Integration and Automation

Abel delivers integration and automation for its Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform, improving how your business operates by connecting the systems and external organisations involved in your end-to-end processes.

When you adopt Abel, it becomes the core system managing your operational and financial processes, with integration configured so information moves accurately and efficiently at the right points across those processes.

We deliver integration and automation as part of Abel implementations and as separate projects. Our ERP Consultants work with your team to define requirements, align the solution to your business processes, and coordinate delivery with our development team so integrations are practical, controlled, and reliable.

Abel also provides workflow automation within the ERP system, ensuring that processes are managed and progressed consistently from one stage to the next.

Together, these capabilities create a connected environment where information flows across systems, departments, customers, suppliers, and operational processes as part of day-to-day business activity.

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We deliver integration and automation that improves how your business operates

Many businesses reach the point where important information is spread across websites, trading platforms, warehousing systems, financial automation tools, courier and freight platforms, and other external applications. This leads to manual handling, duplicate data entry, delays between teams, and limited visibility across the full process.

We help businesses move from disconnected processes to integrated process flows that link Abel with the systems and external organisations involved in day-to-day operations. This reduces manual effort, improves data accuracy, and gives your team better control over how transactions move from one stage to the next.

Integration and automation projects commonly focus on:

Capturing sales from website and ordering platforms directly into Abel
Exchanging trading documents with customers and suppliers through EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) and related platforms
Connecting warehousing, freight, courier, and 3PL (Third-Party Logistics) providers to Abel workflows
Automating supplier invoice processing, order capture, specialised time and expense integration, complex tax calculations (such as USA taxes), and business intelligence reporting through SQL data extraction and Power BI
Connecting Abel’s manufacturing processes with manufacturing execution systems, factory floor devices, and operational equipment including scanners, labelling systems, weigh scales, conveyors, and inline scanning and printing systems

These integrations and automation solutions are designed to operate as part of connected business processes rather than isolated data exchanges. Information flows between systems, departments, and external organisations at the points where activity occurs, allowing transactions to be captured, processed, and progressed without manual re-entry or duplication.

Why Abel for integration and automation?

Abel develops, implements, and supports its own ERP system, so our team understands the ERP platform, the workflows, and the integrations that connect it to other systems. Our ERP Consultants lead the work with your team, and our developers deliver the technical components needed to make integrations robust and supportable.

Our ERP Consultants work exclusively with Abel’s ERP system, mobile applications, reporting, and integrations. That gives you direct access to people who understand both the operational use of Abel and the practical realities of connecting it to trading partners, logistics providers, websites, financial automation tools, and other operational systems.

How Abel integration and automation delivers results:

We scope integration and automation around real business processes, not just data exchange points
We configure Abel workflows and integrations together so the end-to-end process works in a controlled way
We deliver practical solutions that fit within Abel’s supported environment and operational model
We coordinate our ERP Consultants, software developers, and help desk consultants as one team across delivery, support, and ongoing improvement
We continue to develop new integrations and automation solutions as customer requirements evolve across industries and operational scenarios

Integration into and out of Abel

With Abel as the core system managing your operations, integration enables the electronic exchange of information with the systems and external organisations involved at different points within your processes. Rather than duplicating data across multiple applications, information is captured, processed, and passed between systems where activity occurs.

Integration is typically driven by the movement of documents and transactions through your processes. As information is created, updated, or completed in one system, Abel can receive that data or send it onward to the next system involved. This ensures that each system performs its role within the process while remaining aligned with the overall flow of activity.

Integration into Abel

External systems can create or update documents in Abel, enabling workflows to begin with accurate, structured data. Typical examples include customer orders captured from eCommerce platforms, trading documents received via EDI providers, supplier invoices received through accounts payable automation systems, and data received from other operational platforms.

This reduces manual data entry and ensures transactions enter Abel in a consistent format, ready for processing.

Integration out of Abel

As documents are processed in Abel, information can be sent to external systems where the next actions take place. Examples include sending orders to warehouses or 3PL providers, passing despatch and shipment data to freight and courier systems, sending invoices and trading documents to customers and suppliers, and exchanging data with external systems where required.

This ensures downstream processes are triggered at the correct point without unnecessary manual handling.

Abel supports global trading through Value Added Network (VAN) providers used to exchange structured trading documents between businesses. It also supports direct system connections that enable automated document exchange with major retailers and logistics providers across multiple regions.

Integration across business processes

Integration may occur at a single point or across multiple points within a process, depending on the requirements. Some integrations support a specific step, such as capturing orders or sending shipment data, while others operate across several stages to support a broader process.

These integration points form part of wider business processes, where information moves between activities such as order capture, production, warehousing, and financial processing as part of a continuous flow.

By integrating systems as part of the full process, Abel helps reduce manual handling, improve the accuracy and consistency of information, keep activities in the correct sequence, and provide a clearer view of what is happening across systems. Each integration is configured to support business processes end-to-end, enabling systems to work as a single, connected flow rather than relying on manual steps between systems.

How we deliver integration and automation

We deliver integration and automation through a structured approach aligned to your business processes. Our ERP Consultants work with your team to define requirements, identify where information should enter or leave Abel, understand how information flows through your operational processes, and ensure that integration supports the full end-to-end process.

Depending on your requirements, integration is typically delivered in one of three ways:

Configuring existing integrations Where Abel already supports an integration, we configure and test it for your environment so it operates correctly within your processes.
Extending existing integrations We adapt existing integrations where needed, adding messages, refining data mappings, or adjusting behaviour to ensure they support your business processes.
Developing new integrations Where no existing integration meets the requirement, we design and develop a new interface that delivers the required integration within an appropriate business process.

Our work includes defining requirements, mapping data items, configuring or developing integrations, configuring workflows within Abel, and testing interfaces end-to-end within real business scenarios.

Proven integrations across financial and operational processes

We have delivered integrations across key areas including trading, eCommerce, logistics, financial automation, manufacturing execution, and specialist operational systems. These integrations reflect real implementations across customers, industries, and operational scenarios.

Capturing sales from website and ordering platforms

We connect Abel to website and ordering platforms so sales can be captured directly into the ERP process. We have extensive experience developing Shopify and WooCommerce integrations for both retail and wholesale workflows.

Exchanging trading documents with customers, suppliers, and external organisations

We deliver structured electronic trading with customers, suppliers, and external organisations across supply chains. This includes Crossfire for trading documents and 3PL document exchange, SPS Commerce and B2BE for B2B trading and 3PL warehouse integration, and integrations with trading partners including Foodstuffs, Woolworths, Coles, and Amazon.

We also support export and regulatory documentation processes, enabling data from Abel to be used to generate and exchange export documents and compliance records. Examples include integration with Prodoc for export documentation and MPI compliance interfaces for generating required regulatory documents and supporting traceability across export and inter-site processes.

Connecting warehousing, freight, courier, and 3PL providers

We connect Abel to freight, warehousing, and courier providers so despatch, shipping, and warehouse coordination can be managed as part of the operational process. We have experience connecting Abel with providers including Kühne + Nagel, Lineage, Mainfreight, CartonCloud, StarShipIT, and GoSweetSpot.

Automating financial and operational processing

We automate the capture and processing of information where this improves efficiency and control. This includes supplier invoice processing, order capture, specialised time and expense integration, and complex tax calculations (such as USA taxes). Our experience includes integrations with PlusOne, Acume, Expensify, XE, Lucy, Avalara, and adaptive planning tools.

We also support business intelligence integration, including SQL-based data extraction from Abel and integration with Abel’s Business Intelligence Suite built on Microsoft Power BI. This enables operational and financial data to be analysed across reporting environments while maintaining a consistent and controlled source of data within Abel.

Connecting manufacturing and specialist operational systems

We connect Abel’s manufacturing processes with manufacturing execution systems and other specialist operational systems. This ensures production activity, data capture, and specialised processing tools operate as part of the overall ERP process. Examples include MEX and ASPECT.

We also integrate Abel with a range of factory floor and operational devices, including labelling systems and label printers, handheld and in-line barcode scanners, factory floor touch screen interfaces, weigh scales and dispensing systems, and forklift-mounted devices with touch screen applications.

In production environments, Abel supports conveyor-based workflows, where operator screens are mounted alongside production lines. These interfaces control inline scanners and printers, enabling products to be scanned, labelled, and processed as they move along conveyors. Data is captured in real time and fed back into Abel, supporting pallet building and maintaining accurate, live stock-on-hand positions throughout the process.

These integrations support real-time data capture and operational workflows directly within production and warehouse environments.

Together, these integrations create a more connected manufacturing environment, supporting Smart Factory initiatives where production systems, operational equipment, and ERP processes operate as part of an integrated workflow.

Workflow automation within Abel

As well as external integration with other systems, Abel also provides configurable workflow automation within the ERP system itself. Workflows are document-driven and manage business processes from initiation through to completion, enabling transactions to progress through defined stages with minimal manual intervention where appropriate.

Operational activity in Abel is captured and processed through documents such as customer orders, manufacturing orders, supplier invoices, despatches, and invoices. These documents form structured workflows that represent real business processes such as sales, purchasing, stock movement, and manufacturing. Typical examples include customer quote to order to despatch to invoice, and purchase order to delivery to invoice.

Workflow progression is controlled through document lifecycle actions and can be configured to trigger processing automatically or manually. Abel can generate the next document in a workflow, complete required processing, and close or update related documents in the chain. Abel also supports multiple workflow variants for the same business function, such as different manufacturing workflows or separate order flows for standard and website orders.

For higher-volume operations, Abel includes bulk processing capabilities that enable teams to select multiple documents, generate the next-stage documents, and progress those documents through workflows efficiently. Abel also preserves links between related documents so users can navigate between upstream and downstream activity and maintain visibility across the full transaction flow.

Ongoing integration and automation improvement

Integration and automation are not one-off activities. As businesses grow, trading models change, customers impose new requirements, logistics providers change, and new applications are introduced across the operation. Abel supports ongoing integration and automation projects, so your ERP environment continues to support your business processes.

Our ERP Consultants remain involved beyond implementation to analyse new requirements, scope additional integrations, automation, and workflows, and guide controlled improvement over time. As operational processes evolve, integration and automation are continuously reviewed and refined, ensuring systems continue to support changing requirements while maintaining effective connections across systems, external organisations, and operations.

Integrations by Category

Abel has delivered integrations across trading, manufacturing, warehousing, logistics, compliance, finance, and specialist operational systems. Examples include:

Website and Online Order Capture

Abel captures orders directly into ERP workflows from website and online ordering platforms including Shopify and WooCommerce®.

Sales Order Automation

Abel automates the capture of customer orders from specialist ordering platforms and sales automation systems including Acume® Inbound Customer Orders, Lucy® Sales Order Automation and Upstock.

Warehousing, Logistics and 3PL Providers

Abel exchanges information with warehouse operators and third-party logistics providers including Lineage, Mainfreight, Kühne + Nagel, CartonCloud and Big Chill.

EDI and Trading Partner Integration

Abel exchanges trading documents electronically with customers, suppliers, retailers, distributors, and logistics providers.

EDI platforms include SPS Commerce, B2BE and Crossfire.

Retailers and trading partners include Woolworths, Foodstuffs North Island, Foodstuffs South Island, Amazon, Mitre 10, Coles, 7-Eleven and Ottogi.

Abel also supports EDI document exchange with third-party logistics providers through SPS Commerce and Crossfire networks.

Manufacturing and Production Systems

Abel connects manufacturing operations with specialist manufacturing software and production processes including AspectPL Manufacturing Execution Software.

Export, Compliance and Traceability

Abel supports export documentation, product traceability, and MPI compliance processes including Prodoc® Export Documents Interface and MPI Animal Products Eligibility Document Generation.

Labelling and Barcode Systems

Abel integrates with specialist labelling and barcode printing systems including NiceLabel® and BarTender®.

Laboratory Test Result Import

Abel imports laboratory test results and stores them against product batches to support quality, compliance, and traceability processes. Our experience includes Eurofins, Hill Laboratories, Analytica Laboratories, SC BIO Limited and Gribbles LABNET.

Equipment and Maintenance Management

Our experience includes MEX® Equipment Management.

CRM Integration

Abel supports customer relationship management processes with Opmetrix® CRM.

Courier and Shipping Platforms

Abel supports shipping and courier processes including shipment creation, labels, tracking information, and courier platform integration. Our experience includes StarShipIT and GoSweetSpot.

Accounts Payable Automation

Abel supports automated supplier invoice processing including PlusOne® Accounts Payable Automation and Acume® Inbound Supplier Invoice Automation.

Financial Automation

Abel supports specialist financial processing integrations including Avalara AvaTax® (USA Sales Tax) and XE® Exchange Rates.

Microsoft Outlook Email Integration

Abel enables emails from Microsoft Outlook to be stored against business records within Abel. Our experience includes Microsoft Outlook® (New Outlook) and Microsoft Outlook® (Classic Outlook).

Time and Expense Management

Our experience includes QuickBooks Time® and Expensify®.

Payroll Provider Exports

Abel provides time and attendance data extracts for supported payroll providers including MYOB Ace Payroll, Micropay, MYOB IMS Payroll, Datacom Payroll, NetPay, iPayroll, Crystal Payroll, Rocket Payroll, MYOB AccountRight Payroll (Australia) and SmoothPay Payroll.

Looking for a Specific Integration?

If your system is not listed above, Abel can integrate using RESTful APIs, EDI platforms, databases, file exchange, web services, and custom-developed interfaces. Abel integrates with external systems using industry-standard technologies and supports common data formats including JSON and XML.

Our consultants assess how information moves through your business processes and determine the most appropriate way to connect external systems with Abel ERP. Whether information needs to be exchanged with trading partners, websites, logistics providers, manufacturing systems, financial services, laboratories, or other operational platforms, integrations are designed to support the end-to-end business process.