Shop-ERP connection: linking online shop and ERP
A shop-ERP connection syncs products, stock levels, prices and orders automatically between online shop and ERP. We program this connection directly through the APIs of both systems, with clear rules on which system leads for which data. For standard cases we first check whether an existing connector is enough.
The problem: two systems, two versions of the truth
Without a connection you maintain products twice: once in the ERP, once in the shop. Orders are retyped from the shop or taken over by export. Stock in the shop is correct only until the next sale in the store or on a marketplace. Then you sell goods that are no longer there and have to cancel.
Conversely, customers do not learn that their order has shipped because the shipping status sits in the ERP but never reaches the shop. Price changes for key accounts are maintained in the ERP and forgotten in the shop. Each of these errors costs time in customer service and sometimes a customer.
How we connect shop and ERP
It starts with a simple question: which system leads for which data? Usually the ERP leads for products, prices and stock, and the shop for orders and customer data from checkout. We fix this rule so that there are no conflicting changes.
Technically we use the APIs of both systems. Shopware 6, for example, offers an Admin API with login via OAuth and a Sync API for bulk changes. JTL provides a REST API for JTL-Wawi. Shops often report new orders by webhook so that they land in the ERP immediately.
We do not rely on webhooks alone. According to its own documentation, Shopify retries a failed delivery up to eight times within four hours and removes the subscription if the errors persist. That is why the integration also checks at fixed intervals whether all orders have arrived. If one is missing, it is fetched. Every transaction is logged, and errors trigger an alert.
- Products and variants are created and updated on change
- Stock is transferred every few minutes or on change
- Prices and customer-group prices are transferred on change
- Order goes to the ERP, status back to the shop on receipt
- Shipping and tracking number go back to the shop on shipment
Several shops, marketplaces and warehouses
It gets difficult when more than one channel draws on the same stock. If you sell through two shops, a marketplace and a store, every sale must reduce the stock for all other channels. The integration therefore does not calculate with the stock of a single shop but always with the ERP's figure. If you want, we hold back a safety stock per channel so that simultaneous orders do not lead to overselling. With several warehouses we define which warehouses count for which channel. These rules are in the quote, so you know beforehand how the integration behaves in edge cases.
Typical data objects and pitfalls
| Object | Direction | What matters |
|---|---|---|
| Products, variants, images | ERP → Shop | variant logic is often structured differently in shop and ERP |
| Stock levels | ERP → Shop | schedule, reservations, several warehouses |
| Prices | ERP → Shop | tiered prices, customer-specific prices in B2B |
| Orders | Shop → ERP | payment method, vouchers, shipping costs, tax rates |
| Status and tracking number | ERP → Shop | partial deliveries and returns |
| Customers | both | avoid duplicates, one unique customer number |
How to record these rules in advance is described in the glossary under data mapping.
When a ready-made connector is enough
For many combinations there are plugins, apps or connectors from the vendors. Business Central, for example, ships with its own connector for Shopify. If your range is manageable, you have no customer-specific prices and your process matches the standard, such a connector is often the cheaper choice. We tell you that openly in the check.
A custom connection is worthwhile when the standard has gaps: when payment or shipping status does not come back to the shop, variants are not transferred cleanly, several shops or warehouses hang off one ERP or a system has no connector at all. A comparison of the options is in the guide connector or custom.
Matching connections
For individual combinations we have dedicated pages: Shopware and JTL-Wawi and Shopware and Business Central. We describe the systems themselves under Shopware, Shopify, JTL-Wawi and Business Central. What additionally counts in wholesale is under wholesale.
Process
In the free check (30 minutes) we clarify which system leads and which objects flow in which direction. Within 3 working days you receive a fixed-price quote. Implementation usually takes 2 to 4 weeks and is tested in a test environment with real products before it goes live. More under process and pricing.
Frequently asked questions
Which system leads for products, prices and stock?
Usually the ERP, because purchasing, warehouse and prices are maintained there. The shop leads for orders. We define the rule together in the check and document it.
How often is stock synchronized?
As often as your sales require. With few sales, a sync at fixed intervals is enough; with scarce stock and several channels we transfer changes immediately.
Are payment and shipping status written back to the shop?
Yes, if you want that. Whether a standard solution covers this reverse direction, you should check carefully beforehand. With a tracking number, your customer gets the shipping confirmation from the shop automatically.
How are variants and customer-specific prices transferred?
We map the variant logic of the ERP to that of the shop and transfer prices per customer group or customer, as far as the shop supports it. We clarify that in the check using your real products.
Is the free standard connector enough?
Often yes. If it fully covers your data, we advise you to use it. We recommend a custom connection only if gaps remain that you close by hand today.
Sources
- Shopware Developer Documentation: Integrations and APIs, retrieved on 20 Oct 2026
- JTL Developer: API-Versionierung für JTL-Wawi und JTL Cloud, retrieved on 20 Oct 2026
- Shopify Dev Docs: Troubleshooting webhooks, retrieved on 20 Oct 2026
- Microsoft Learn: Getting started with the connector for Shopify (Business Central), retrieved on 20 Oct 2026
Related
Shopware → JTL-Wawi
Shopware 6 and JTL-Wawi: what the JTL-Connector syncs, why the sync gets stuck and when custom code makes sense for parts of it.
Shopware → Business Central
Connect Shopware 6 to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central: which connectors exist, where API and webhooks set limits and how we build it.
Shopware 6
Admin API, Store API, Sync API and webhooks: what Shopware 6 offers technically and where plugins stop.
E-Commerce
Connect shop, inventory management, accounting, payment and shipping in online retail directly.
Have an integration built
Direct connection between two systems, fixed price after a free check, the code is yours.
