06. Synchronize items and business partners

Master data seems harmless, but every incorrect combination propagates into receipts, warehouses, prices and evaluations.

The interface as a product

items and partners have many specialist sub-areas. The integration should only maintain shared fields, check existing values ​​before updates, and not automatically delete them just because a source record is missing.

This makes the connection robust

1. Define external key and search path such as GetByValue or documented filters.
2. Define the leadership direction for each field.
3. Before you put it on, search for the exact key; treat 0, 1 or more hits differently.
4. Consciously transfer mandatory and standard values.
5. Only update changed, released fields and check version/conflict.
6. Treat deactivation and deletion as a separate technical process.

Prove production readiness

• No retry creates second partner or item.
• Manual X-ERP values are only overwritten according to management rules.
• References to inactive master data remain understandable.
• Conflicts end up in an editable clarification list.

Mistakes that only become expensive during operation

• Fuzzy name search decides automatically.
• A missing source record leads to immediate deletion.
• The entire object is written and overwrites external fields.

This is what you take with you

Master data remains clear and technically controlled across system boundaries.

Further information / source

Related topics

1. For integration specialists – connect APIs and external systems › 04. Endpoints, data contracts and answers
2. For integration specialists – connect APIs and external systems › 07. Connect receipts and warehouses in a controlled manner
3. For integration specialists – connecting APIs and external systems › 08. Writing, idempotence and parallelism

Frequently asked questions