Embedded iPaaS Products: An Essential 101 Guide

Are you a product manager of a SaaS app? If yes, you will undoubtedly relate to this problem: Your customers constantly request integrations with other tools they use daily. If your competitor has that integration, this can be a deal breaker. With hundreds of apps in a typical tech stack, keeping all customers happy is nearly impossible. 

The demand for more native integration options is high, and you know it’s crucial to meet this need to stay competitive. However, building these integrations in-house comes with so many challenges. 

On average, building a single integration in-house takes 4-6 months.

Such timelines can frustrate your customers. This is just about building; managing an integration is another ball game. Organizations can lose up to 20 hours weekly due to inefficiencies and troubleshooting. That’s a lot of valuable time lost, which you could have spent on adding new features and functionality. 

Apart from resources and time, the financial implications are also considerable. Projects get delayed, costs escalate quickly, budgets get over fast, and customers are still unhappy. Given all this, it’s no wonder many SaaS companies and providers are turning to Embedded Integration Platforms as a Service (iPaaS). You can embed pre-built scalable integrations directly into your product, save time, reduce costs, and free your team to focus on what they do best. 

We are adding more functionality to Konnectify Embedded iPaaS, saving companies thousands of dollars and giving them more time to do more. So, if you’re new to the entire concept and still building in-house, read on to learn more. 

So, let’s learn all about embedded iPaaS, its advantages, how to implement it, and much more. Whether you're part of a SaaS company aiming to broaden your product range or simply looking forward to enhancing your ability to integrate systems efficiently, this guide will equip you with all you need to know.

What is Embedded iPaaS?

Imagine you have built a project management software company. Your users love your platform but frequently request integrations with other tools like Slack, Google Drive, Salesforce, etc. Each time you develop such an integration, it takes months, costs a lot of money, and diverts your team's attention and time from improving your core product. This is where embedded iPaaS comes in.

Embedded iPaaS products let you quickly ship these integrations natively within your software without building or maintaining them yourselves. One big plus is how easy it is to work with. Instead of creating integrations from the ground up, you can use ready-made connectors and automation templates (called Konnector templates in Konnectify's Embedded iPaaS).

Additional note: Most Embedded iPaaS products are low-code and need engineering support. Konnectify is a 100% no-code platform with 150+ Konnector templates. It's so easy that even folks without tech skills can handle shipping new integrations, and we are here to provide support. 

iPaaS vs Embedded iPaaS

iPaaS tools are workflow builder platforms where SaaS users can easily connect and integrate the apps they use. They act like middleware for SaaS users and make data sharing, automating tasks, and managing APIs easier from one place. Embedded iPaaS is more specific; it's designed for SaaS companies who want to add integration features into their products. They can offer their customers ready-made connections between apps or customizable options without leaving the product.

While both work towards SaaS integration, the main difference lies in what each does best. Regular iPaaS solutions are great for figuring out how different parts of an organization work together internally. On the flip side, embedded iPaaS products focus on improving SaaS products by letting them easily link up with other services—improving things like user experience, product stickiness, and more without needing lots of coding skills or technical know-how.

Benefits of Embedded iPaaS products

Embedded iPaaS platforms offer many perks for SaaS software vendors who want to provide a pleasant customer experience through product integrations. Given the plethora of benefits, they're a clear choice for SaaS providers to enhance their offerings.

1. Faster time-to-market

One of the biggest benefits of embedded iPaaS is the speed it offers in deploying integrations. Developing integrations in-house can take 4-6 months per integration, which can be reduced. So SaaS businesses can keep up with the changing trends and needs and roll out integrations, making their product relevant and sought-after. This brings a level of agility to businesses, which helps them stay competitive and respond to user demands swiftly.

2. Very cost efficient: More RoI

Building integrations in-house comes with a host of costs and pricing—platform cost, Infrastructure cost, Operation cost, Project cost, etc.- so the total cost of ownership is very high. Depending on the complexity, number of systems involved, and the integration requirements, building integrations can cost anywhere from $20,000 to $100,000. An Embedded iPaaS product comes at a fraction of this cost and reduces expenses with pre-built connectors (essentially ready-to-use integration use cases).

3. Better user experience with higher retention and LTV

Custom integrations via Embedded iPaaS improve user experience by providing user-friendly integrations directly within the application. So customers don't have to leave the product; it makes your product sticky and more convenient for them. A superior experience reduces friction and leads to higher usage, more customer retention, and increased customer lifetime value (LTV), as satisfied users are likelier to remain loyal and improve word-of-mouth.

4. Reduced IT burden and more time for developers and engineers

Embedded iPaaS products cut down the time and work engineers have to do. Instead of spending months building, launching, and maintaining, they can spend more time improving the main product, adding advanced features, and getting complete control over their go-to-market timelines.

5. Productize your integrations

SaaS companies can turn their integrations into a part of their product, making everything work smoothly for their users. You can already see integrations being a differentiator in many pricing plans. This means people using the software don't have to mess around trying to get different SaaS applications to talk to each other; it's all set up and ready from the start. You can also consider specific user needs and build custom connectors using Konnectify.

This approach is a game-changer for SaaS businesses because it sets them apart in a crowded market and helps them pull new customers. This kind of nimbleness is key if you want your company to survive and thrive amid fierce competition in the SaaS world.

6. Increased scalability

As your business grows, so does the need for more integrations and data flows. Embedded iPaaS platforms are designed to scale with your company, making it easier to add new integrations. Many startups use them to keep pace with the expanding user base and their evolving needs.

7. Flexibility and Customization

Embedded iPaaS products offer high flexibility and customization, allowing businesses to tailor integrations to their specific requirements. Konnectify comes with a white-label custom UI. So the integrations you build are directly embedded into your product marketplace via a javascript SDK or iframe, and nobody can tell it's not built in-house.

The sky is the limit to what is possible.

Step-by-step Guide to Implementing Embedded iPaaS

The decision to identify and implement the best embedded iPaaS platform is a big one. You must take this process seriously since this platform will be with you for the next few years.

Step 1: Define your integration requirements

When looking for the perfect embedded iPaaS platform, it's important to keep a few key things in mind.

• Identify systems and applications: First, consider what you really need from your integrations and any special features you might want. This could include CRM, ERP systems, marketing automation tools, etc.
• Understand your users' needs: Conduct surveys or interviews and do everything you need to understand their integration needs. What data do you need to sync? How frequently do you need data updated—real-time or 5-10 minutes?
• Set clear objectives: Don't just purchase a tool without defining what you aim to achieve with the integrations. Objectives could include improving data accuracy, reducing manual data entry, automated field mapping, better analytics, etc.

Step 2: Evaluating and selecting Embedded iPaaS products

• Look at various providers that offer the features you need or have pre-built connectors, security, customization options, etc. Ease of use is a critical factor to look out for, so it's not a headache every time you try to tweak an integration. Also, look out for customer support to save you stress.
• Compare features and pricing: List all the features you need, ease of use, support, and pricing. Consider initial costs and long-term value because many tools may come with non-transparent pricing plans.
• Check for references and reviews: Don't just take any platform for its face value; look at platforms like G2 and Trustpilot for reviews and testimonials. Reach out to other businesses that have implemented a solution and understand their experience with integration development before committing.

Step 3: Make an Integration Strategy Plan

• Thing integration architecture: Plan how you want data to flow between your systems. Define data mapping and transformation rules and plan for error-handling mechanisms. If you need clarification, ask your provider.
• Create a detailed project plan: Outline all the steps, timelines, and resources involved in the implementation process and assign it to the right team members.
• Set up a testing environment: Before rolling out to the production environment, set up a testing environment to validate any integration. You must ensure this doesn't affect your customers' live data.

Step 4: Customizing Connectors for Your Apps

• Use pre-built connectors to save time. See the ones with the platform, check if they fit your needs, and tweak them.
• Develop custom integrations if needed. Think precisely how they need to be mapped and changed. Consider any special formats or bits of information that must line up perfectly. You might need to change how data matches up, add new pieces of information, or put in some unique logic.
• Test and validate: Remember to give these changes a good test run. Perform unit testing, system testing, and user acceptance testing (UAT) to ensure they worked as expected. You can also roll it out to beta users to get further feedback and identify any usability issues beforehand.

These steps ensure that everything works smoothly without deployment issues and guarantee an excellent experience for everyone using it without hiccups.

Wrapping up

We have established that navigating the complexities of customer demands for integrations can be as daunting a task as any for a SaaS product manager. Embedded iPaaS is a compelling solution to all those problems.

At Konnectify, we started with iPaaS as a solution. Still, the more we talked to SaaS providers, the more we realized that the mission of making integrations accessible to all without considering this would be a shortcoming. So we built Konnectify Embedded iPaaS to support all our customers as best possible.

We also extended our approach to no-code products. Our users can build and launch integrations in days without writing a single line of code or involving many engineers.

• Ship integrations at 10x speed, fully no code.
• Save up to $250,000 in engineering costs
• Deploy faster with 150+ pre-built connectors
• Embed integrations directly into your product with a personalized theme
• Track how each integration is being used
• Maintain continuous uptime

So, adopt embedded iPaaS products, reduce the work, speed up the time your products reach the market, and make your customers happier with Konnectify. This strategic move will meet your current integration needs and position your SaaS product to thrive in a competitive environment. So, book your demo today!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can an embedded iPaaS system be integrated with any software?

Embedded iPaaS products are great because they can work with many different software. However, how well they work can change based on the specific embedded iPaaS you're using and what the other software can do through its API and API endpoints. Before you start using an embedded iPaaS solution, it's really important to ensure it will play nicely with the other software you want to use by checking its compatibility and what integrations are supported.

What are the initial costs involved in implementing an Embedded iPaaS Solution?

When you start with an embedded iPaaS solution, there are a few costs to think about at the beginning. These include the money you pay for licenses, what it takes to get everything up and running, and any extra charges if you need things tailored to your needs. With different providers of embedded iPaaS, the amount you'll pay can change quite a bit. Before deciding on an embedded iPaaS option, consider whether it will be worth it in the long run; consider the return on investment (ROI) and all the benefits that might come over time.

What is the difference between embedded iPaaS and enterprise iPaaS?

Both are tools in a toolbox, each designed for a different job within an organization. While they help link applications or services, their purposes vary greatly. With enterprise iPaaS platforms, the focus is on making things run smoothly inside a company. They're all about connecting various apps or services that are part of everyday work—think of syncing contacts between Salesforce and HubSpot as an example. These platforms aim to automate business processes and make daily operations more efficient.

On the other side, embedded iPaaS targets customer-facing connections. It's perfect for SaaS companies looking to integrate their products with other apps. This way, end users can quickly shuffle data back and forth between their favorite third-party app and the SaaS product without any hassle.

What is the difference between Unified API and embedded iPaaS?

While both aim to make it easier for apps to work together, they do this differently. With a unified API platform, just one API lets developers hook up with many other apps in the same category. This simplifies things because it uses the same way of talking between apps and common data setups, helping developers put things together faster and keep everything smooth for users across various applications.

In contrast, embedded iPaaS products are all about helping SaaS companies add integrations into their main product without hassle. They come with ready-to-use connectors and ones you can tweak for particular needs, letting these companies give their end users plenty of integration options. For those using these products, this means they don't have to mess around setting up or creating complicated connections themselves; everything works smoothly within the core product itself.

How does embedded iPaaS differ from traditional iPaaS?

Embedded iPaaS products stand out from the usual iPaaS because they zero in on customer integrations right inside a SaaS company's primary offering. Users get a tailored interface and an integration process that feels smooth and natural, unlike traditional iPaaS, which is more about linking up different parts within a business.

Are there any limitations or challenges associated with implementing these products?

Implementing embedded iPaaS products may pose challenges like integration complexity, data security concerns, scalability issues, and vendor lock-ins. Organizations must evaluate these limitations to ensure smooth integration and optimal performance.