Imagine a business where connected systems allow data to move freely and intelligently, flowing into and out of each system with minimal friction. Software and systems communicating with one another is not new. For many years, businesses have recognized the value of entering information once and making it available across multiple systems.
Entire ERP frameworks have been built on this principle: enter data once, use it many times.
In practice, however, even the most robust technology stacks often rely on expert systems or add-ons to fully support real-world operations. No single system does everything. As soon as two or more systems need to work together, the objective becomes clear: enable the unattended and intelligent movement of data between them.
People should not have to be involved every time information moves from one system to another. Ideally, it should happen automatically.
Like a robot.
Where Manual Processes Break Down
A simple example is a business that runs an online store while using QuickBooks for accounting. The web store does not run on QuickBooks; it operates on an e-commerce platform that handles sales orders, customer transactions, and often inventory management.
That same information still needs to exist in QuickBooks.
In many cases, business owners or their staff manually re-enter this data, either because integrations are not in place or because processes evolved organically over time. Manual re-entry is time-consuming and introduces a significant risk of error. As transaction volume increases, the cost of these errors and inefficiencies compounds.
What may be manageable for a small retailer quickly becomes unsustainable as operations grow.
“It was just awful,” said David Clothier, treasurer of the Knoxville, Tenn.-based company that operates more than 500 Pilot Flying J truck stops nationwide. “There were humans everywhere.”
— The Wall Street Journal
Manual handoffs do not scale. As data volumes increase, so do delays, inconsistencies, and operational blind spots.
Automation Is Necessary, but Not Sufficient
To address these challenges, software-based integration tools allow businesses to map data between systems and move it automatically. Compared to manual processes, this approach is faster, more accurate, and significantly reduces the risk of errors, increasing the overall value and reliability of business information.
Automation alone, however, does not make an operation intelligent.
If people still need to intervene for processes to complete -approving routine transactions, triggering workflows, or correcting predictable issues- the system remains constrained by human performance. At that point, work may be faster, but it is still dependent on manual oversight.
That is not a robot.
What Makes Automation Intelligent
Intelligent integration occurs when systems can follow defined rules, make decisions based on those rules, and act on them consistently.
For example, a business might use a solution that allows vendors to submit invoices electronically. Using predefined rules to match invoices to purchase requests and approvals, the system can issue payments and record transactions automatically, without direct human involvement. This approach can significantly reduce processing time and administrative costs.
In this context, intelligence does not mean improvisation. The rules are still defined by people. The value comes from the system’s ability to execute those rules repeatedly, accurately, and without fatigue.
As noted in The Wall Street Journal:
“If you think like a human, there are only certain things you can do. When you think like a robot, many things are possible.”
Why This Matters Now
Using technology to operate more effectively is not a new concept. Businesses have always looked for ways to do more with less and to improve efficiency through better tools.
What has changed is the pace of change itself.
Organizations today have far less time to tolerate inefficient processes, fragmented systems, or manual workarounds. As businesses grow, complexity increases, and the cost of delay rises. Systems that were once adequate can quickly become limiting factors.
At Mendelson Consulting, working alongside the Noobeh cloud services team, we recognize that intelligent automation and integration should not be treated as one-time projects. Instead, they require ongoing evaluation and adjustment as business needs evolve.
Our role is to help clients identify solutions that address today’s operational requirements while remaining flexible enough to support tomorrow’s demands.
