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Enterprises across the globe are increasingly relying on API middleware to maintain consistency and control over their business processes. API middleware plays a crucial role in integrating third-party services, connecting internal systems, and facilitating communication between different applications. As businesses adapt to changing market demands, the importance of robust API management solutions is clear.
Additionally, the emergence of headless commerce platforms has emphasized the need for effective API management. These platforms separate core commerce functions from the presentation layer and heavily rely on APIs to communicate between backend systems and frontend interfaces.
The quality of API connections directly impacts the performance, flexibility, and scalability of headless commerce solutions. Effective API management ensures optimized connections for speed, reliability, and security, enabling businesses to provide seamless digital experiences to their customers.
TradeCentric’s collaboration with API middleware providers is a significant advancement in enabling seamless, flexible, and scalable B2B eCommerce integration. By leveraging API middleware capabilities, TradeCentric empowers businesses to streamline eCommerce operations, improve customer experiences, and drive growth in a competitive market.
The synergy between TradeCentric and API middleware
The TradeCentric platform and API middleware tools perform complementary functions that together optimize B2B eCommerce integration:
- API middleware delivers a single, consistent business logic management layer for functions that are shared across the enterprise, such as security and integration.
- TradeCentric delivers a platform that is specifically and meticulously crafted for B2B commerce integrations, bridging the gap between supplier eCommerce systems and buyer eProcurement solutions.
TradeCentric’s purpose-built platform is equipped with ready-to-use capabilities for buyers on any PunchOut-ready eProcurement solution, as well as capabilities for integrating suppliers across various eCommerce platforms.
In the enterprise space, where more companies are replacing direct application connections with a single, consistent API middleware layer, TradeCentric has a methodology that enables it to make connections to the clients API gateways rather than to the end application.
If the enterprise chooses to migrate or change to different back-end systems, API middleware makes this change transparent to the TradeCentric platform. This enables TradeCentric to do what it does best in maintaining the Trading Partner connections to the clients middleware.
The TradeCentric platform specializes in eProcurement within this architecture.
Many procurement systems lack true API integration for PunchOut, leading to variations in messaging formats across different standards like cXML, OCI, Secure OCI, and JSON.
TradeCentric addresses this challenge by interfacing with an API middleware, which introduces a uniform design pattern for all buyers, simplifying integration.
With over a decade of evolution, TradeCentric offers a range of configuration options tailored to diverse customer needs. For instance, if a customer requires uppercase text in PunchOut cart product descriptions, TradeCentric has a configuration suite ready to apply, eliminating the need for custom coding.
More than just a platform – how TradeCentric adds additional value
The TradeCentric platform is one of the two fundamental pillars at the core of TradeCentric success. The other is its specialized delivery team, equipped with deep industry knowledge.
Integration is TradeCentric’s core competency. We are 100% focused on developing, optimizing and supporting the integrations that deliver frictionless B2B eCommerce, maintaining compliance and currency across our customers eCommerce and eProcurement platforms.
Continual enhancement, research and development, and security are part of the package, delivering the economies of scale that come with a platform solution.
TradeCentric is your trail guide for eCommerce integration, whether it is delivered through direct application interfaces or via an API integration layer. We blend our deep and broad expertise on eCommerce and eProcurement platforms with your unique knowledge of your buyers and their payloads, to help you navigate the right integration course for your business.
What’s next?
To find out more about how TradeCentric can help you deliver seamless B2B eCommerce integrations by working in harmony with your API integration layer, contact us.
