Intro
Integration is the harmonious procedure by which systems are easily connected to one another. If not implemented by utilizing the best options available, it could become a headache rather than a solution to the business. But the best solution is not the best for anyone right? Because “Best” is defined and determined by the list of needs and available resources the company owns to manage the process technically and financially.
Thus, integration matters as it’s the mechanism that brings together diverse systems to communicate cohesively without having issues such as data silos. That said, today we draw the line clear between two different types of integration highly loved and requested by our clients to ensure their systems comply with ZATCA for Phase Two; API-Only Integration and Full Integration. So, how do you decide which one to choose?
Choosing The Right Integration: API-Only vs. Full Integration
When making the decision between API-Only integration and Full Integration, it’s crucial to understand the scope of your company’s financial limits and the technical potential you carry alone or with your tech-team range of skills and availability.
While both integration methods are game changer, the complexity of both varies in terms of the technical requirements the client has to perform on their own or by relying on InvoiceQ’s technical experts to carry out the processes instead.
API-Only Integration
In API-Only, the clients are responsible for setting up the integration process of their system with ZATCA after getting the APIs InvoiceQ provides them with. Hence, if your company is equipped with a dedicated technical team, you can simply utilize the APIs provided by InvoiceQ to connect your accounting or ERP system with ZATCA and ensure compliance to avoid penalties.
In other words, manual data synchronization from the company’s side will be required as we only provide the APIs needed. This option is a great pick for companies who know what they’re doing, have a capable team to manage the technical aspects, and are only in need of the compliant APIs to make their integration with ZATCA possible.
This method relies on the push data method where the invoice data is processed through the InvoiceQ system, validated with the tax authority engine, then generated and sent to the client’s system with the latest ZATCA required updates.
Full Integration
Full integration, on the other hand, is a more convenient option for companies with less resources and technical skills to manage the full integration cycle starting from getting the APIs, to handling the development part with ZATCA tax engine without worrying about the technical expertise that enables them to do so. This in turn results in a shorter implementation time for the client.
The type of the clients’ current system affects the decision making process considering that some systems require advanced options that even some technical teams – if available – may not be able to implement due to the lack of the E-invoicing experience to handle such types of integrations proficiently.
This type of integration relies on the pull (fetch) data method where a unique delegator (technical adapter) is implemented to fetch invoice details from the customer’s system to have it validated and processed by InvoiceQ and ZATCA before sharing the signed invoice with the client’s system again through the technical adapter.
This process covers the part where less technically experienced users need a solution to fill this gap for them without being concerned with the development part.
Wrap-Up
By carefully evaluating the essential factors, choosing the integration approach that best matches your business needs and aligns with your company’s objectives becomes an easy process to handle. Both options are dynamic, easy, and developed to accommodate various systems, however, the key difference really goes down to the resources and technical capabilities the company can offer and shoulder
API-Only is great for companies looking to integrate with ZATCA right away and have the team and tools to make that happen after getting the APIs from InvoiceQ. Full-Integration on the other hand means getting our expert hands to manage the full integration process for your business if not enough technical expertise for integration is available at your company.
Can’t tell which one your business requires? No worries, leave it to our experts and get a free system demo to help you try and choose the best implementation option to ensure your compliance with ZATCA for Phase Two.