No single source of truth
The same information exists in multiple systems in different states, with no clear source of truth. Reconciliation becomes a recurring task rather than an exception.
When systems don't connect, people fill the gap—re-entering orders, copying status updates, assembling reports by hand. The work gets done, but at a cost in time, errors, and overhead that grows as volumes increase. Three patterns that signal integration debt is slowing you down:
The same information exists in multiple systems in different states, with no clear source of truth. Reconciliation becomes a recurring task rather than an exception.
Workflows stall when someone is unavailable, makes an error, or forgets a step. Automation isn't a nice-to-have—it's the only way to make these processes reliable.
Point-to-point connections built quickly to solve a specific problem become liabilities when either system changes. Maintenance accumulates faster than new capabilities can be added.