Frame the decision correctly
Simply stating "we will connect to another system" is not enough to define the scope. You need to know which data will be read or written and how frequently it will be updated. An accounting integration might merely display an invoice number, or it might generate an invoice and track its status; these represent different workloads.
What should be considered during implementation?
Familiarize yourself with the provider's test environment, authorization method, and usage limits. Store keys in secure environment variables rather than pasting them into emails or project notes. Access permissions should be limited to the necessary operations; test keys must not be used in the live environment.
Verification and next steps
Define success criteria using real-world examples. Acceptance tests should also cover scenarios involving erroneous data, timeouts, and the recurrence of the same event. Additionally, determine who will monitor the provider's updates and define the scope of maintenance once the integration is complete.
Your quick checklist
- Document data flow direction and frequency.
- Request a test environment.
- Define error and retry scenarios.