Short answer: you can synchronize orders and inventory between Shopify and Exact Online in four ways — manually, with a generic automation tool (such as Zapier or Make), with a custom API connection, or via an integration platform. Which one fits best depends on your order volume and the number of systems you want to link.
Do you sell via Shopify and manage your administration in Exact Online? Then you want orders, inventory, and items to match automatically between both systems — without anyone retyping data. Manual data entry takes time, leads to errors, and causes discrepancies in inventory and revenue. Below you can read an honest overview of the options and when to choose which one.
Which data do you actually need to synchronize?
Before you choose a method, it is useful to know exactly what needs to flow between Shopify and Exact Online:
| Data | From | To | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Orders | Shopify | Exact Online | Automatically update invoicing & administration |
| Inventory | Exact Online | Shopify | Prevent overselling; up-to-date inventory in the webshop |
| Items (SKUs, prices) | Exact Online | Shopify | Manage product data once |
| Payment & order status | Shopify | Exact Online | Balanced records without manual work |
The four ways to link Shopify and Exact Online
1. Manual (export and import)
You export orders from Shopify and import them (via CSV) into Exact Online, and adjust inventory by hand. Cheap and requires no technical skills, but time-consuming and prone to error. Workable with a handful of orders per week; unsustainable as soon as you grow.
2. Generic automation tools (Zapier, Make)
Tools like Zapier or Make let you set up simple triggers: “new Shopify order → create a line in Exact”. Quick to set up for simple flows. The limits become apparent with two-way inventory sync, item management, the full order-to-cash process, and higher volumes — then it quickly becomes complex, and costs per task add up.
3. Custom API connection
A developer builds a custom connection via the Shopify API and the Exact Online API. Maximum flexibility, but it requires development time and ongoing maintenance: APIs change, and someone needs to keep up with that.
4. An integration platform
You connect Shopify and Exact Online once to an integration platform, which automatically orchestrates the data flows between both (and potentially your other systems). Less maintenance, a single overview, and room to add marketplaces, fulfilment, or a second webshop later without rebuilding. This is the KoneX approach.
Comparison at a glance
| Method | Setup | Maintenance | Suitable for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manual (CSV) | No technical skills | Lots of manual work | Very low volumes |
| Zapier / Make | Fast, simple | Increases with complexity | Simple, individual triggers |
| Custom API | Development project | Ongoing (API changes) | Specific, unique requirements |
| 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 .
How does KoneX do it?
With the Exact Online – Shopify connection from KoneX, orders, inventory, and items synchronize automatically between your Shopify webshop and Exact Online, without double entry. Changes are processed automatically; where it is more efficient (for example, with large volumes), KoneX also supports batch processing. You connect each system once and can easily add marketplaces, fulfilment, or extra webshops later — Integrate Once. Connect Everywhere.
It’s important to stay honest: for a simple, one-way flow at low volumes, a tool like Zapier can suffice. As soon as inventory needs to match in two directions, you want to centralize item management, or you link more systems, an integration platform usually becomes more reliable and cheaper to maintain.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you want to know which approach fits your Shopify and Exact Online situation? Schedule a no-obligation consultation — we will honestly think along with you, even if a simple tool suffices.
