Designing a webshop without using standard e-commerce systems with AFAS

From portal to webshop.

Our cooperation began with the development of a portal aimed at business customers. Among other things, this portal facilitated printer leasing and maintenance, with a specific focus on contract management and maintenance request registration. The first phase focused mainly on creating a stable and scalable platform, which could later be extended with a consumer website and a custom-made web shop.

The challenge of an AFAS integration.

One of the most technical and complex parts of the project was the integration of the web shop with Nou's existing AFAS environment. AFAS acts as the central ERP system for customer management, orders, contracts and financial administration, among other things. The challenge was to fully synchronise the webshop with AFAS, without using an external e-commerce platform such as Shopware, Shopify, Magento or Lightspeed.

Data exchange between AFAS and the web shop.

The integration between AFAS and the web shop revolves around the use of the GetConnector and UpdateConnector. These connectors form the core of the communication between the systems, allowing data to be continuously updated and synchronised.

The GetConnector retrieves relevant data such as customer information, products and prices directly from AFAS and shares it with the webshop modules, without manual input. The UpdateConnector ensures that changes in the webshop, such as new orders or customer data, are automatically written back to AFAS. This way, the data is always qualitative and up-to-date.

Periodic synchronisation without webhooks.

AFAS does not support webhooks, which means no automatic notifications are sent when data is changed in the system. Therefore, we have implemented a system of periodic synchronisations. Depending on the nature of the data, two types of synchronisations are performed:

1. Full synchronisation:This process retrieves all data from AFAS twice a day and ensures that any deleted or changed records are updated. This is done to ensure that the webshop is always fully aligned with the latest updates from AFAS.

2. Partial synchronisation:This process runs every five to 10 minutes and retrieves only the changes made during that period. This allows us to process small changes quickly and efficiently, without fetching unnecessary data.

This combination of full and partial synchronisations ensures that the webshop remains closely connected to AFAS, without processing large amounts of data unnecessarily. This system is particularly valuable for the webshop's stability and speed, as the use of unnecessary data is minimised.

Translation layer in the DMP.

Another technical innovation in this project was the implementation of a translation layer in the Data Management Platform (DMP). This translation layer ensures that the data retrieved from AFAS can be efficiently enriched and modified before being sent to the web shop modules.

A good example of this is the logic around the product categories that Nou uses. AFAS offers limited possibilities to define product structures at a detailed level. Nou uses an internal system where product categories are composed of a 3-digit code.

Product categories.

For example, category 100 represents paper, category 110 represents plotter paper, and category 111 represents coated paper. This logic is incorporated into the DMP and translated into a structure that is understandable and usable within the webshop, without having to make any changes in AFAS.

Custom logic and module management.

Each functionality of integration is fully tailored to Nou's specific needs and processes. The various modules, including the website, customer portal and web shop, operate independently within the data management platform (DMP). At the same time, they are part of a single integrated system that communicates continuously with AFAS. The DMP acts as a central hub, making it easy to manage the modules.

The DMP also plays a role in filtering unwanted data. Suppose a user has an e-mail address that is no longer relevant to the webshop, for example, but still needs to remain in AFAS. In that case, the data in the DMP can be adjusted without changes in AFAS, ensuring a tight and relevant dataset for the webshop.

Benefits of direct AFAS integration.

Integrating the webshop directly with AFAS obviated the need for an e-commerce platform. This brought several advantages, both technical and organisational:

Single Source of Truth (SSOT):AFAS remains the central place where all important business data is managed, from product information to customer data. This prevents disparities between different systems.

Customised logic: Because the system is tailored to Nou's internal processes, specific business logic and customer-centric experiences can be easily implemented, such as personalised pricing and product offerings for individual customers.

Data integrity:By using AFAS connectors, the data coming into the webshop is always up-to-date and fully in line with Nou's internal operations. This prevents errors when processing orders or customer information.

Flexibility and scalability:The customised webshop can be easily extended with new functionalities without adding complexity to the system. This makes it suitable for future growth and changing markets.

Cost savings:No additional subscription fees for additional e-commerce software such as Shopify or Magento or associated plugins.

Ready for growth?

The custom-made webshop for Nou illustrates how direct integration with AFAS Software delivers technical and organisational benefits that fully meet the organisation's needs. However, this does not mean that e-commerce platforms such as Shopify or Magento cannot be valuable in other situations.

In many cases, these platforms offer efficient and off-the-shelf solutions, especially for companies that want to scale up quickly or have less need for complex customised solutions. In Nou's case, customisation offered the flexibility and control needed, but for other companies, a standard e-commerce platform may be just as satisfactory. So the choice of a customised webshop or an existing platform depends heavily on the organisation's specific requirements and infrastructure.