Short answer: There are four ways to connect PrestaShop and Exact Online— manually, using a ready-made integration (plugin), using a generic automation tool (such as Zapier or Make), or via an integration platform. For a single store with purely financial transactions and low volume, a ready-made integration is often sufficient; if you sell through multiple channels or want to include inventory and logistics, an integration platform is the better choice. In all cases, make sure your SKUs match in both systems—that’s the key.
Do you sell through PrestaShop and manage your accounting in Exact Online? Then you’ll want orders, inventory, and products to sync automatically between both systems—without anyone having to manually enter data. Manual data entry takes time, leads to errors, and causes discrepancies in inventory and sales. Below, you’ll find an honest overview of the available options and when to choose each one.
Which data do you actually need to synchronize?
Before you choose a method, it’s helpful to know exactly what data needs to flow between PrestaShop and Exact Online:
| Data | From | To | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orders | PrestaShop | Exact Online | Automatically update invoicing & administration |
| Inventory | Exact Online | PrestaShop | Prevent overselling; up-to-date inventory in the webshop |
| Items (SKUs, prices) | Exact Online | PrestaShop | Manage product data once |
| Payment & order status | PrestaShop | Exact Online | Balanced records without manual work |
Two choices determine how you set up the integration. First: Do you create sales orders, invoices, or sales entries in Exact—and to which VAT codes and general ledger accounts are they posted? Second: Do you use Exact Online Accounting (financial entries only) or Exact Online Retail (item and inventory management)? For true inventory synchronization, you’ll need Retail; returns also require an inventory adjustment entry there.
The Four Ways to Integrate PrestaShop and Exact Online
1. Manual (export and import)
You export orders from PrestaShop and import them (via CSV) into Exact Online, then adjust inventory manually. It’s inexpensive and doesn’t require technical expertise, but it’s time-consuming and prone to errors. It’s manageable with just a handful of orders per week, but becomes unsustainable as soon as you grow.
2. A ready-to-use integration (plugin)
There are specialized integrations that connect PrestaShop to Exact Online, often available in the Exact Online App Store. Well-known providers include Webwinkelfacturen, iWebDevelopment, xCore, and Stockpilot (the latter is often used when inventory management is also required). They’re quick to set up and come with support; customization is usually not required. Be sure to check whether the integration is purely financial (orders → invoices) or also supports inventory—this varies greatly by provider.
3. Generic automation tools (Zapier, Make)
Tools like Zapier or Make let you set up simple triggers: “new PrestaShop order → create a line item in Exact.” Quick to set up for simple workflows. The limitations become apparent with two-way inventory sync, product management, the full order-to-cash process, and higher volumes—that’s when things quickly get complex, and the cost per task starts to rise.
4. An integration platform
You connect PrestaShop and Exact Online once to an integration platform, which automatically orchestrates the data flows between the two (and, if applicable, your other systems). Less maintenance, a single overview, and the flexibility to add marketplaces, fulfilment services, or a second online store later on without having to rebuild the system. This is the KoneX approach—a ready-to-use integration, not a custom solution.
Comparison at a glance
| Method | Setup | Maintenance | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual (CSV) | No technical skills | Lots of manual work | Very low volumes |
| Ready-to-use connector | Fast, with support | By supplier | One store, especially financially |
| Zapier / Make | Fast, simple | Increases with complexity | Simple, individual triggers |
| Integration platform | Connect once | Centralized, scales with growth | Growth & multiple systems |
Are you doubting between individual connections and a platform in general? Then also read: Individual connections or an integration platform? How to make the right choice . You can find a list of all links on the links page.
How does KoneX do it?
KoneX connects PrestaShop and Exact Online via its integration platform, so that orders, inventory, and products are automatically synchronized between your online store and Exact Online, without the need for duplicate data entry. Changes are processed automatically; where it’s more efficient (for example, with large volumes), KoneX also supports batch processing. You connect each system once and can easily add marketplaces, fulfilment services, or additional online stores later — Integrate Once. Connect Everywhere.
It’s important to be honest: for a single PrestaShop store with only financial transactions at low volumes, a ready-made integration may be perfectly sufficient. However, as soon as inventory needs to be synchronized in both directions, you want to centralize product management, or you’re connecting multiple channels and systems, an integration platform is generally more reliable and less expensive to maintain.
Related
Be sure to check out KoneX’s PrestaShop ↔ Exact Online integration, or read our other integration guides: Integrating Magento 2 with Exact Online and Integrating WooCommerce with your accounting software.
Frequently Asked Questions
Would you like to know which approach is right for your PrestaShop and Exact Online setup? Schedule a no-obligation consultation —we’ll give you our honest advice, even if a simple integration is all you need.
