# Integrations and API

> An ERP that needs to receive orders, a carrier that needs to generate labels, a marketplace that needs to mirror the same stock: these exchanges run through APIs, and I build or adapt the connectors linking them to your shop.

- Source canonique : [https://allaux.fr/en/services/integrations-api](https://allaux.fr/en/services/integrations-api)
- Langue : EN
- Dernière mise à jour : 2026-09-30

## Commonly connected systems

- **ERP and business management** — Syncing orders, stock and prices between the shop and the management system.
- **Carriers and logistics** — Label generation, parcel tracking, carrier selection at checkout.
- **Marketplaces** — Publishing the catalogue and pulling in orders from one or more marketplaces.
- **CRM and marketing tools** — Sending customer and order data to a CRM or an email tool.
- **Accounting and invoicing** — Automatically sending sales data to accounting software, to avoid manual re-entry.

## How I approach an integration

An integration starts with reading the external system's technical documentation: data format, authentication, call rate limits. Some systems expose a clean, documented API; others rely on file or webhook exchanges. The connector adapts to what actually exists, not to what would be ideal in theory.

One point that's often underestimated: error handling. An API call that fails silently can desynchronise stock for days without anyone noticing. I set up logging and, where relevant, an alert for repeated failures.

## Building an integration

1. **Reviewing the technical documentation** — Reading the external system's API or exchange format, and checking the access available.
2. **Defining the direction of exchange** — Who sends what, how often, and how data conflicts are resolved when the two systems disagree.
3. **Building the connector** — Writing the code that links the two systems, handling errors and incomplete data.
4. **Testing on a separate environment** — Checking behaviour with real data before connecting the systems in production.

## Connecting a shop to AI assistants and agents

- **PrestaShop MCP** — A private MCP server to query and run the shop from an assistant. ([/prestashop/mcp](/prestashop/mcp))
- **Agentic commerce** — ACP and UCP: the protocols for purchases by agents, and what is open in France. ([/guides/commerce-agentique](/guides/commerce-agentique))

## FAQ

### Does the external system need to already have an API?

It's simpler if it does. If the system only offers file exports or no programmable interface, an integration is still possible but with different constraints, which I explain before starting.

### What happens if the third-party system changes its API?

A connector can break if the external system changes its behaviour without warning. That risk exists for any integration; regular monitoring catches it quickly rather than discovering it through a stock issue.

### How long does setting up an integration take?

It depends on the quality of the external system's documentation and the number of edge cases to handle. An estimate always follows the documentation review, never before.

### Do you handle authentication and security for the exchanges?

Yes, setting up API keys, access tokens and encryption for the exchanges is part of the integration work.

### Can several systems be synced at the same time?

Yes, but each extra system adds a possible point of failure and a priority rule to define when two sources disagree. I factor that into the pricing rather than discover it along the way.