Integration Overview

Owned by Maroš Grman
Last updated: Jun 17, 2024 by Ioana Kocurova
2 min read

Introduction to integration of Pricefx with other systems, like ERP (SAP,…​), CRM (Salesforce, …​) and various types of integrations.

What Integration Covers

Types of Integration:

  • Data Integration - done by the Integration Team, and it covers:

    • Import / Export customer data, for example:

      • Incoming Master Data, etc.

      • Outgoing Quotes, Price List, etc.

  • System Integration - covers the settings of:

    • Single Sign-On (SSO).

    • Two Factor Authentication (TFA) - done by DevOps.

    • Salesforce (SFDC), SAP C4C, MS Dynamics - done by the Integration team.

  • Frontend Interconnection - done by the Pricefx Team, and covers:

    • Salesforce (SFDC) - interconnection of the frontends.

Data Integration

Components:

  • Pricefx Application Server

  • Integration Manager

  • External System

    • ERP - e.g., SAP

    • CRM - e.g., Salesforce (SFDC)

    • eCommerce - e.g., Google Shop, SAP Hybris

    • Quote to Cash / CPQ

    • Others

Channel for Data Exchange

  • External System ←→ Integration Manager

    • SFTP, with CSV, XML formats

    • WebService/SOAP, with XML format

    • Database Tables (not preferable solution)

  • IntegrationManager → Pricefx

    • REST API, with JSON format

  • Pricefx → IntegrationManager

    • Events

  • Pricefx → External System

    • HTTPS call

  • External System → Pricefx

    • REST API, with JSON format

Automation

  • Manual

    • Excel Client

    • PlatformManager - ad-hoc Data Upload

  • Automated

    • Integration Manager

    • PlatformManager (with embedded Integration Manager)

Use Cases / Scenarios

  • Master Data

  • Quote

  • Historical Sales Transactions

System Integration

With CRM Systems

Pricefx can be embedded into SCDF, C4C and MS Dynamics to facilitate users remaining in their familiar environment, logged in under their current user account and still use the Pricefx application.

To accomplish this integration, Pricefx created plugins (called "Applications") for those CRM systems. These plugins are available on Application Markets of those CRM systems and allow embedding of Pricefx Core application into the CRM systems.

By embedding we mean, that when you look at the CRM screen (in a browser), then Pricefx will appear as part of such screen - so for example on the top and left of the screen you will see the menus and navigation of the CRM system and in the main area of the screen you will see e.g., Pricefx Quoting. For example, see the screenshot below.

Those plugins must be installed and correctly configured.

Frontend Interconnection

Some Pricefx Applications (i.e., the CRM plugins) allow also frontend interconnection (for example, Salesforce allows it), where the two frontends (visible at the same time together in one browser window - see the screenshot above) can "talk" to each other and pass some information to each other. This is happening on the front-end side, in the browser.

Pricefx Tools/Terminology

IntegrationManager

  • Is an ETL tool.

  • Is an application separate from Pricefx Application Server, and is written in Java.

  • Is configured via a set of XML files or Java classes, and also by PlatformManager.

  • Monitoring of IntegrationManager is done via PlatformManager.

  • Inside, IntegrationManager has many Adapters (aka Endpoints).

PlatformManager

Is a standalone server-based tool, which serves several purposes:

  • UI for IntegrationManager

  • Package Deployments

    • Configuration Packages - Accelerators

    • Integration Packages - Integration Templates

      • e.g., template for regular import of CSV from FTP to Master table

  • Ad-hoc Data Uploads

    • e.g., for Master Data uploads

References

API Documentation

Documentation

Knowledge Base

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