When connecting Shopify and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, businesses usually have a decision: utilize the native Microsoft connector or pay for a third-party integration app. Although third-party software can provide extra flexibility, most businesses underestimate the benefits of the native connector. Following are five good reasons to first look at the native Microsoft Shopify Connector before considering alternatives.
1. Officially Supported by Microsoft
The connector is developed and supported by Microsoft, providing compatibility with the most current versions of Business Central and Shopify. As opposed to third-party alternatives, you won’t need to be concerned regarding whether the application will maintain its pace in upcoming updates. Microsoft provides continued support, stability, and compliance.
2. No Additional Licensing Fees
Third-party connectors also tend to have additional licenses, subscriptions, or transactional fees, which can rapidly mount up. Since the built-in connector doesn’t incur an additional cost, excluding your current Business Central and Shopify subscriptions, for small to mid-sized businesses, it can equate to enormous long-term savings.
3. Easier Setup and Maintenance
The native connector is pre-configured to integrate seamlessly with typical Shopify-to-ERP workflows:
- Synchronizing products and stock
- Syncing orders
- Syncing customers and refunds
This is much quicker than setting up a third-party system, which typically involves additional and continuing vendor support.
4. Seamless Integration with Business Central Workflows
Since Microsoft Shopify Connector built into Business Central, the connector integrates seamlessly with native ERP workflows like order processing, financial posting, and inventory management. No need to “translate” data between systems or have compatibility concerns, which can be problematic with third-party connectors.
5. Perfect for Typical Shopify Shops
If your company operates one basic Shopify shop with typical processes, the out-of-the-box connector gives you everything you require. It offers solid automation with no convolutions (and cost) of sophisticated third-party connections. Most companies find that it’s sufficient to remove tedious manual data entry and automate processes, without adding undesired overhead.
Final Thoughts
The Microsoft Shopify Connector isn’t necessarily the best choice for every brand those with nuanced workflows, multi-store organizations, or omnichannel strategies might eventually outgrow it. But for most companies, the native connector achieves the ideal balance of cost-effectiveness, stability, and ease of use.
It’s worth considering whether your needs are already being met with the native connector before investing in a third-party app. In several instances, it is and with less going on.
