In today’s fast-paced digital landscape, the ability to manage and maintain accurate data across multiple platforms is more critical than ever. As businesses increasingly rely on various tools and applications to store, process, and analyze information, the concept of data synchronization has emerged as a key component of effective data management strategies. But what exactly is data synchronization, and why is it so important?

At its core, data synchronization refers to the process of ensuring that data remains consistent and up-to-date across different systems and devices. Whether it’s updating customer information in a CRM, syncing inventory levels between an eCommerce platform and a warehouse management system, or collaborating on documents in real-time, data synchronization plays a vital role in keeping operations running smoothly.

In this blog post, we will explore the fundamentals of data synchronization, its various methods, the benefits it offers, and the challenges organizations may face. By understanding these concepts, you can better appreciate how effective data synchronization can enhance your business operations and drive success in an increasingly interconnected world.

What is Data synchronization?

Data synchronization is the process of maintaining data consistency between two or more connected systems. As the name suggests, it is a continuous process that applies to both new and historical data. Businesses use a variety of software tools, dashboards, databases, etc. Synchronization helps prevent databases from becoming disjointed and disorganized by keeping them constantly communicating in real-time, near real-time, or batch.

Data synchronization is essential to maintain accuracy, consistency, and privacy in data management. Especially when considering that even small data errors can significantly impact decision making. So, data synchronization involves validating, cleaning, and checking data for errors, duplicates, and consistency before it is used.

Let’s say you have two different systems that contain customer contact information, but one system uses a different data format than the other. When you synchronize the data, the system that uses the different data format can clean up the data to match the format of the other system. This step might include removing any invalid characters, standardizing the format of phone numbers and addresses, and ensuring that all fields are filled out correctly.

Data Synchronisation vs Data Integration

While the terms “data integration” and “data synchronization” are often used interchangeably, they refer to different concepts. Data Integration is the process of combining data from various sources, whether it’s static data or data generated by events, for analysis. This can be done regularly or on an as-needed basis. On the other hand, Data Synchronization is a specific type of integration that focuses on maintaining ongoing consistency between datasets. It involves continuous, automated communication between systems or databases, ensuring that any changes in one system are reflected in the others in real-time. In summary, while integration combines data for analysis, synchronization keeps that data consistent and up-to-date across all platforms.

Types of data synchronization

Your synchronization process can work in one of two ways:

One-way data sync

A one-way sync is simply when changes in the source system lead to changes in target systems, but not the other way around. 

To help illustrate this definition, let’s use an example. Say you use a Shopify Ecommerce Store as the source system and an Accounting tool likes QuickBooks Online as the target system, and you decide to synchronize the record types below. As a result, when a sales order record, issue summary, or case number get modified in the Shopify, the information in the corresponding QuickBooks Online records change accordingly. The inverse scenario—where changes occur in the QuickBooks Online tool’s records—however, doesn’t affect the Shopify’s records.

An example of a one-way data sync between your Shopify and QuickBooks Online

Two-way data sync

A two-way sync is when changes in either the source system or a target system lead to changes in the other systems.

Now, let’s use the same example from before but in the context of a two-way synchronization. Whenever a synchronized record changes in either the Shopify or QuickBooks Online, the corresponding record in the other system changes accordingly.

An example of a two-way day sync between your Shopify and QuickBooks Online

Finally, while it’s hard to generalize, the type of data that’s synchronized typically lives in a master data set. It’s also data that usually changes less frequently and that gets managed through a lifecycle. 

With this data synchronization definition out of the way, let’s explore some common use cases.

Data Synchronization Use Cases

• Product Synchronization
• Product Variant Synchronization
• Inventory Synchronization
• Inventory Item Synchronization
• Stock Synchronization
• Order Synchronization
• Shipping Address Synchronization
• Customer Data Synchronization

How Data Synchronization is Achieved

There are several methods and technologies used to achieve this, including:

• Batch Synchronization: Updates data at scheduled intervals. This method is great for non-urgent information and helps reduce the strain on networks and systems.
• Real-Time Synchronization: Keeps data updated almost instantly. While more complex and resource-intensive, it’s essential for applications that require immediate access to current information, such as financial trading platforms.
• Bidirectional Synchronization: Changes made in one system are automatically reflected in another system and vice versa. This is useful when data is updated in multiple locations, ensuring consistency across all systems.
• Conflict Resolution and Version Control: When data is edited at the same time in different places, conflicts can arise. Rules or algorithms are used to decide which version of the data to keep. Version control systems help manage this process, especially in software development.
• Change Data Capture (CDC): This method identifies changes made to a data source and applies those changes to a target database. It’s efficient because it only transfers the data that has changed.
• API-Based Synchronization: APIs enable direct and seamless data transfer between systems. This approach is commonly used for integrating web applications and services, allowing different platforms to communicate effectively.
• Database Replication: Involves creating copies of a database in different locations to ensure data is always available and accessible. Replication can happen in real-time or at set intervals.
• ETL Processes: Stands for Extract, Transform, Load. This three-step process extracts data from a source, transforms it into the necessary format, and loads it into a target database or system.
• Cloud-Based Synchronization:Uses cloud services to sync data across multiple devices and platforms, providing easy access and backup options.Snowflake or Microsoft Azure are often used for this purpose.
• Middleware and Integration Platforms: These software tools connect different systems and databases, enabling efficient data synchronization across various platforms. Solution like HexaSync is often used here.

Benefits of Data Synchronization

Improves Efficiency

Data synchronization keeps information current across all systems, which helps teams work smoothly and communicate consistently. For example, if your sales team uses a CRM system to manage customer data while the finance team uses a different accounting tool, it’s essential to synchronize the data between these departments.When data is synchronized, any updates to customer contact information in the CRM will automatically appear in the accounting tool. This prevents problems like sending invoices to the wrong email addresses, which can delay payments. Without synchronization, such mistakes can disrupt cash flow and overall efficiency.

Increases Security

Synchronizing data across systems boosts teamwork and enhances security. For instance, if both a customer support team and a security team use a CRM for managing customer information, but the security team also has a separate access control system, synchronization becomes vital.

If a customer reports an account takeover issue, the support team might learn about it first. If the systems aren’t synchronized, the security team may not be aware of the problem and could fail to take necessary action, leaving the customer’s account vulnerable. However, with synchronized data, the security team gets automatic updates from the CRM and can quickly respond to secure the account.

Offers Data Backups

Data synchronization acts as a safety net against problems caused by power outages, hardware failures, or software bugs that can create inconsistencies across different systems. When data is out of sync, employees may not have access to the latest information, which can lead to decisions based on incomplete or incorrect data. This can result in lost productivity and revenue as work may need to stop until synchronization is restored.

For example, if your organization uses a CRM for customer management and a separate tool for accounting, a power outage could take down the CRM for several hours. During this time, if the accounting team sends invoices without knowing that some customer data was updated just before the outage, they might send invoices to incorrect email or physical addresses. This miscommunication can cause payment delays and damage the company’s reputation.In contrast, with synchronized data across all platforms, teams can access consistent information from multiple tools. This minimizes disruptions and helps maintain smooth operations.

Data Synchronization Challenges

Organizing business data involves navigating disparate systems, such as CRM, employee portals, customer support, HRM, and more. The synchronization process is difficult and can have the following hidden costs:

Security

In today’s flexible work environment, where many employees work remotely or in a hybrid environment and use different devices, data security is more important than ever. If synchronization solutions rely on on-premises or third-party systems, any breach can put sensitive business information at risk. This can lead to data loss or expose the organization to significant compliance, litigation, and monetary issues.

Data Quality

When different teams within an organization use different systems, it’s easy for data to become disorganized or inconsistent. To ensure data is accurate and secure, it’s essential to regularly update and validate information from all sources. Without a reliable synchronization system, data transactions can be slow or even fail, resulting in unreliable data quality.

Data Complexity and Compatibility

As organizations grow, their material handling processes also increase. With more employees, customers, partners, and services, data becomes more complex. Different formats and technologies can make synchronization more difficult. Managing large volumes of data across multiple systems while ensuring compatibility with older systems can be difficult.

Update Runtime and Performance Requirements

Data synchronization is a labor-intensive process that requires careful planning. If not done properly, runtime synchronization of large amounts of data can cause system outages, disrupting other applications and processes. It is important to ensure that your infrastructure can handle these requests to keep operations running smoothly.

Maintenance and Management Challenges

Data Syncing Requires ongoing maintenance and management. Without regular updates and proper management, you run the risk of dealing with rejected or corrupted data. The utmost monitoring is required to ensure that your synchronization processes run smoothly and efficiently.

Conclusions

Data synchronization is not just a technical task; it plays a crucial role in a successful data management strategy. By ensuring that data is consistent and up-to-date across all platforms, synchronization enhances business operations and efficiency.

There are various methods for synchronizing data, each offering its own advantages and challenges. Understanding these methods and choosing the right tools can streamline the synchronization process and improve outcomes.

HexaSync simplifies data synchronization with its powerful features. This versatile platform meets a wide range of synchronization needs, making it easier to set up and ensuring data integrity and consistency.

To experience efficient data synchronization for your organization, contact our team today!