Business analysis glossary
Integration
What it is
An integration connects two or more systems so they can share data or trigger actions automatically. It can run in real time through an API, or in batches through file transfers on a schedule. Common patterns are request and response through APIs, events published when something happens, and scheduled file transfers.
Why it matters
Most business processes cross several systems. Integration requirements define what moves, when, in which format and what happens when something fails. Analysts specify what data is exchanged, how often, who owns each side and how errors are noticed and corrected, since most real-world integration problems are about failures.
Example
When an order is paid at Marlow Online Store, an integration sends the order to the warehouse system. If the warehouse system is unavailable, the requirement says the order is queued and retried every five minutes. Writing this behaviour into the requirement means developers do not need to guess and testers can check the failure path too.