ERP Business Process Integration 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which ERP integration pattern uses a central hub to route messages between different business modules?
- Point-to-point integration
- Hub-and-spoke integration (Correct answer)
- Batch file transfer
- Direct database linking
Correct answer: Hub-and-spoke integration
Hub-and-spoke integration routes all inter-module messages through a central hub, reducing the number of connections needed compared to point-to-point.
Question 2: In ERP systems, what does 'order-to-cash' (O2C) process integration primarily connect?
- Procurement and accounts payable
- Sales, fulfillment, and accounts receivable (Correct answer)
- Manufacturing and inventory
- HR and payroll modules
Correct answer: Sales, fulfillment, and accounts receivable
The order-to-cash process spans sales order entry through delivery, invoicing, and payment collection, integrating sales, fulfillment, and AR modules.
Question 3: What is the primary risk of using point-to-point integration when connecting 10 ERP modules?
- Slow transaction speeds
- Exponential growth in integration connections (up to n*(n-1)/2) (Correct answer)
- Lack of real-time data
- Inability to handle batch processing
Correct answer: Exponential growth in integration connections (up to n*(n-1)/2)
Point-to-point integration creates up to n*(n-1)/2 connections, making 10 modules require up to 45 separate interfaces that are difficult to maintain.
Question 4: Which business process integration scenario would most benefit from event-driven architecture in ERP?
- Monthly financial consolidation reports
- Automatic inventory replenishment triggered by stock depletion (Correct answer)
- Annual budget planning cycles
- Periodic employee performance reviews
Correct answer: Automatic inventory replenishment triggered by stock depletion
Event-driven architecture excels when actions must trigger automatically in response to real-time events, such as a stock level falling below a reorder point.
Question 5: In ERP procure-to-pay (P2P) integration, which document triggers the three-way match process?
- Sales order
- Vendor invoice (Correct answer)
- Work order
- Goods receipt note
Correct answer: Vendor invoice
The vendor invoice initiates the three-way match, which verifies it against the purchase order and goods receipt note before authorizing payment.
Question 6: What integration challenge arises when an ERP system must synchronize data with a legacy system that uses a different data model?
- Network latency issues
- Semantic mapping and data transformation requirements (Correct answer)
- User authentication conflicts
- License incompatibilities
Correct answer: Semantic mapping and data transformation requirements
When data models differ, semantic mapping must translate field names, data types, and business rules between systems to ensure accurate data exchange.
Question 7: Which ERP integration approach best supports real-time visibility across supply chain partners without exposing internal system architecture?
- Direct database replication
- API-based integration with defined contracts (Correct answer)
- Batch FTP file exchange
- Manual CSV export and import
Correct answer: API-based integration with defined contracts
API-based integration exposes only defined endpoints and data contracts, enabling real-time data sharing while hiding internal system complexity from partners.
ERP Business Process Integration 2
Which ERP integration pattern uses a central hub to route messages between different business modules?