Most ERP and ecommerce integration solutions only address the basic needs related to products, customers, pricing, and orders. Retailers understand the fact that the complexities associated with ecommerce exist beyond what a basic integration process entails. It’s here that the GP–Shopify Integration offered by x2x.
Unlike the bolt-on connectors, x2x is an integral Microsoft Dynamics GP module, and it offers the entire collection-definition engine through the integration layer, directly bringing the logic from the ERP environment into the collection’s definitions in the Shopify store.
We need to walk the reader through the implications of the above points for the retail industry.
Native GP Module is not External Connector
Most Shopify/GP integrations are third-party middle wares:
- Data is retrieved from GP
- Transformed outside
- Pushed onto Shopify
- Merchandising logic exists independently of ERP
x2x uses a totally different approach.
Since x2x integration is a native GP module:
- It comprehensively understands GP tables, structure, and business rules
- Also, It adheres to GP master data ownership
- Further, it prevents duplication, shadowing, and sync problems
This gives x2x integration, the capability to go beyond what a sync service does in terms of transactions, it enables it to go into commerce
Adding Collection Definitions
“One of x2x’s strong differentiation factors is its module defining Shopify Collections, not as a fixed list, but based upon a set of predefined rules associated with GP data,”
Instead of manually maintaining a collection on the Shopify site, with the help of the x2x system, you can:
- Define Collection once
- Push them away with ERP characteristics
- Automatically sync them as data changes
The collections problem is no longer a concern that only needs to be addressed by the frontend and becomes a part of the data model that is central
Handling of x2x Collection Logic
Using x2x integration, Shopify collection can be defined with structured and ERP-supported rules, based on:
- Class/Classes, or Segments from GP
- Vendor, brand, or manufacturer characteristics
- Custom item attributes defined in GP
- Seasonality or promotional flags
Result:
If a product changes in GP, its inclusion in a collection at Shopify will also update automatically without any human interaction. Why this matters, what it means.
1. Single Source of Truth for Merchandising
Merchandising logic often drifts when maintained separately in ERP and Shopify. x2x eliminates that gap by letting GP drive collections directly
2. Scalable Product Management
As the volume increases, handling catalogue items by hand is no longer feasible. Rule-based definitions easily extend from a few hundred to tens of thousands of SKUs.
3. Rapid Go-Lives and Promotions
Launching a new collection no longer means:
- Editing products one by one
- Rebuilding logic in Shopify
Instead, define the collection in x2x → publish → done.
4. Cleaner Data, Fewer Errors
No missing product SKU’s and outdated collections
The integrated version is self-consistent.
Beyond Syncing – Leveraging Commerce Orchestration
Classic integration responses to the following question:
“How do I connect data from GP to Shopify?”
x2x is an answer, infract more strategic,
“How can I manage trade with the help of ERP intelligence?”
Through the inclusion of a comprehensive collection definition module, the integration processes of x2x are elevated from the technical to the business level.
The x2x Philosophy: Integration as a Platform
Such a strategy embodies the overall vision that x2x has
Integration is more than pipes and packets
The data from the ERP system must play an active role in storefront
Decisions regarding commerce have been moved into the system of record
“Collections” represents but one example, but an excellent one, of the way x2x transforms integration into insight.
Conclusion
If your Shopify stores are still being managed and only superficially integrated with your ERP data, then you’re missing out on efficiency and control. With native integration with GP-Shopify, collections in x2x are:
- Smarter
- Automated
- ERP-driven
- Future-proof
It is not merely a question of getting products in sync. To connect strategy and structure effectively, and then combine the two with storefront.
