Name the business event and source of truth
Be specific about what should trigger the integration: an approved order, a changed customer record or a completed task. Decide which system owns each field and whether updates travel in one direction or both. Without this agreement, an integration can overwrite correct information or create a loop of competing changes.
Check access and provider constraints
Confirm that the required API exists and is available on your actual account or plan. Review authentication, permissions, rate limits, supported operations and test environments using current provider documentation. A product having an API does not mean every screen or workflow is accessible through it. Record restrictions before promising a seamless connection.
Map data and identity
Choose stable identifiers and specify how records in one system match records in the other. Include dates, currency, units and optional fields in the mapping. Plan how duplicates and existing records are handled. Use a representative sample to expose inconsistent source data rather than assuming every record will match the clean example in the documentation.
Design recovery and support
Decide what happens when a provider is unavailable, rejects a record or delivers an event twice. Keep useful status and error information without logging unnecessary personal data. Assign someone to review failed transfers and reconcile systems. Maintenance needs include API changes and credential rotation, so the proposal should cover operation as well as initial development.
Your practical checklist
- Define events and field ownership
- Verify API permissions and limits
- Test record identity and data mapping
- Agree failure recovery and maintenance ownership
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