Infor ION – Integration und Workflow in Infor CSIE

Why Infor ION Is Strategically Critical Today

Many companies operate legacy integration environments:

Custom SQL interfaces
Point-to-point connections
Manual data imports
Custom code

These structures become a risk, at the latest when migrating to the cloud.

Infor ION provides a standardized, upgradeable integration architecture within Infor OS.

Our approach: We don’t just view integration from a technical perspective; we evaluate it from an architectural standpoint.

What is Infor ION?

Infor ION connects:

Infor applications such as Infor LN

CRM, MES, or third-party applications

Cloud Services

external partner solutions

through a standardized, event-driven architecture.

Instead of individual direct connections, a decoupled, centrally controllable integration structure is created.

Key Benefits of Infor ION

ION enables the structured integration of internal and external applications via standardized Business Object Documents (BODs). This results in fewer dependencies and improved maintainability.

ION enables you to monitor and automate business processes:

Approvals
Escalations
Exception management
Task management

This improves transparency and response times.

Business processes can be configured, monitored, and adjusted without making deep changes to the standard ERP system. This reduces the need for custom code.

Applications are linked through business events. For example: An order automatically triggers follow-up processes in production, logistics, and finance.

ION enables monitoring of:

Workflows
Document flows
System messages
Process statuses

This increases transparency and control.

How does Infor ION work in practice?

Standardized BODs instead of custom logic

Business events are processed as structured messages. Systems remain independent of one another.

Event-driven architecture

An order automatically triggers subsequent processes—without any manual intervention.

Integrated workflows

Approvals, notifications, and escalations are managed across all systems.

Transparency and mobile access

Managers can monitor critical processes on the go—from sales opportunities to production variances. Administrators can centrally monitor integrations.

Automatic notifications and alerts

Proactive notifications for process deviations
Identification of workflow exceptions
Monitoring of key performance indicators
Transparency regarding system efficiency

Typical use cases – where we add value

CRM integration

Real-time synchronization of sales data

MES Integration

Shop floor data is fed into the ERP system in a structured manner.

Supplier integration

Automated data exchange instead of manual processes.

Approval workflows

Transparent, auditable approvals

Infor ION in the Context of Cloud Migration

When migrating Infor LN to the cloud, integrations often become a critical success factor.

Why?

Legacy interfaces are not cloud-compatible
Custom code prevents updates
Multi-tenant environments require standardization

ION is not merely being implemented, but is undergoing a strategic redesign.

Our experience shows that the integration architecture plays a decisive role in maintainability, performance, and long-term cloud readiness.

Traditional Interfaces vs. ION

Increased integration	With Infor ION
Point-to-point	Decoupled
High maintenance costs	Central control
Upgrade Risks	Cloud-ready
Custom logic	Standardized structure
Very little monitoring	Transparent monitoring

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions About Infor ION

Traditional integrations are often point-to-point connections between two systems. Over time, this leads to complex dependencies and high maintenance costs.

Infor ION, on the other hand, operates in a decoupled and event-driven manner. Systems communicate via standardized Business Object Documents. This ensures that integrations remain upgradeable and cloud-compliant.

No. ION can also be deployed in hybrid or on-premises environments. However, it truly comes into its own when used in conjunction with CloudSuite and the Infor OS platform, particularly in multi-tenant environments.

Yes. In addition to Infor solutions such as Infor LN, third-party applications can also be integrated—for example, CRM, MES, or external partner solutions. This is done via web services, APIs, or file interfaces.

Yes, from a functional standpoint, ION is middleware. However, it is specifically tailored to the Infor architecture and deeply integrated into Infor OS. This offers advantages over generic integration platforms—particularly in terms of standard BODs and cloud capabilities.

BODs are standardized XML messages that describe business transactions, such as