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ImpactMatrix Platform ImpactMatrix Platform Documentation

Connecting External Systems

Connecting External Systems

Automate data flow by connecting your business systems directly to the SDGL-SaaS Platform.

Integration Overview

Why Integrate?

Manual data entry

  • Time-consuming (5-10 hours per quarter)
  • Error-prone (typos, missing data)
  • Delays (3-4 week lag from quarter end to dashboard)

Automated integration

  • Real-time or scheduled sync
  • No human data entry
  • Instant insights into current performance

What’s Possible?

SystemData TypesFrequencyUse Case
ERP (SAP, Oracle, NetSuite)Financials, inventory, supply chainDaily/WeeklyEconomic indicators, supply chain risk
CRM (Salesforce, HubSpot)Customer data, sales pipelineReal-timeCustomer satisfaction, market access
HR (Workday, BambooHR)Payroll, diversity, benefits, turnoverWeeklySocial indicators (pay equity, diversity)
IoT (Manufacturing sensors)Production metrics, energy, emissionsReal-timeEnvironmental and economic KPIs
Accounting (QuickBooks, Xero)GL, payables, receivablesDaily/WeeklyFinancial performance data
Sustainability ToolsESG, carbon accounting, waste trackingWeekly/MonthlyEnvironmental baseline

Integration Types

1. API Integration (Real-Time)

Best for: Frequently updated data, real-time dashboards

How it works

  1. Your system calls our API endpoints
  2. We query your system for latest data
  3. Updates appear in dashboard within minutes

Example: Factory Energy Monitoring

Factory IoT sensors → Your energy management system → API call to SDGL-SaaS
(continuous)       (aggregates hourly)            (real-time update)
                                                        ↓
                                              Dashboard shows current
                                              kWh, cost, trend vs target

Setup Time: 2-4 hours
Complexity: Moderate (requires IT support)

2. File-Based Integration (Scheduled)

Best for: Data available in spreadsheets, less frequent updates

How it works

  1. You export data to CSV/Excel from your system
  2. Upload to SDGL-SaaS portal
  3. System imports and processes automatically
  4. Schedule recurring upload (daily/weekly/monthly)

Example: Monthly Financial Data

ERP accounting system → Export GL data to CSV
(month end)           → Save to shared folder
                      → SDGL-SaaS reads file
                      → Auto-import at 9am daily
                      → Dashboard updates with latest financials

Setup Time: 30 minutes
Complexity: Low (no IT required)

3. Database Direct Connection

Best for: Large volumes of data, complex queries

How it works

  1. Establish read-only connection to your database
  2. SDGL-SaaS queries on schedule (daily/weekly)
  3. Data synced automatically

Example: Supply Chain Database

Your supplier database (PostgreSQL)
         ↓
    (Read-only connection)
         ↓
SDGL-SaaS queries nightly
         ↓
Supplier sustainability profiles updated

Setup Time: 4-8 hours
Complexity: High (requires DBA)

4. Webhook/Push Integration

Best for: Event-driven updates, urgent alerts

How it works

  1. When event occurs in your system, send webhook to SDGL-SaaS
  2. We immediately process and update
  3. No polling needed, instant propagation

Example: Safety Incident Reporting

Safety incident occurs → Your HR system records it
                      → Sends webhook to SDGL-SaaS
                      → We record incident
                      → Alert sent to management
                      → Social dimension score flagged

Setup Time: 2-3 hours
Complexity: Moderate

Supported Integrations

Financial Systems

SAP

  • GL account balances
  • Cost centers and profitability
  • Revenue and COGS
  • CapEx and OpEx breakdown
  • Multiple entities and currencies

Method: API + Database direct connection
Frequency: Daily
Typical data volume: 50K-500K rows daily

NetSuite

  • Financials (P&L, balance sheet)
  • Project profitability
  • Inventory and cost of goods
  • Intercompany transactions
  • Multi-subsidiary consolidation

Method: REST API
Frequency: Daily
Setup time: 3 hours

QuickBooks

  • GL accounts and entries
  • Income statement and balance sheet
  • Payables and receivables
  • Class and department profitability

Method: API (OAuth2)
Frequency: Daily
Setup time: 1 hour

HR & Payroll Systems

Workday

  • Headcount and organizational structure
  • Compensation and benefits
  • Diversity metrics (gender, race, disability, veteran)
  • Hiring, promotion, separation data
  • Learning and development hours

Method: API
Frequency: Weekly
Setup time: 4-6 hours (requires Workday admin)

BambooHR

  • Employee directory
  • Compensation and pay levels
  • Headcount summary data
  • Employee benefits utilization

Method: API
Frequency: Daily
Setup time: 1-2 hours

CRM Systems

Salesforce

  • Customer data and accounts
  • Sales pipeline and opportunity stage
  • Customer satisfaction/NPS scores
  • Contract terms and SLAs
  • Support ticket metrics

Method: REST API
Frequency: Daily
Setup time: 3-4 hours

HubSpot

  • Contact and company records
  • Deal pipeline
  • Customer feedback and NPS
  • Email engagement metrics

Method: API
Frequency: Daily
Setup time: 1-2 hours

IoT & Operational Systems

SCADA / PLC Systems

  • Equipment runtime and production volume
  • Temperature and pressure readings
  • Energy consumption
  • Safety metrics
  • Quality measurements

Method: MQTT or HTTP API
Frequency: Real-time (1-second intervals)
Complexity: High (requires industrial engineering)

Building Management Systems

  • Energy consumption (kWh, gas, water)
  • HVAC system status
  • Occupancy levels
  • Environmental conditions (temperature, air quality)

Method: HTTP API or MQTT
Frequency: 15-minute or hourly intervals
Setup time: 4-8 hours

Step-by-Step Integration Setup

Phase 1: Planning (1-2 hours)

Define Requirements

  1. Which system to integrate?
  2. What data do we need from it?
  3. How frequently should data sync? (Real-time, daily, weekly?)
  4. What’s the volume? (100 records/year or 1M/day?)
  5. Historical data needed? (Last 3 years of financials, etc.)

Document Data Mapping

  • System field name → SDGL-SaaS field name
  • Data type conversions (if needed)
  • Unit conversions (if needed)
  • Aggregation logic (if needed)

Secure Approvals

  • IT sign-off
  • Data privacy/security review
  • Business owner confirmation

Phase 2: Connection Setup (2-8 hours)

Obtain Credentials

  • API keys / OAuth setup
  • Database connection strings
  • Webhook endpoints
  • Rate limits and quotas

Test Connection

  • Can we read test data?
  • Data types match expectations?
  • Volumes manageable?
  • Response times acceptable?

Phase 3: Data Validation (1-4 hours)

Initial Data Load

  • Upload sample data/historical data
  • Verify mapping is correct
  • Check calculations match
  • Validate formats

Quality Checks

  • ✓ No missing required fields
  • ✓ Data values in expected ranges
  • ✓ Calculations match source system
  • ✓ Timestamps reasonable

Phase 4: Go-Live (< 1 hour)

Enable Scheduling

  • Set sync frequency
  • Configure retry logic
  • Enable alerting if sync fails

Monitor First Week

  • Check logs daily
  • Verify data quality
  • Respond to any issues
  • Build team familiarity

Best Practices

1. Start Simple

Pick one system, get it working well, then add others.

2. Test Thoroughly

Test with real data before going live.

3. Document Everything

  • What system is connected
  • What data flows where
  • Frequency and timing
  • Contact for issues

4. Monitor Regularly

Check that sync is working (daily for first month, weekly ongoing).

5. Set Alerts

Get notified if sync fails or data looks wrong.

6. Plan for Evolution

Systems change. Keep integrations flexible and maintainable.

Troubleshooting

”Integration failed to connect”

  • Check API credentials are correct
  • Verify IP whitelisting (if needed)
  • Confirm system is accessible externally
  • Check authentication (OAuth token expiration?)

”Data looks wrong”

  • Verify data mapping is correct
  • Check unit conversions are working
  • Sample source data vs. what we received
  • Look at sync logs for errors

”Sync is slow”

  • Check data volume (might need optimization)
  • Verify connection speed
  • Look for database locks/bottlenecks
  • Consider moving to real-time vs. scheduled

Support & Help

Integration Support

  • Email: integrations@sdgl.platform
  • Slack: #integrations-support channel
  • Documentation: docs.sdgl.platform/integrations
  • Office hours: Tuesdays 2-4pm UTC

Next Steps