRM be integrated with a website, payments and an accounting system?
Yes. Typical scenarios include passing website leads, syncing contacts, creating deals and updating payment statuses. Before development we define which system owns each field, how duplicates are handled and what an employee does when something fails.
How do we connect a CRM to a task tracker like Jira or Plane?
For example, when a deal reaches a certain stage in the CRM, a project or onboarding task is automatically created in Jira or Plane, and the progress status flows back to the customer record. Sales sees the work progress, and the team sees the deal terms. We agree in advance which fields sync and in which direction.
How is a custom integration different from connectors like Make or Zapier?
Ready-made connectors quickly handle simple flows with low volume and a low cost of error. Payments, orders and critical statuses need idempotency, retries, monitoring and clear recovery, which are easier to control in a custom integration. A combination often works best: a connector for simple tasks and a separate setup for critical ones.
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