DreamFactory simplifies ERP integration by automatically generating secure REST APIs for ERP databases, eliminating the need for complex backend coding. It connects ERP systems to various tools like CRMs, mobile apps, and cloud platforms, enabling real-time data exchange and reducing manual data handling. Key features include:
- Automated API generation: Instantly create APIs for over 18 database types, including legacy systems like Oracle and IBM DB2.
- Real-time data flow: Ensure updates across systems are immediate, improving efficiency and accuracy.
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC): Secure sensitive data with customizable permissions and user authentication.
- Legacy system support: Modernize older ERP systems without costly replacements by transforming outdated protocols into RESTful APIs.
- User-friendly interface: Non-technical users can configure integrations through a visual, point-and-click interface.
This approach saves time, reduces costs, and allows businesses to connect legacy systems to modern applications without disrupting workflows.
How DreamFactory Simplifies ERP Integration
How DreamFactory Automates ERP Integration in 3 Steps
Automated API Generation
DreamFactory takes the hassle out of ERP integration by directly connecting to your database - whether you're using SQL Server, Oracle, or SAP HANA. Through schema introspection, it identifies tables, metadata, and relationships automatically, cutting out weeks of backend coding. Within minutes, it produces secure, fully documented RESTful endpoints ready for use.
The platform supports over a dozen major databases and thousands of third-party APIs. Once connected, DreamFactory generates Swagger-based API documentation, enabling teams to test endpoints and understand data structures instantly. By automating this process, organizations save an average of $45,719 per API compared to manual development.
Accessible to Non-Technical Users
DreamFactory isn't just for developers - it’s designed to be user-friendly for non-technical teams as well. With its visual administration interface, business analysts can integrate ERP systems using a simple point-and-click process. Users only need to enter basic credentials and select options via a search bar, eliminating the need to understand complex HTTP logic or backend coding.
Security settings are just as easy to configure. Instead of writing detailed permission rules, users can apply access settings by selecting tiles for read, write, or full access. As Edo Williams, Lead Software Engineer at Intel, puts it:
"DreamFactory streamlines everything and makes it easy to concentrate on building your front end application. I had found something that just click, click, click... connect, and you are good to go".
The platform also features automated Role-Based Access Control (RBAC), which can reduce development time by up to 85%. This simplicity extends seamlessly into real-time operational connectivity.
Real-Time Data Connectivity
DreamFactory serves as a secure bridge between your ERP system and external applications, enabling real-time, bi-directional data flow. Thanks to its automated APIs and intuitive interface, data updates happen instantly across systems. For example, if an employee updates inventory using a mobile app, the changes are immediately reflected in the ERP database, ensuring every department has access to the latest information.
Additionally, DreamFactory's Data Mesh technology allows you to combine data from multiple connected databases into a single API call. This means you can retrieve customer details from your CRM, inventory levels from your ERP, and shipping statuses from your logistics system - all in one real-time response. For businesses building custom mobile apps on platforms like Adalo, this eliminates data silos and reduces manual entry errors, ensuring everyone works from a consistent, accurate source of truth.
Key Features of DreamFactory for ERP Integration
Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
DreamFactory ensures ERP data stays secure with detailed permission settings that operate at multiple levels - service, endpoint, and even individual fields. By default, APIs are locked down using API keys tied to specific roles, giving administrators the ability to set up "read-only" access for sensitive financial data. This prevents unauthorized changes while maintaining access for essential tasks.
The platform also integrates seamlessly with enterprise identity systems such as Active Directory, LDAP, Okta, and SAML 2.0. For example, if you're connecting an ERP system to a custom mobile app built on Adalo, you can go beyond API keys by implementing user-specific authentication via Single Sign-On (SSO). This method generates unique session tokens (JWTs) that align access permissions with your company’s existing security policies.
"The API key is associated with a role-based access control (RBAC) which determines what actions the client responsible for supplying the API key can undertake with regards to the API." - DreamFactory Documentation
To protect sensitive data, you can enforce a "least privilege" approach by creating roles that only expose the necessary data and applying field-level security to restrict access to sensitive columns. Additionally, DreamFactory brings these same security advantages to older systems by modernizing their interfaces.
Support for Legacy Systems
DreamFactory breathes new life into outdated systems by automatically generating RESTful APIs for legacy databases, including SQL Server, Oracle, IBM DB2, and Firebird, in just minutes. This eliminates the need for costly replacements. For IBM DB2 mainframes, it even converts EBCDIC to ASCII, making legacy data compatible with modern cloud applications. Similarly, DreamFactory can transform legacy SOAP services into RESTful interfaces.
This feature is especially beneficial considering the average ERP system lasts between 7 and 10 years, and replacing these systems often comes with hefty licensing fees and the need for extensive employee retraining.
"Just because it's legacy doesn't mean it's useless. DreamFactory enables you to unlock your silos and breathe new life into old databases and software." - Luke Marshall, General Manager, DreamFactory
Instead of replacing older systems, businesses can integrate them with newer technologies, saving significant costs and avoiding the disruption of overhauling established workflows. For Adalo Blue users building internal operations apps, this means you can connect directly to legacy systems - even those without APIs - and display critical data through modern, mobile-friendly interfaces. DreamFactory’s performance optimizations ensure these integrations remain fast and reliable.
API Monitoring and Performance Optimization
DreamFactory includes built-in tools to keep ERP integrations running smoothly and efficiently. Features like data retrieval caching temporarily store frequently accessed information, reducing the strain on databases and cutting down on delays. Administrators can adjust cache time-to-live settings to strike the right balance between speed and up-to-date data.
Rate limiting prevents systems from being overwhelmed during traffic surges, ensuring that key ERP processes remain stable even under high demand. Real-time logging provides insights into request volumes, user activity, and potential security concerns, making it easier to audit and troubleshoot issues.
Other performance-enhancing features include selective field retrieval, batch operations, connection pooling, and WSDL caching for SOAP services.
For optimal performance, enable caching for read-heavy ERP endpoints and use the "fields" parameter in API calls to limit responses to only the data you need. Additionally, DreamFactory’s System APIs let you automate the monitoring of API keys and service health, making it easy to integrate these checks into your continuous deployment workflows.
sbb-itb-d4116c7
How Businesses Use DreamFactory for ERP Integration
Connecting ERP Systems to Custom Mobile Apps
DreamFactory makes it possible for businesses to bring critical ERP data to mobile apps without needing to overhaul their backend systems. This platform provides real-time access to essential information, which employees can conveniently use on mobile devices.
In a 2025 technical demo, Adalo showcased how they used DreamFactory to create a company directory app. The project integrated a MySQL employee database containing 4 million records. By leveraging DreamFactory's REST API as an "External Collection" in Adalo, they enabled real-time access to employee profiles and directory lists on mobile devices.
For Adalo Blue users focused on internal operations apps, this method offers several benefits. It allows direct connections to ERP systems, even those lacking native APIs, and displays critical data - such as financial metrics, inventory levels, or customer details - through modern, mobile-friendly interfaces. Additionally, DreamFactory's Data Mesh feature simplifies the process. A single API call can combine data from multiple databases, creating unified views without the need for manual coding or complex data warehousing.
Modernizing Legacy ERP Systems
Beyond mobile integration, DreamFactory breathes new life into legacy ERP systems. It empowers businesses to extend the functionality of their existing infrastructure without replacing it. In just under five minutes, DreamFactory can generate a fully documented and secure REST API for legacy databases like SQL Server or Oracle - saving weeks of work for backend engineers.
"By instead integrating the legacy system, the business saves the cost of the license and training for the new system and prevents disruptive changes to its established processes." - Terence Bennett, CEO, DreamFactory
This approach eliminates the expense of replacing systems while preserving established workflows. Considering that most ERP systems are used for 7 to 10 years, this kind of integration is a game-changer. Businesses can connect their older systems to modern tools like CRMs, SaaS platforms, or mobile apps, gaining new capabilities without disrupting operations. DreamFactory’s scripting engine also transforms legacy data into modern JSON streams in real time, ensuring compatibility with today’s cloud-based applications even if the original protocols are outdated.
Conclusion
DreamFactory transforms ERP integration from a process that could take months into one that takes mere minutes. It achieves this by automatically generating secure, well-documented REST APIs for over 20 databases, including legacy systems like IBM DB2 and Oracle. This automation removes the need for custom backend coding and minimizes risks like SQL injection vulnerabilities.
With its no-code interface, DreamFactory makes enterprise-level integration accessible even to teams without advanced technical skills. Features like Data Mesh allow a single API call to pull unified data from multiple sources, while Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) ensures secure, granular access through an intuitive visual interface.
For legacy ERP systems that typically remain in use for 7 to 10 years, DreamFactory offers an efficient modernization solution. It connects existing infrastructure to mobile apps, CRMs, and cloud platforms, converting outdated protocols like SOAP into REST and transforming legacy data into JSON streams. This approach creates a seamless connection between older systems and modern applications.
Whether you're developing mobile apps with tools like Adalo or integrating disparate systems across your organization, DreamFactory acts as the bridge between traditional and modern technologies. It streamlines operations by eliminating manual data entry, simplifies workflows with centralized data access, and allows businesses to innovate without disrupting their established processes. DreamFactory equips enterprises to unite the past and the future, improving efficiency and enabling innovation.
FAQs
How does DreamFactory keep ERP data secure during integration?
DreamFactory keeps your ERP data safe during integration by using strong authentication and access controls. It supports a variety of authentication methods, including API keys, OAuth, LDAP, Active Directory, and OpenID Connect. This ensures that only authorized users can access sensitive information. With private APIs and role-based access control (RBAC), you can set precise permissions, limiting access to specific services, endpoints, or even fields.
To strengthen security further, DreamFactory automates key processes like password hashing and session management. It also handles API keys and JSON Web Tokens (JWTs) efficiently. Its support for enterprise-level protocols and identity providers ensures that your ERP data stays secure throughout the integration process. These measures meet stringent security standards, creating a dependable environment for your organization's critical data.
Can DreamFactory integrate with older ERP systems using outdated technology?
DreamFactory makes integrating with older ERP systems a breeze by automatically creating secure REST APIs for legacy technologies, like SQL Server-based ERPs. This lets businesses modernize their systems step by step, reducing the risk of disruptions along the way.
By connecting outdated ERP systems with modern platforms, DreamFactory enables smooth data sharing and helps businesses transition more easily to updated technologies.
What are the key benefits of using DreamFactory for ERP integration if I don’t have coding experience?
DreamFactory simplifies ERP integration by automating the creation and management of APIs. It instantly generates secure, well-documented APIs, removing the need for complicated coding or specialized technical skills.
With DreamFactory, connecting your ERP system to other platforms becomes effortless. This not only saves time but also helps minimize errors. Its intuitive interface makes the integration process straightforward, allowing you to concentrate on your business priorities instead of wrestling with technical hurdles.
Related Blog Posts
