How Qualco Used Exalate To Cut Down Average Incident Resolution Time

Blog - Qualco UseCase

Overview

Qualco is a software and technology company that helps businesses worldwide navigate the credit and lending landscape, ensuring compliance with industry and regulatory standards. 

Qualco logo

Danilo Simic is an Atlassian engineer responsible for integrations related to Atlassian products. We caught up with him to discuss the impacts of Exalate on their internal processes.

Use Case

The company uses Jira Service Management (JSM) for customer support, while the developers use Azure DevOps. The incidents that customers raise come to the customer support team, and depending on the type of incident, they need to be raised to the second or third level, which includes the developers working in Azure DevOps. 

At first, the teams within Qualco wanted to sync simple fields between Jira and Azure DevOps. However, their integration needs continued to expand over time, necessitating the implementation of Exalate’s Script mode.

Basically, they needed a tool to help them create tickets instantly from support tickets or link existing issues to ongoing work items on Azure DevOps.

They also use JSM for change requests, incidents, and other entities related to the support-development flow. So, if the customer raises a change request, it can be escalated to the development team on Azure DevOps if needed.

Qualco also used selective comment syncing for comments containing specific hashtags and phrases and applied this to fields using Exalate’s scripting engine. 

Sometimes, customer support just links bugs they find as incidents in JSM to an impediment in Azure DevOps. 

Challenges

Danilo explains that Exalate helped them eliminate the use of spreadsheets and manual processes to obtain vital information from hundreds of data points across both platforms.

“Exalate helps us sync over 100 entities on a daily basis just for a single connection, which saves us time by eliminating the need for emails and spreadsheets to obtain information.” 
– Danilo Simic, Qualco

Exalate was the first option that came to their radar via recommendations from partners. Since it fits their business requirements, the company decided to go all-in and implement it into their flows and processes.

Solutions

The solution to their challenges was to use Exalate, specifically the Script mode, to set up a Jira Azure DevOps integration.

“The field and comment syncing work best for us because we can sync comments by tags from the Azure side. This helps us understand the affected areas.”
– Danilo Simic

The main selling point was the integration’s customizable scripting engine, which allowed teams to set up their instances however they wanted. They were able to sync fields and comments with specific tags.

Why Exalate?

Danilo pointed out that the team chose Exalate because of the following reasons: 

• The scripting engine allows configuration with infinite possibilities.
• The solution supports near real-time synchronization and triggered connections.
• The decentralized architecture allows teams to work autonomously.
• The synchronized data doesn’t exist outside the environment.
• The support team was also helpful in addressing issues and setting up the connection.

“It was quite easy for me to expand on the integration capabilities using the scripting engine after a short learning curve.”

-Danilo Simic

 

Results

• Increased customer satisfaction.
• Improved reporting and tracking for ongoing initiatives.
• Sped up the delivery of reports from days to minutes.
• Increased the average response and resolution time.
• Established autonomy for admins of both teams to close and open tickets on their end.
• Smoothened collaborations between developers and customer support.

Future

Based on their experience working with Exalate, Danilo believes that Qualco will use the integration solution to connect with more teams in the company. 

They also hope to expand the connection to at least two more internal processes that are still running on emails and spreadsheets. Going forward, Danilo foresees Exalate playing a significant role in their internal processes.

Exalate vs Getint [2026]: Which Integration Platform Is Right for Your Team?

Blogimage- gentit vs. exalate

Teams that want to connect tools like Jira, ServiceNow, Azure DevOps, Salesforce, and other business systems sometimes compare Exalate and Getint. Both platforms offer real-time, two-way (bidirectional) synchronization, but they differ in customization, deployment, and pricing.

This comparison explains their technical features, best use cases, pricing, and how much control you get, so you can choose the right platform.

Quick Comparison Table

Feature ExalateGetint
FlexibilityHighly customizable via AI-assisted Groovy scriptingTemplate-based (UI-first approach)
Management ConsoleOne unified console for all integrationsOne centralized dashboard
Setup ProcessFast, unified console with URL-based connection setupTemplate-based, quick for simple use cases
AI CapabilitiesAida for building scripts, troubleshooting, and fixing errorsAI-powered field mapping in development
SecurityISO 27001, GDPR, SentinelOne monitoring, Bug BountyISO 27001, ISO 27018, SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, Bug Bounty
Script VersioningFull version history plus rollbackNot specified
Test Run capabilityTest sync scripts before productionNot specified
Pricing ModelIntegration-based (pay by active items in sync)User-based (Jira) plus connection-based (non-Jira)
Supported ConnectorsJira, Azure DevOps (Cloud and Server), ServiceNow, Salesforce, Zendesk, GitHub, Asana, Freshservice, Freshdesk, and moreJira, Azure DevOps, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Monday, Asana, GitHub, GitLab, Zendesk, and more
Best ForTeams needing deep control, complex workflows, and regulated environmentsTeams needing faster deployment and simpler UI setup
Documentation, Community & Partner NetworkExtensive documentation with step-by-step tutorials, YouTube video guides, community presence, and a worldwide partner networkLimited documentation 

No community

No substantial information is available on their partner network
Best FitComplex or advanced, cross-team, intra, or cross-company integrations

Teams requiring granular control, complex workflows, and regulated environments
Simple integrations for smaller setups

Teams seeking faster deployment with simplified UI-first setup

Who Each Platform Is Best For

Exalate is best for:

1. Enterprise DevOps and ITSM teams

Organizations that sync Jira with Azure DevOps Server, ServiceNow, and Salesforce, and need complex field mappings, often need flexible customization. Exalate’s unlimited scripting supports conditional logic and custom transformations.

2. Regulated Industries

Financial services, healthcare, and government organizations often need strict compliance. Exalate supports ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II needs, offers data residency controls, and can deploy behind firewalls.

3. MSPs and Cross-Company Collaborations

Software vendors, MSPs, and consulting firms often work with external clients using different tools. Exalate lets each side control its sync rules while still providing unified management.

4. Organizations Needing Managed Services

Exalate offers end-to-end managed integration services for organizations, especially service providers. The Exalate team handles the entire integration lifecycle from scoping and implementation to ongoing maintenance, so your team can focus on core business activities rather than integration management.

Getint is best for:

1. Smaller teams or departments

Teams with limited technical resources often prefer visual configuration over code. Getint’s interface is more accessible.

2. Straightforward sync requirements

Teams with standard field mappings and simple transformations can usually deploy Getint without extensive scripting.

Who Each Platform Is Not For

Exalate is not ideal for:

1. Non-technical teams without support

If you do not have developers, integration specialists, or Groovy scripting knowledge, you will likely need a support budget. Exalate’s flexibility needs technical expertise to use fully, especially for advanced use cases.

2. Teams that only want zero-code templates

If you need purely template-based integration with no custom logic, Exalate may offer more capability than you need.

Getint is not ideal for:

1. Very advanced custom integration needs

If you have complex business logic, advanced conditional mappings, or specialized transformations, Getint’s template approach may feel limiting. Scripting exists, but may not match script-first platforms.

While Getint advertises “Advanced Scripting,” their implementation is JavaScript-based field customization via API calls. This is fundamentally different from a full scripting engine and lacks the depth needed for truly complex transformation logic.

2. Teams that need full operational independence on both sides

Cross-company scenarios where each organization needs full control over their side of the sync may not fit Getint’s centralized model.

Let’s delve into the features that make these solutions unique and appealing. 

Operational Control: Unified Management vs Centralized Management

Exalate provides a unified console to manage all integrations and connections from a single place. You keep full operational control of each side of the sync. Each side has independent rules for incoming and outgoing data, ensuring scripts remain separated by direction (incoming/outgoing) and by side.

Key capabilities: Exalate

Test Run

You can test sync scripts without creating real items in the destination system. You can preview and compare how the data is mapped between systems before making changes to the production data. This reduces risk.

Side-by-side view

From your connections page, you can view script rules, active queues, and errors for both sides of the connection at the same time. This speeds up troubleshooting.

Sync queue visibility

You can monitor outgoing and incoming sync messages in progress, filter by connection name or entities, and track status during bulk operations.

Activity Dashboard

Track all integration activity with filtering and search capabilities. Get complete visibility into what’s syncing, what failed, and why, instantly.

Key capabilities: Getint

Getint focuses on centralized management using one dashboard. Administrators configure sync rules, field mappings, and triggers in one place. The platform focuses on UI-driven configuration, with advanced scripting available when needed.

  • Centralized dashboard to manage all connections
  • Real-time monitoring with filtering
  • UI-first configuration with visual drag-and-drop mapping
  • Optional advanced scripting when templates are not enough

Getint works well for teams that prefer centralized control. It trades some per-side customization for a simpler setup.

Flexibility and Customization: Script-Based vs Template-First

Exalate: Unlimited Groovy Scripting with AI Assistance

Exalate’s script-based engine is highly customizable via AI-assisted Groovy scripting, supporting complex workflows. If you can write it in Groovy, Exalate can sync it.

It supports:

  • Custom data transformations (business logic, conditional mapping, validation rules)
  • Different logic per direction (incoming vs outgoing) on each side
  • Custom triggers using native query languages (JQL for Jira, WIQL for Azure DevOps)
  • Aida for AI-assisted configuration to implement integrations based on your scripts and system context, explains errors in simple terms, and suggests fixes

Getint: Template-based with Optional Scripting

Getint focuses on fast deployment with pre-built templates and visual mapping. Its UI covers the most common use cases. However, we had our engineers look into their scripting feature, and they concluded that it is lacking for advanced scenarios.

Important clarification about Getint’s “Advanced Scripting”: Getint markets “Advanced Scripting” as a feature, but this is JavaScript-based field customization that runs within their platform to modify data sent via API. This is fundamentally different from Exalate’s full Groovy scripting engine.

Getint’s approach allows you to customize how data is built before API calls, but it lacks:

  • Independent control over incoming vs outgoing sync logic
  • Platform-native query language triggers
  • The depth of transformation and sync capabilities that a full scripting engine provides

For teams with truly complex transformation needs, this distinction matters significantly.

It supports:

  • No-code setup for most integrations through an easy UI
  • Drag-and-drop field mapping
  • Advanced scripting when needed

Exalate and Getint: What Can be Synced?

Both these solutions differ in their functionalities related to customization. We’ll cover a few of them in this section. 

  • Both Getint and Exalate can sync historical data, but the bulk sync process in Getint involves far more steps than in Exalate. 
  • Both these platforms can sync custom fields, comments, attachments, etc., bi-directionally.
    However, Exalate can handle certain advanced scenarios, like configuring comment syncing at a granular level. This cannot be implemented using Getint.
    Let’s understand this in detail.
    Jira Cloud and Jira on-premise handle user mentions differently. Ensuring the right user is mentioned with every sync will ensure transparency and visibility amongst teams. 
  • Exalate can sync third-party plugin data like Insights, Tempo Worklogs, etc., whereas Getint cannot. 
  • Getint allows syncing hierarchies in a standard manner and works for simple scenarios. Exalate allows syncing hierarchies using scripts in any way defined by the user, such as multi-level hierarchy sync between Jira and Azure DevOps.
  • Since Exalate has the entire Groovy scripting capability at its disposal, there’s a lot you can build using scripts, including advanced computing and mapping logic. This cannot be said for Getint. 
  • Exalate allows you to set up granular platform-specific triggers to filter entities for sync. For instance, you can use SOQL (Salesforce object query language) in Salesforce and WIQL (Work item query language) in Azure DevOps. These triggers are available independently for all integrating sides, giving you better control. Filters in Getint can be set up using the UI and can be limited by the UI. Some fields are outright unavailable and “greyed out” when trying to sync them.
  • Getint’s bulk resync feature should be an in-built functionality. We failed to understand the need for this feature. According to their documentation, bulk resync is used to re-synchronize multiple records or issues across integrated platforms in one go.
    With Exalate, this feature always runs forever. 

The Bottom Line: Exalate works wonderfully for deep integrations, so if that’s your use case, it is the best choice. Plus, it provides you with the flexibility to implement any use case, no matter how complex it is, and with Aida, the configuration time is reduced even further.

Getint’s UI looks extensive at the onset, and you can use scripts on top of their UI for added flexibility, but then again, its functionality is very basic if compared with Exalate’s scripting engine.

Setup and Onboarding

Exalate

Exalate offers a user-friendly onboarding process that eliminates the need for complex installations.

You can start by visiting exalate.app, where no separate installation is required on each system. Register your account and start creating and configuring your connections in a single place.

Start a free Exalate trial

Getint

You can install the Getint app on one platform (typically Jira via Marketplace) and connect to other systems via API.

Real-Time Sync and Data Integrity

Both platforms support real-time, two-way sync, but they differ as follows.

Exalate

  • Real-time uni or bidirectional sync in all pricing plans
  • Complete sync queue visibility with detailed status
  • Full item history (audit trail of changes and sync activity)
  • Aida AI error explanations and fix suggestions
  • TestRun validation before production
  • Script versioning with rollback to prior working versions

Getint

  • 3-minute update intervals on standard plans
  • Real-time monitoring with filtering
  • Sync status dashboard
  • Notifications via email, Slack, or webhooks

Security and Compliance

Both platforms focus on enterprise security, but the architecture differs.

Exalate Security Features

  • ISO 27001 certified
  • GDPR compliant
  • Cloud Fortified by Atlassian
  • Bug Bounty program participation
  • Regular security assessments and penetration testing
  • Encryption in transit (TLS 1.2+) and at rest (AES-256)
  • Threat detection with SentinelOne monitoring
  • Role-based access control
  • Decoupled authentication: API keys, OAuth, and PAT support without exposing credentials
  • Data residency options

Exalate Trust Center

Trust Center:
Exalate’s Trust Center provides security documentation, compliance reports, and real-time system status updates.

Getint Security Features

  • ISO 27001 and ISO 27018 certified
  • GDPR compliant
  • Cloud Fortified by Atlassian
  • Bug Bounty program participation
  • Data encryption for transmission and storage
  • Log encryption to support audit trails
  • Compliance support, including security and procurement calls

All security details are available through Getint’s documentation.

Supported Integrations and Connectors

Exalate Connectors

Cloud platforms:

  • Jira Cloud
  • Azure DevOps Cloud and Server
  • ServiceNow
  • Salesforce
  • Zendesk
  • GitHub
  • Asana
  • Freshservice
  • Freshdesk
  • Early access connectors for companies with integration network needs
  • Custom connector development (Enterprise plan add-on) enables enterprise customers to build custom connectors for their specific integration scenarios

Getint Connectors

Supported platforms:

  • Jira
  • Azure DevOps
  • ServiceNow
  • Salesforce
  • Monday.com
  • Asana
  • GitHub
  • GitLab
  • Zendesk
  • HubSpot
  • ClickUp
  • Wrike
  • Trello
  • Notion
  • Freshservice/Freshdesk
  • Airtable

Getint supports a broader range of platforms than Exalate, which makes it attractive to teams with wider platform ecosystems. If you need to integrate many different tools quickly, Getint’s breadth of platform support will likely meet your needs better.

However, the tradeoff is that Getint lacks deep customization. Once your integration needs become more complex or require evolving workflows, Getint’s template-based approach might hit limitations.

Pricing

Exalate Pricing

Exalate’s pricing is outcome-based. Instead of paying for seats, user counts, or transactions, you pay for active items currently in sync

Why This Matters

  • Predictable costs: No surprise bills from usage spikes
  • Fair scaling: Costs grow with actual integration complexity, not headcount
  • Value-aligned: You pay for sync relationships that are active and contributing to your workflow

You can see what this looks like for your team using our pricing calculator. Pick your integrations, estimate your synced items, and get an instant quote. Or check out the full details on the pricing page.

Considering whether to build your own integration or use a platform like Exalate? Use the build vs. buy calculator to compare the true costs and get a clear ROI picture.

Getint Pricing

In contrast, Getint offers a user-based pricing structure that depends heavily on the Atlassian marketplace structure. This can be attractive at the entry level, but it may become costly when your integration needs expand across multiple systems and workflows.

For teams expecting significant growth, Exalate’s model often offers more predictable and scalable value.

Customer reviews
Getint
Exalate
From the pricing point of view, it should be affordable for small businesses. The onboarding & tool deployment process could be simplified.We evaluated different products, and Exalate was the one. It was also the most cost-effective overall.

It’s amazing how Exalate satisfied our complex synchronization needs. Plus, we managed to reduce the monthly costs of our Service Desk by around 95%

User Friendliness

Exalate’s User Experience

Exalate focuses on providing powerful capabilities with increasing accessibility through AI assistance. The unified console helps you manage integrations from a single place. This eliminates the need to switch between multiple system interfaces.

Key User-Friendly Features:

  • Unified Console: Manage all integrations from a single interface
  • Web-Based Ramp-Up: No software installation required on either system. Enter URLs, verify connections, and start configuring immediately.
  • Side-by-Side View: See both sides of your integration on one screen. View script rules, queues, and errors without switching contexts.
  • Activity Dashboard: Track all integration activity with filtering and search capabilities
  • Import Existing Connections: Migrate previous integrations with a single click
Exalate interface for Aida-assisted scripting

Learning Curve: Exalate requires some technical knowledge to use its full capabilities. Teams need familiarity with Groovy scripting for custom logic. However, Aida AI significantly reduces the learning curve by providing context-aware assistance, code suggestions, and error explanations in plain language.

Getint’s User Experience

Getint prioritizes ease of use with a UI-first approach. The platform emphasizes visual configuration over code-based setup.

Key User-Friendly Features:

  • Visual Field Mapping: Drag-and-drop interface for mapping fields between systems
  • Pre-Built Templates: Start with ready-made configurations for common integrations
  • Centralized Dashboard: Single interface for managing all connections and sync rules
  • No-Code Setup: Configure most integrations without writing any code
  • Quick Deployment: Get integrations running in minutes rather than hours
Getint UI in Exalate vs. Geint

Learning Curve: Getint has a gentler learning curve for non-technical users. The visual interface makes it easier to understand how data flows between systems.

Comparison

Getint wins on initial ease of use for simple integrations. You can set up basic field mappings faster with visual tools. Exalate requires more upfront learning but provides deeper control for complex scenarios. Aida AI helps bridge the gap by making scripting more accessible to teams with varying technical skills.

Error Handling

Exalate’s Error Handling

Exalate provides comprehensive error handling with AI-powered assistance for faster resolution.

Error Detection and Visibility:

  • Side-by-Side Error View: See errors for both sides of the integration simultaneously from the Connection Details page
  • Complete Sync Queue: Monitor all pending synchronizations and identify which items have errors
  • Detailed Error Logs: Access full stack traces and execution logs for debugging
  • Error Filtering: Filter errors by connection name, entity ID, or error type

Error Resolution:

  • Aida Error Explanation: Aida analyzes errors and explains them in simple language. Instead of cryptic technical messages, you get clear descriptions of what went wrong and why.
  • Context-Aware Suggestions: Aida provides specific suggestions for fixing errors based on your script configuration and system context
  • Script Versioning: Roll back to previous working versions if new changes introduce errors
  • TestRun Validation: Test fixes in a safe environment before deploying to production

Error Prevention:

  • TestRun Before Deployment: Validate sync logic without affecting live data
  • Script Versioning: Maintain a history of all configuration changes
  • Syntax Validation: Identify script errors before saving

Getint’s Error Handling

Getint provides error handling through its centralized dashboard with notification capabilities.

Error Detection and Visibility:

  • Centralized Error Dashboard: View all sync errors from a single interface
  • Real-Time Monitoring: See sync status and errors as they occur
  • Error Notifications: Receive alerts via email, Slack, or webhooks when errors happen
  • Sync Status Tracking: Monitor which items are syncing successfully and which have failed

Error Resolution:

  • Error Logs: Access detailed logs for troubleshooting
  • Support Portal: Submit support tickets for complex errors
  • Documentation: Reference knowledge base articles for common error scenarios
  • Retry Mechanism: Automatic retry for transient failures

Error Prevention:

  • Sandbox Testing: Test configurations in non-production environments
  • Field Validation: UI validates field mappings before activation

Comparison

Exalate provides more advanced error handling with Aida AI, offering intelligent error analysis and resolution suggestions. This significantly reduces troubleshooting time for complex scripting errors. Getint offers solid error handling with notification capabilities and centralized visibility. It works well for straightforward integrations where errors are less frequent.

For teams managing complex integrations with custom logic, Exalate’s AI-assisted error handling provides faster resolution. For simpler integrations, Getint’s notification system and centralized dashboard are sufficient.

AI Capabilities

Exalate’s AI Capabilities

Aida is Exalate’s AI assistant that helps you build integrations faster and troubleshoot issues more effectively. Aida understands the context of your specific integration configuration and provides targeted assistance.

How Aida Works

Aida operates within the Exalate console and has access to your integration context, including your existing script rules, connected systems, and configuration history. This allows it to provide relevant, specific suggestions rather than generic advice.

Current Aida Capabilities

1. Script Building Assistance:

  • Generate Groovy script code based on your requirements
  • Suggest field mappings between different systems
  • Provide code examples for common transformation patterns
  • Help implement conditional logic and business rules
  • Adapt suggestions based on your existing script patterns

2. Error Troubleshooting:

  • Analyze error messages and explain them in plain language
  • Identify root causes of sync failures
  • Provide context-aware suggestions for fixing errors
  • Recommend specific code changes to resolve issues

Benefits of AI-Assisted Integration

Faster Implementation: Teams report significantly reduced time to build and deploy integrations. Aida generates code and configurations that would take hours to write manually.

Lower Learning Curve: Non-experts can implement complex integrations with Aida’s guidance. You don’t need to be a Groovy expert to use Exalate effectively.

Reduced Troubleshooting Time: Aida’s error explanations cut debugging time in half or more. You get clear explanations and specific fixes instead of generic error messages.

Aida on Documentation

Aida is also available on the Exalate documentation site to help you plan and scope your integrations before you even start configuring. This helps you understand what’s possible and design your integration strategy upfront.

Getint’s AI Capabilities

As of February 2025, Getint has AI-powered field mapping in development but does not yet offer the same level of AI assistance as Exalate’s Aida. Getint focuses primarily on UI-driven configuration with plans to add AI features in future releases.

Migration and Data Handling

Both platforms support historical data sync and bulk operations, but in different ways.

Exalate Migration Capabilities

Bulk operations:

  • Bulk Sync: Sync all existing data that matches trigger conditions (Triggers tab)
  • Relink: Connect existing items across systems

Migration best practices:

  • Use Test Run on small data sets first
  • Use script versioning to save working configurations before bulk runs
  • Monitor sync queue visibility during bulk migrations
  • Roll back if unexpected results occur

Getint Migration Capabilities

  • Separate migration plan pricing tiers for one-time migrations
  • Bulk migration support with unlimited projects and fields
  • Consulting included: 2 hours in Advanced; custom support in Large Scale

Support, Documentation, and Community

Exalate Support Ecosystem

Documentation:
Exalate documentation is elaborate and includes implementation guides, API references, script examples, and troubleshooting resources.

Support Tiers:

  • Starter: Community support (forums + documentation) + Standard support
  • Scale & Pro: Standard support with SLA
  • Enterprise: Priority support with 2x faster response times, dedicated customer success manager, proactive monitoring, Slack/MS Teams direct communication, and solution assistance

AI-assisted Support:
Aida AI provides context-based troubleshooting directly inside the platform, reducing the need for support tickets.

Learning Resources:

Exalate Partners:

Exalate’s partners receive a range of support and enablement as part of the partner ecosystem, including assistance with implementation, configuration, and complex use cases, help with demos or proofs of concept, and support around license management for customers, all aimed at helping partners deliver Exalate solutions effectively to their clients

Getint Support Ecosystem

Documentation:
Getint docs include setup guides, connector instructions, and troubleshooting tips.

Support channels:

  • Support portal (Jira Service Management)
  • Email support
  • Slack support for premium customers

Real-World Use Cases

Enterprise Software Vendor: Multi-Tenant Client Integrations

Scenario: A SaaS company provides project management software to 50+ enterprise clients. Each client uses different tools like Jira, Azure DevOps, or ServiceNow. Each client needs bidirectional sync with custom field mappings and data transformation rules unique to their business processes.

Exalate Solution: Deploy separate integrations for each client using Exalate’s Groovy scripting. Handle each client’s unique requirements. Each client gets autonomous control over their side of the sync. The vendor maintains operational oversight through the unified console. Script versioning ensures safe updates across all client integrations. Test Run functionality validates changes before deployment. This prevents disruption to client workflows.

Why Exalate: Unlimited customization per client, operational independence, script versioning for safe updates, and Test Run for risk-free testing.

Marketing Agency: Cross-Tool Campaign Management

Scenario: A digital marketing agency needs to sync Jira tasks with Asana projects for campaign management. The integration needs standard field mappings like title, description, assignee, due date, and status. No complex transformations are needed.

Getint Solution: Deploy Getint’s Jira-Asana connector using pre-built templates. Visual field mapping through the UI gets the integration running within an hour. The team manages all sync rules through Getint’s centralized dashboard without writing code.

Why Getint: Fast deployment with UI-based configuration, no coding required, straightforward field mappings, and quick time-to-value.

Common Objections Addressed

“Exalate is expensive.”
Exalate uses subscription-based pricing per integration, based on active items in sync, making costs predictable and aligned with real usage as integrations scale.

Use the pricing calculator to see exact costs for your needs.

“Getint is easier.”
Getint is quick for simple templates. Exalate is now just as fast to set up and stays easier to manage as requirements evolve.

“Exalate requires double installation.”
Exalate no longer requires separate installations; connections are created through a unified console using simple URL verification.

“We don’t need scripting.”
Many teams don’t at first, but scripting becomes essential as workflows change. Exalate ensures you don’t need to switch tools later.

“Building our own integration is more cost-effective than opting for Getint or Exalate.” This is rarely true when you factor in development time, maintenance, and opportunity cost. Use the build vs. buy calculator to compare the true costs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can both platforms handle real-time bidirectional synchronization?

Yes, both Exalate and Getint support real-time bidirectional sync. Exalate gives you complete sync queue visibility with side-by-side monitoring. Getint offers real-time sync on enterprise plans. Standard plans have 3-minute intervals.

Which platform is easier to set up?

Getint typically offers faster initial deployment. It uses UI-based templates and single-sided installation. Exalate’s web-based flow has made onboarding simpler. However, its full customization capabilities may need more initial configuration for complex scenarios.

Do I need coding knowledge to use these platforms?

Getint emphasizes no-code/low-code setup through visual field mapping. Advanced scripting is available when needed (for Enterprise plans only). Exalate is designed for script-based customization using Groovy. Aida AI helps with script development, making it more accessible to teams with varied technical skills. Both platforms offer professional services and support for implementation help.

What security certifications should I verify before choosing?

Verify current certifications directly from each platform’s trust center. Visit the trust center for Exalate and Getint’s security documentation for compliance reports.

How does Exalate’s integration-based pricing work?

Exalate charges based on active items currently in sync at any given time, not cumulative transactions or historical volume. For example, if 150 Jira issues are actively syncing with ServiceNow, that counts as 150 active items.

Do these platforms support hierarchical relationships?

Yes, both platforms support syncing parent-child relationships, such as epic–story–subtask hierarchies in Jira and feature–work item hierarchies in Azure DevOps.

Can I sync custom fields?

Yes. Exalate uses Groovy scripting for highly flexible custom field mapping and transformation. Getint offers UI-based mapping.

Which platform handles complex conditional logic better?

Exalate’s Groovy scripting engine offers unlimited flexibility for complex logic and transformations. Getint supports advanced scripting but focuses primarily on UI-driven configuration.

Which platform is better for cross-company integrations?

Exalate is designed for cross-company integrations with autonomous control on each side. Getint works best when a single organization controls both sides. 

Making Your Decision

Choosing between Exalate and Getint depends on your specific integration requirements, technical resources, compliance needs, and long-term operational control preferences.

Choose Exalate If:

  • You need unlimited customization flexibility for complex workflows with easy setup
  • Your integration involves conditional logic, advanced data transformations, or unique business rules
  • You operate in regulated industries requiring strict compliance controls or data residency options
  • You require full operational control on each side of your integration
  • Script versioning, Test Run, and roll-back capabilities are important for safe configuration management
  • You want AI-assisted script development and troubleshooting through Aida
  • Fair and predictable pricing options
  • You need managed services where Exalate handles the entire integration lifecycle
  • You need custom connectors built for your specific network scenarios

Choose Getint If:

  • You prioritize fast deployment with minimal setup complexity
  • Your integration requirements are straightforward with standard field mappings
  • UI-driven configuration is preferred over code-based customization
  • You need integrations for platforms like Monday.com, ClickUp, or Wrike, where Getint has strong connector support

Next Steps

Try Exalate

Start your 30-day free trial. Experience the unified console, Test Run functionality, Aida AI assistance, and script versioning capabilities firsthand.

Start a free Exalate trial

Both platforms represent mature, capable integration solutions with different strengths. The right choice depends on balancing your technical requirements, operational preferences, pricing models, and long-term integration strategy.

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Introducing AI Assist: Smarter Script-Based Integrations with Exalate

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At Exalate, we’ve always believed that integration should empower, not overwhelm. Today, we’re thrilled to introduce AI Assist, a bold step in our journey of transforming the integration landscape. 

AI Assist redefines how businesses connect and collaborate across systems. 

This blog is your guide to everything you need to know about our newest AI Assist—how it works, what makes it unique, and why you should try it today.

What is AI Assist?

AI Assist is our latest feature that brings the power of artificial intelligence into the world of script-based integrations. Designed to enhance Exalate’s already powerful scripting capabilities, it helps users create dynamic sync rules effortlessly.

Imagine having a co-pilot for your integrations—one that not only understands your needs but also helps you generate precise synchronization rules for both simple and complex scenarios. 

And the best part? It’s free for all users with access to Exalate’s Script mode. 

Why AI Assist? The Need for Smarter Integration Tools

Let’s be honest: script-based integrations can be challenging. They’re often time-consuming, prone to errors, and demand a high level of technical expertise—especially if you’re not familiar with Groovy or other scripting languages. 

The growing demand for AI-powered integration tools is a response to these challenges, making the process smarter, faster, and more intuitive.

AI Assist fills a crucial gap in the market by simplifying these complex processes, allowing businesses to stay ahead of the curve. It’s not just about improving your workflow through integrations—it’s about reimagining what’s possible when AI and human expertise come together.

Key Features of AI Assist

  • Dynamic Sync Rules Generation: AI Assist generates sync rules for both routine and advanced integration scenarios, reducing the need for manual scripting.
  • Embedded UI: The AI integrates seamlessly within the Exalate interface, offering suggestions and code snippets directly where you need them.

A Peek Behind the Scenes: How AI Assist Works

Behind the simplicity of AI Assist lies a sophisticated AI-driven engine designed to understand the context of your integration needs. It starts by analyzing your input, learning from common patterns, and using that data to offer optimized sync rules. 

The embedded UI ensures that suggestions are made contextually, giving you accurate results in real time.

Benefits for Users

  • Time-Saving: AI Assist reduces the time spent on writing or searching for integration code snippets, boosting productivity.
  • Enhanced Accuracy: By reducing manual input, it lowers the chances of making errors while writing integration scripts, ensuring precise and dependable outcomes.
  • Broad Accessibility: Even users with limited technical expertise can create sophisticated integration configurations, broadening accessibility across all skill levels.
  • Quality Assurance: The AI ensures that the scripts generated follow best practices, giving users confidence that their integrations are robust and reliable.

How AI Assist Enhances the Exalate Experience

When comparing AI Assist with traditional methods of managing script-based integrations, the advantages are clear.

AI Assist offers a faster, smarter, and more reliable alternative. Instead of spending time crafting and troubleshooting scripts, users benefit from dynamic rule generation and real-time AI-powered suggestions. 

This minimizes errors, reduces the learning curve for those unfamiliar with scripting, and ensures best practices are followed. 

By integrating directly into the user interface, AI Assist provides context-aware guidance, making the process of complex integrations more accessible and efficient for both beginners and advanced users.

AI Assist: Future Developments

As powerful as AI Assist is, we are working towards evolving it further.

AI Assist can offer real-time script refinement in the AI mode. However, like with any other AI-driven tool, it’s important to review the output generated.

You can always fine-tune the generated scripts before publishing any changes to ensure accuracy and alignment with your specific needs. 

Future updates will focus on enhancing the AI’s predictive capabilities, bringing user context into the picture, and further automating more complex scenarios.

We’re committed to continuously improving AI Assist, ensuring that each update brings us closer to our vision of reinventing integration.

How to Get Started with AI Assist

Ready to give AI Assist a try? Here’s how to get started:

  1. Install Exalate on the systems you wish to integrate.  
  2. Set up a Script mode connection. 
  3. Enter your synchronization requirements in the AI chat window, providing detailed information for the best results. 
  4. AI Assist generates sync scripts automatically, taking into account your existing configurations and Exalate’s scripting API. 
  5. You can either discard the AI suggestions entirely or accept and publish them if they meet your needs. If adjustments are necessary, you can refine your prompts and keep iterating until you’re satisfied with the output. 

Still need help? Check out our documentation to guide you along the way.

Explore AI Assist: Stay Ahead of the Curve

AI Assist marks the beginning of a new chapter for Exalate and its vision for AI-powered integrations. By combining the power of AI with Exalate’s robust platform, we’re redefining how businesses think about connectivity. 

Integration is no longer a tedious task. It’s a creative process, guided by machine intelligence and driven by user needs.

For personalized assistance or to explore how AI Assist can meet your specific needs, don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help every step of the way.

And stay tuned—there’s so much more to come as we continue on our journey of reinvention.

AI-Powered Integration: The Future of Business Connectivity [2026]

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Integrating different systems has become one of the biggest challenges for businesses. Managing multiple platforms is tricky enough, but getting them to talk to each other seamlessly? That’s a whole different game.

And let’s be honest, setting up integrations is rarely straightforward. It can feel like trying to fit puzzle pieces that don’t quite match.

To transform the conventional ways of integration, software vendors have started introducing AI-powered integration, which brings the power of AI into the integration landscape.

If you’re curious about what AI-driven integration is all about, you’re in the right place. We’ve gathered everything you need to know about this growing trend, along with some real-world examples to show it in action.

Key Takeaways

  • AI-powered integration uses machine learning, natural language processing, and automation to connect systems faster and with fewer errors than traditional methods.
  • Core capabilities include smart data mapping, intelligent error handling, predictive analytics, and natural language configuration.
  • Real-world use cases span support-to-dev escalation, cross-company service management, sales-to-CS alignment, and engineering release coordination.
  • AI-assisted integration tools reduce configuration complexity so teams with varying technical backgrounds can set up and manage integrations.
  • Choosing the right AI-powered integration solution depends on factors like bidirectional sync support, customization depth, platform coverage, and security certifications.
  • Exalate uses AI-assisted configuration to generate Groovy sync scripts from plain language input, making complex cross-platform integrations more accessible.

What Is AI-Powered Integration?

AI-powered integration is the process of using artificial intelligence to automate and improve the integration of different systems, applications, and data sources that organizations use every day.

But it doesn’t look the same everywhere. AI-powered integration works differently depending on the complexity and requirements of each use case.

For example, AI might help build quick, low-code connectors for new systems. Or, it can go deeper, auto-generating custom scripts to handle complex sync logic between platforms like Jira, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Azure DevOps, Zendesk, Freshservice, or Freshdesk.

Traditional integration methods often involve labor-intensive self-serve coding, complex configurations, and ongoing maintenance. AI changes this by leveraging machine learning algorithms, natural language processing, and other advanced techniques to simplify data mapping, automate workflows, and reduce human errors.

The result? Integrations that are faster to set up, easier to maintain, and more reliable at scale.

How Does AI-Powered Integration Work?

Understanding the mechanics behind AI-powered integration helps clarify why it’s becoming the standard approach for connecting enterprise systems.

At its core, AI-powered integration relies on three layers working together:

  • Data ingestion and analysis. AI models ingest metadata from connected systems, including field structures, data types, naming conventions, and historical sync patterns. This analysis forms the foundation for automated decision-making during configuration.
  • Pattern recognition and mapping. Machine learning algorithms identify relationships between data fields across systems, even when those systems use different terminology. For instance, a “Priority” field in ServiceNow and an “Urgency” field in Zendesk might map to the same concept. AI detects these correlations and suggests accurate mappings without manual intervention.
  • Natural language configuration. Instead of requiring users to write integration logic from scratch, AI-powered tools accept plain language descriptions of what needs to happen. The AI interprets the intent, references the connected systems’ schemas, and generates the appropriate configuration or script. This is where AI-assisted configuration comes in: you describe what you want synced, and the AI produces working Groovy scripts that you can review and refine.
  • Continuous learning and optimization. As integrations run, AI monitors sync performance, flags anomalies, and refines its recommendations based on real usage data. Over time, the system gets smarter about your specific environment and patterns.

AI-Powered Integration Features

Let’s break down the key features of using AI in data integration:

Smart Data Mapping

One of the biggest headaches in integration is ensuring data fields match up correctly across systems. AI can analyze vast amounts of data, finding correlations and creating mappings automatically. It also offers suggestions when systems use different terminology for the same data points.

For example, mapping a “Customer Account” field in Salesforce to a “Company” field in Jira happens automatically when AI recognizes the semantic relationship. This eliminates hours of manual mapping work, especially when connecting systems with hundreds of custom fields.

Intelligent Error Detection and Correction

When you’re dealing with large volumes of data, mistakes happen. AI is excellent at spotting anomalies that might slip past human oversight.

For instance, if a particular entry keeps failing, AI can flag the issue, suggest fixes, or even correct the problem itself. This goes beyond simple error logging. AI-powered error handling can identify root causes like data type mismatches, missing required fields, or rate limit violations, and recommend specific corrective actions rather than just reporting a generic failure.

AI-Powered Business Process Automation

AI can automate business processes and make real-time decisions based on incoming data. In areas like supply chain management, this means systems can adjust workflows on the fly, saving both time and money without human involvement.

Additionally, as businesses increasingly adopt AI to streamline workflows, many turn to AI integration services to embed machine learning models, natural language processing, and automation into their existing IT ecosystems.

Predictive Insights

AI can forecast potential problems before they disrupt your business. By analyzing historical sync data and system behavior patterns, it identifies trends and alerts teams to issues before they happen.

Think of it this way: if sync volumes between two connected platforms spike every quarter-end and have historically caused timeouts, AI can proactively adjust sync intervals or alert administrators before the bottleneck hits. This kind of foresight keeps everything running smoothly.

Natural Language Processing for Configuration

This is one of the most practical AI features in modern integration tools. Instead of learning a platform’s scripting syntax or API structure, administrators describe their integration requirements in everyday language.

The AI interprets the request, considers the connected systems’ capabilities, and generates a working configuration. This dramatically lowers the barrier to entry for complex integrations while still giving technical users the ability to fine-tune the output.

AI-assisted integration is no longer a futuristic concept. It’s actively being implemented in the integration industry today. Let’s explore a few real-world applications.

AI-Powered Integration Use Cases

Here’s how different teams can use AI-assisted integration to their advantage.

Support and Development Teams

Case: Support agents are the first point of contact for customer issues. Sometimes, certain issues need to be escalated to the development team immediately, but the handoff between systems creates delays and information gaps.

Solution: AI-powered integration automatically syncs escalated work items between platforms based on rules you define. Say, a Priority 1 incident is created in ServiceNow and needs to be instantly reflected in Jira based on the logic you set up. The logic can be as simple or as complex as needed. For instance, sync only internal comments between Jira and ServiceNow, or map and sync statuses along with SLA information between systems.

Cross-Company Service Management

Case: Organizations working with managed service providers (MSPs), vendors, or partners often need to share work items across company boundaries. Each party uses their own ITSM platform and has their own data governance requirements.

Solution: AI-powered integration enables bidirectional sync between separate organizations’ platforms while letting each side maintain independent control over what data gets shared. AI simplifies the initial configuration by generating sync rules from plain language descriptions of the data exchange requirements.

Sales and Customer Success Teams

Case: Sales teams often log important customer information in systems like Salesforce. Customer success (CS) teams using a completely different system might benefit from customer-centric queries, feedback, and account context, but that data lives in a silo.

Solution: Through AI-powered integration, you can ensure the CS teams proactively have customer insights handy whenever needed for a richer customer experience. AI handles the mapping of complex account hierarchies and custom field relationships between CRM and CS platforms.

Engineering and QA Teams

Case: Engineering and QA teams need to incorporate testing activities into the development lifecycle, ensuring a seamless transition of features from development to testing and finally to production.

Solution: AI-powered integration connects project management and testing platforms, syncing work items, test results, and release status in real time. AI generates the sync logic that maps development statuses to QA workflows automatically.

Project Management Across Distributed Teams

Case: Organizations with multiple departments or external collaborators often use different project management tools. A product team might work in Jira while a design agency uses Asana, creating visibility gaps and manual status update overhead.

Solution: AI-assisted integration syncs project milestones, task assignments, and status updates between platforms automatically. Each team stays in their preferred tool while maintaining a unified view of project progress.

The Benefits of AI-Powered Integration

So, why should businesses adopt AI-powered integration? Here are a few points to consider:

  • Efficiency. You can automate routine integration tasks using AI, freeing up time and resources you’d otherwise spend on manual configuration. Teams that previously needed weeks to set up complex integrations can now accomplish the same work in hours, letting them focus on strategic priorities instead.
  • Scalability. Businesses grow, and so do integrations. Using AI, you can scale your integration as IT environments become more complex. AI-powered integration solutions handle new systems and data sources, including platforms like Freshservice, Freshdesk, Asana, Azure DevOps Server, and custom systems, without requiring extensive reconfiguration for each addition.
  • Accessibility. Using AI for integration makes it more accessible to a variety of users with differing technical expertise. Business analysts, project managers, and administrators can configure integrations using natural language input rather than writing code from scratch. Technical users still get full scripting control when needed.
  • Speed to value. AI-powered integration setups are faster than traditional methods. What used to take days of configuration, testing, and debugging can now happen in a fraction of the time. This faster time-to-value is particularly important for organizations managing multiple integration connections simultaneously.
  • Reduced maintenance burden. AI doesn’t just help with initial setup. It also simplifies ongoing maintenance by identifying configuration drift, suggesting optimizations, and adapting to schema changes in connected systems. This means fewer integration breakdowns and less firefighting for your team.
  • Cost savings. AI-powered automation reduces the manual effort required to create an integration. You avoid costly errors, lower project costs, and reduce the total cost of ownership over the integration lifecycle. When evaluating solutions, look for tools that offer clear pricing models so you can forecast costs as your integration network grows.

AI-Powered Integration vs. Traditional Integration

Understanding the difference between AI-powered and traditional integration helps clarify when each approach makes sense.

Traditional integration typically involves manual coding of API connections, hand-configured field mappings, and custom-built error handling logic. Every new connection requires a developer to study both systems’ APIs, write transformation logic, and build monitoring from the ground up. Changes to either system often break the integration, requiring more developer time to fix.

AI-powered integration automates the heavy lifting in this process. Instead of manually mapping hundreds of fields, AI analyzes both systems’ schemas and suggests mappings. Instead of writing sync logic from scratch, you describe requirements in plain language and get working configurations. Instead of building custom error handling, AI detects and resolves common issues automatically.

That said, AI-powered integration doesn’t eliminate the need for human oversight. Complex edge cases, unusual business logic, and highly customized workflows still benefit from expert review. The best AI-powered integration tools, like Exalate, give you both: AI-assisted configuration for speed and scripting capabilities like Groovy for full control when you need it.

The practical difference? A traditional integration between, say, Jira and ServiceNow might take a developer 2-3 weeks to fully configure, test, and deploy. With AI-assisted integration, the same connection can be operational in hours, with the AI handling the standard mappings and a human fine-tuning the edge cases.

How to Choose an AI-Powered Integration Solution

Not all AI-powered integration tools are built the same. Here are the key factors to evaluate when selecting a solution:

  • Bidirectional sync capability. Many integration tools only support one-way data flow. For real collaboration across teams and organizations, you need true bidirectional synchronization where changes on either side are reflected in the other. This is especially critical for cross-company integrations where both parties need to update and track work items.
  • Customization depth. AI-assisted configuration is great for speed, but you also need the ability to handle complex, non-standard sync requirements. Tools that combine AI-generated configurations with full scripting access (like Groovy) give you the best of both worlds.
  • Independent control. For cross-company integrations, each party should be able to control their own sync rules independently. This prevents one organization from inadvertently or deliberately modifying the other’s configuration, which is critical for maintaining data governance and trust.
  • Security and compliance. Integration tools handle sensitive data flowing between systems, so security can’t be an afterthought. Look for solutions with recognized certifications like ISO. Exalate, for example, publishes its security posture through its Trust Center so customers can evaluate it independently.
  • Deployment flexibility. Depending on your organization’s data residency and compliance requirements, you may need cloud, on-premise, or Docker deployment options. Not all AI-powered integration solutions offer this flexibility.

AI-Assisted Integration with Exalate

Exalate is an integration solution that connects tools like Jira, Salesforce, ServiceNow, Azure DevOps (Cloud and Server), Zendesk, GitHub, Freshservice, Freshdesk, Asana, HubSpot, and more. It ensures teams using different systems can stay aligned without manual data transfer, and it supports custom connectors for proprietary or specialized platforms.

Exalate uses AI-assisted configuration to make complex integrations more accessible. Instead of writing Groovy sync scripts from scratch, you can describe your integration requirements in plain language, and the AI generates working scripts based on your connected systems’ configurations and Exalate’s scripting API.

How AI-Assisted Configuration Works in Exalate

Exalate’s AI-assisted configuration simplifies the script creation process by analyzing your input for specific use cases and generating configurations that are easier to create and maintain.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Describe your requirements. Enter your sync requirements into the AI chat interface. Be clear and provide as much detail as possible about what you want synced, which fields should map to which, and any conditional logic needed. The more precise your input, the better the output.
  2. Review the generated scripts. The AI automatically generates sync scripts, considering your existing configurations and Exalate’s scripting API. Color-coded suggestions show you exactly what will be added or modified, making it easy to understand the changes before applying them.
  3. Accept, refine, or discard. You can accept the suggestions and publish the scripts, discard them entirely, or go back and refine your prompts until the output meets your expectations. This iterative process means you’re always in control.

Additionally, Aida serves as a documentation assistant within the Exalate ecosystem. Aida helps you understand platform capabilities, scope integration requirements, and troubleshoot issues through conversational queries, making it easier to get started and resolve questions without digging through documentation manually.

By using AI-assisted configuration, administrators can achieve more accurate configurations with less effort. This approach enhances productivity, reduces the chances of errors, and makes complex integrations simpler and more accessible for users with varying technical backgrounds.

The Future of AI-Powered Integration

The future of using AI for integrations will keep evolving along several trajectories.

  • Autonomous integration management. Current AI tools help generate configurations. Future iterations will monitor, optimize, and self-heal integrations with minimal human input. Think of integrations that detect a schema change in a connected system and automatically adjust mappings before anything breaks.
  • Context-aware intelligence. AI models will develop deeper understanding of business context, not just data structures. This means integrations that understand the difference between a routine status update and a critical escalation, adjusting sync behavior accordingly.
  • Broader ecosystem coverage. As AI reduces the effort required to build and maintain connectors, expect integration platforms to expand their supported ecosystems rapidly. Connecting niche, industry-specific tools will become as straightforward as connecting major platforms like Jira or ServiceNow.
  • Embedded AI across the integration lifecycle. AI will move beyond configuration into testing, monitoring, and optimization. Automated test generation for integration scenarios, intelligent alerting based on anomaly detection, and performance optimization recommendations will become standard features.

The sooner businesses adopt AI-powered integration, the better equipped they will be to handle the growing complexity of their technology ecosystems.

Conclusion

There’s more to AI-powered integration than meets the eye. You can experience benefits like greater efficiency, scalability, and cost savings within your integration environment, making it more intuitive and accessible for teams of all technical levels.

The shift from manual configuration to AI-assisted integration isn’t just about convenience. It fundamentally changes who can build and manage integrations, how quickly they can be deployed, and how reliably they perform over time.

If you think you’re ready for AI-powered integrations, let’s talk.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is AI-powered integration?

AI-powered integration uses artificial intelligence, including machine learning and natural language processing, to automate the connection between different software systems. Instead of manually coding every field mapping and sync rule, AI analyzes both systems and generates configurations based on natural language input. This makes integrations faster to set up, easier to maintain, and accessible to users who aren’t developers.

How does Exalate use AI for integration?

Exalate uses AI-assisted configuration to generate Groovy sync scripts from plain language descriptions. You describe your integration requirements conversationally, and the AI produces working scripts based on your connected systems’ schemas and Exalate’s scripting API. Exalate also includes Aida, a scripting assistant that helps you scope requirements, understand platform capabilities, and troubleshoot issues through conversational queries.

What platforms does Exalate support for AI-assisted integration?

Exalate natively supports Jira, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Azure DevOps (Cloud and Server), Zendesk, GitHub, Freshservice, Freshdesk, Asana, HubSpot, and Ivanti. For systems not on this list, Exalate offers custom connectors that let you integrate proprietary or specialized platforms into your sync network.

Can AI-powered integration handle cross-company use cases?

Yes. Cross-company integration is one of the strongest use cases for AI-powered tools. With platforms like Exalate, each organization maintains independent control over their own sync configuration. AI-assisted configuration simplifies the setup on both sides, while the independent control model ensures one party can’t modify the other’s integration logic, which is essential for data governance in partner and vendor relationships.

Is AI-powered integration secure?

Security depends on the specific tool you choose. When evaluating AI-powered integration solutions, look for recognized certifications like ISO 27001:2022, encrypted data transmission, and transparent security documentation. Exalate publishes its full security posture through its Trust Center for independent evaluation.

What’s the difference between AI-powered integration and iPaaS?

iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service) is a broad category of cloud-based integration tools. AI-powered integration refers to a capability, not a product category. Some iPaaS solutions include AI features, and some AI-powered integration tools aren’t classified as iPaaS. Exalate, for instance, is a purpose-built integration platform focused on bidirectional, cross-platform synchronization with AI-assisted configuration, rather than a general-purpose iPaaS.

How does AI-assisted integration compare to manual scripting?

AI-assisted integration handles the initial heavy lifting: analyzing system schemas, suggesting field mappings, and generating sync scripts from natural language descriptions. Manual scripting gives you full control over every detail. The most effective approach combines both. Tools like Exalate let you use AI-assisted configuration for the standard mappings and then refine with Groovy scripting for complex edge cases or custom business logic.

Can non-technical users set up AI-powered integrations?

AI significantly lowers the technical barrier. Business analysts, project managers, and administrators can describe their sync requirements in plain language and get working configurations. That said, complex integrations with unusual business logic still benefit from technical review. The goal isn’t to eliminate technical expertise but to make routine configurations accessible to a wider range of users.

How long does it take to set up an integration with AI-assisted configuration?

Setup time depends on complexity. A straightforward bidirectional sync between two platforms, like syncing work items between Jira and ServiceNow, can be operational in hours using AI-assisted configuration. More complex setups involving conditional logic, custom field transformations, and multi-platform networks take longer but are still significantly faster than traditional manual configuration, which typically takes days to weeks.

Does Exalate support both cloud and on-premise deployments?

Yes. Exalate offers multiple deployment options. This flexibility is important for organizations with strict data residency requirements, air-gapped environments, or security policies that mandate self-hosted infrastructure. 

How to Sync Text, Date, and Dropdown Custom Fields Between Jira and Azure DevOps

Jira Azure DevOps integration

This post has been published in the Atlassian community.

Jira and Azure DevOps integration is essential for teams that need to keep project data aligned across platforms. Both tools offer robust features, but when it comes to integrating data like custom fields, things can get tricky.

Custom fields capture unique data that goes beyond standard fields like summary or status. By syncing them, you ensure that all teams, regardless of the platform they use, have access to the same critical information. This leads to better collaboration, reduced errors, and a unified workflow.

In this post, we’ll walk through syncing three common custom field types between Jira and Azure DevOps using Exalate: Text, Dropdown, and Date. We’ll include code snippets so you can adapt them to your own setup.

Setting Up the Environment

To get started, go to the Exalate app and log in or create an account. New users can sign up using their email or Google account.

Creating a Jira and Azure DevOps Connection

Start by creating a workspace. They help you organize and view your connections in a single place. 

Once you have a workspace, you can start creating connections between Jira and Azure DevOps.

You can find the detailed steps in the Jira Azure DevOps integration guide

When the process is complete, select “Continue to configuration” and choose a Jira project you want to use for synchronization.

Configuration Options

After creating your connection, you have two configuration options: “Quick Sync” and “Edit & Test”.

For syncing custom fields, you’ll want to use “Edit & Test”, which opens the draft editor. Click “Create a new version” or select “Open latest draft” to start editing your sync rules safely without affecting production data.

Sync rules are based on Groovy scripts. With these scripts, you can add custom data logic and mapping, along with conditional flows.

Script version interface showing incoming and outgoing scripts in Exalate

The scripts are divided into incoming and outgoing scripts:

  • Outgoing script: Defines what data is sent from one system. For example, if the sync direction is from Jira to Azure DevOps, the outgoing script holds the values passed from Jira.
  • Incoming script: Defines how the incoming values are mapped in the receiving system.

To sync custom field data from a Jira work item field to its corresponding Azure DevOps work item field, modify the outgoing sync rules on the Jira side. Then modify the incoming sync rules on the Azure DevOps side to receive the data. To do this the other way around, simply reverse the codes in the incoming and outgoing sync scripts.

You can also use Exalate’s AI-assisted configuration feature, Aida, to generate sync scripts. Simply describe your requirement in natural language, and Aida will generate the corresponding Groovy script for you.

Custom Fields Sync: A Deeper Look

1. Jira to Azure DevOps Text Field Sync

Text fields are commonly used to capture detailed information. Whether it’s a technical description or customer feedback, syncing text fields ensures that all teams have a consistent narrative.

//Jira outgoing sync

replica.customFields."CF Name" = issue.customFields."CF Name"Code language: JavaScript (javascript)

//Azure DevOps incoming sync

workItem.customFields."CF Name".value = replica.customFields."CF Name".valueCode language: JavaScript (javascript)

Here, you map the text field from Jira to Azure DevOps by sending the custom field value through the replica and assigning it on the other side.

2. Jira to Azure DevOps Dropdown (Select List) Field Sync

Dropdown or select list fields are useful for categorizing information, like selecting a priority level or feature type. Syncing these ensures categorizations stay consistent across platforms.

//Jira outgoing sync

replica.customFields."CF Name" = issue.customFields."CF Name"

//Azure DevOps incoming sync

workItem.customFields."CF Name".value = replica.customFields."CF Name".value.value

The code captures the dropdown object with its values in Jira and assigns the underlying value to the corresponding field in Azure DevOps. Note the extra .value on the incoming side to extract the selected option from the dropdown object.

3. Jira to Azure DevOps Date Field Sync

Date fields are essential for tracking deadlines, milestones, and other time-sensitive data. Keeping dates in sync prevents miscommunications and scheduling conflicts.

//Jira outgoing sync

replica.customFields."CF Name" = issue.customFields."CF Name"

//Azure DevOps incoming sync

import java.text.SimpleDateFormat

def sdf = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd hh:mm:ss")

def targetDate = sdf.format(new Date())

workItem."Microsoft.VSTS.Scheduling.StartDate" = targetDateCode language: JavaScript (javascript)

This snippet ensures that date values are synchronized, keeping project timelines aligned across Jira and Azure DevOps.

Testing Your Scripts with Test Run

Before deploying your custom field sync to production, use Exalate’s Test Run feature to validate your scripts. Test Run lets you run your sync scripts against real data without affecting your live environment. This is especially helpful when mapping custom fields, as even small mismatches in field types or naming can cause unexpected results.

Once you’re satisfied with the results, click “Publish Version” to apply the configuration to your live synchronization.

Setting Up Triggers

After configuring your sync rules, add triggers to automate the sync. Triggers are conditions or filters you apply to specific work items. For instance, you can sync all Jira work items from a specific project or all Azure DevOps work items with a particular tag.

Jira uses JQL (Jira Query Language) for triggers, and Azure DevOps uses WIQL (Work Item Query Language) or tag-based filters.

Best Practices for Syncing Custom Fields Between Jira and Azure DevOps

  • Consistent field types: Ensure that the custom fields in Jira and Azure DevOps have compatible types. A text field in Jira should map to a text field in Azure DevOps, and dropdown values should match on both sides.
  • Field mapping: Carefully map the fields to avoid data loss or misinterpretation. Document your mappings for team reference.
  • Use Test Run: Always test your sync setup using Exalate’s Test Run feature before deploying it in production. This prevents errors from reaching live data.
  • Script versioning: Take advantage of script versioning to maintain an audit trail of changes. If a new mapping causes issues, you can quickly roll back to a previous version.
  • Use Aida for complex mappings: For more advanced scenarios like conditional field mapping or value transformations, describe the requirement in natural language to Aida and get a working script as a starting point.

Conclusion

Synchronizing custom fields between Jira and Azure DevOps keeps your teams aligned and your project data consistent. Whether it’s text descriptions, dropdown categorizations, or date milestones, Exalate’s Groovy scripting engine gives you full control over what data flows between systems and how it gets mapped.

Ready to try it yourself? Start a free trial or book a demo to see how Exalate handles your specific integration needs. 

Get Exalate on Atlassian Marketplace

Recommended Reading:

Why Two-way Sync is Essential for Modern Teams 

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Remember when teams huddled over the same screen, using a single app to get things done? Those days are long gone. Today, each team has specialized tools for their tasks. But these tools often don’t talk to each other, leaving vital information siloed.

That’s where two-way synchronization, or two-way sync, comes in. It seamlessly updates, adds, or deletes information across systems, ensuring data consistency and accuracy.

Manually sharing data is one option, but it’s error-prone and tedious. An automated solution is crucial to keep everyone on the same page in real-time.

Let’s dive deeper into how two-way synchronization works and why it’s essential.

Key Takeaways

  • Two-way synchronization keeps data consistent across two or more connected systems by automatically reflecting changes made in either direction.
  • Unlike one-way sync, two-way sync maintains an ongoing, bidirectional relationship between synced entities so updates flow both ways.
  • Conflict resolution is one of the biggest technical challenges in bidirectional sync and determines which change wins when both systems update the same record simultaneously.
  • Practical use cases span support-to-dev escalation, ITSM coordination, MSP collaboration, sales-marketing alignment, and pre-migration scenarios.
  • Choosing the right sync tool means evaluating connector coverage, field mapping flexibility, AI-assisted configuration, security certifications, and scalability for cross-company workflows.

What is a Two-Way Sync?

A two-way sync is a process that updates, adds, or deletes information between two connected systems such that changes made in one system are reflected accurately in the other and vice versa.

Imagine a calendar app that you use on your smartphone and your laptop. When you add an event on your laptop, you expect it to appear immediately on your phone, and if you delete it on one device, it should disappear from the other. These simultaneous edits across devices or systems portray what a two-way sync looks like in practice.

In the context of data integration, two-way synchronization, also called bidirectional sync, ensures data remains consistent across two or more systems and minimizes errors arising from outdated or conflicting data.

Leaving data to remain updated on all devices automatically allows teams to focus on strategic initiatives rather than routine data entry or reconciliation tasks.

Access to real-time synced data empowers teams with actionable insights, enabling faster and more informed decision-making.

You might have also come across a one-way sync.

What is the Difference Between One-Way and Two-Way Sync?

In one-way synchronization, data passes only in a single direction, from one system to another. Consider a Managed Services Provider (MSP) that provides managed services to its customers. Data almost always passes from the MSP to the customer and never the other way around. This is an example of one-way synchronization.

In one-way synchronization, data is only allowed to pass from system A to system B and not from system B to system A. If data changes or is deleted in system A, then the corresponding changes are reflected in system B.

This is a little different from automation. Automations are usually one-way, for instance, create a Slack notification when a new lead books a product demo. There’s hardly any one-on-one connection between the automated entities. Once the notification is set off, the relationship ceases to exist.

On the other hand, two-way synchronization is an integration that establishes and maintains an ongoing relationship between the synced entities.

So, if one entity is updated in one system, it’s also updated in another system. When discussing two-way synchronization, the data always remains consistent and accurate between both connected systems.

Two-Way Sync vs. Real-Time Sync vs. Data Mirroring

These terms often get confused, so let’s clarify.

  • Two-way sync means changes flow in both directions between connected systems. System A updates System B, and System B updates System A. The sync can happen in real-time or at scheduled intervals.
  • Real-time sync refers to the timing of the data exchange, not the direction. A real-time sync can be one-way or two-way. It simply means changes propagate immediately (or near-immediately) rather than on a schedule or batch cycle.

Data mirroring creates an exact replica of one dataset in another location. It’s typically one-way and used for backup or disaster recovery rather than active collaboration. The mirrored copy is usually read-only.

The key distinction: two-way sync is about direction, real-time sync is about speed, and data mirroring is about creating identical copies. A robust integration might combine two-way sync with real-time triggers to give teams the fastest possible access to accurate data.

How Does Two-Way Synchronization Work?

Two-way synchronization relies on a few core mechanisms working together to keep data consistent across connected systems.

Connection and Authentication

Before any data moves, both systems need to establish a secure connection. This typically happens through APIs (REST or SOAP) that authenticate requests using tokens, OAuth, or API keys. 

The connection layer determines which systems can talk to each other and what permissions they have. When evaluating sync tools, look for ones that support encrypted connections (TLS 1.2 or higher) and role-based access controls to limit who can configure or modify sync rules.

Data Mapping

Once connected, you define how fields in one system correspond to fields in the other. A “Priority” field in Jira might map to an “Urgency” field in ServiceNow. A “Contact” in Salesforce might map to a “Reporter” in Zendesk. 

Proper mapping ensures that relevant information like names, statuses, descriptions, and custom fields transfers correctly despite differences in data formats or naming conventions between platforms.

Change Detection

The sync engine needs to know when something changes. Two common approaches handle this:

Polling means the sync engine periodically checks both systems for updates. A CRM might check every few minutes for new leads or changes to existing customer records. Polling is simple but introduces latency between when a change happens and when it syncs.

Webhooks work as an alternative by allowing systems to notify the sync engine immediately when specific events occur, like a new customer inquiry or a status change. Webhooks are faster but require both systems to support event-based notifications.

Conflict Resolution

This is where two-way sync gets tricky. What happens when both systems update the same record at the same time? Without a conflict resolution strategy, you risk data loss or infinite sync loops.

Common conflict resolution approaches include last-write-wins (the most recent change takes priority), source-of-truth rules (one system’s data always takes precedence for specific fields), field-level merging (non-conflicting field changes from both sides are accepted), and manual review (flagging conflicts for human intervention).

The conflict resolution strategy you choose depends on your workflow. For example, you might designate your CRM as the source of truth for customer contact information, while your service desk owns ticket status and resolution data.

Sync Architecture

Sync architecture defines how, when, and what data flows between systems.

The “how” defines the direction of data flow. For instance, data might pass bidirectionally between a support team’s Zendesk and a development team’s Jira, but only one-way from an MSP’s ServiceNow to a customer’s Freshservice.

The “when” defines the conditions to start an automatic sync. For instance, automatically sync all bugs labeled “todev” into the dev team’s application.

The “what” refers to the actual data being passed between systems. Choose what you want to sync and refrain from sending any additional data. Some two-way sync solutions also allow you to sync historical data.

What are the Tools and Technologies to Achieve Two-Way Sync?

API Integration (RESTful and SOAP APIs)

APIs allow seamless communication between systems, enabling the exchange of data in real-time. RESTful APIs offer lightweight, easy-to-implement integrations, while SOAP APIs handle more complex, secure integrations requiring higher reliability and transaction support. Most modern sync platforms use REST APIs as their primary communication method.

Webhooks

Webhooks are lightweight HTTP callbacks that allow platforms to send real-time data to each other. When a specific event occurs in one system, a webhook triggers an automated action in the other, ensuring the timely synchronization of service-related data between platforms. They reduce unnecessary API calls compared to polling and are the preferred trigger mechanism for near-instant sync.

ETL/ELT Tools

ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) tools facilitate extracting data from source systems, transforming it into the required format, and loading it into the target system. ELT reverses the last two steps, loading raw data first and transforming it in the destination. 

These tools automate batch synchronization and work well for large data volumes, but they’re typically better suited for analytics and reporting pipelines than real-time operational sync between work management platforms.

Custom Scripts

Custom scripts allow developers to set up connections using programming languages like Python, Node.js, or Java. These scripts can fetch data, transform it, and push it into the other system. Your script controls how the sync works exactly. 

The tradeoff is maintenance: every API change on either side means updating your scripts, and you’re responsible for handling errors, retries, and conflict resolution yourself.

Third-Party Integration Platforms

Third-party integration platforms allow teams to connect CRM systems, service desks, email platforms, or IT monitoring solutions without building from scratch. These platforms handle the heavy lifting of authentication, data transformation, error handling, and monitoring.

Some notable third-party integration tools include:

  1. Zapier automates workflows between applications without needing code. It allows users to create “Zaps” to streamline repetitive tasks like ticket creation or data updates between systems. Best for simple, trigger-based automations between SaaS tools.
  2. MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform offers a unified integration solution with pre-built connectors and API management capabilities. It streamlines workflows and ensures secure, scalable data exchanges across cloud and on-premises environments. Best for enterprise API management and complex integration architectures.
  3. Workato connects systems using easy-to-use recipes. It allows organizations to automate business workflows, synchronize data, and create complex integrations with little to no coding. Best for business teams that want to build automations without heavy developer involvement.
  4. Dell Boomi is a cloud-based integration platform with drag-and-drop interfaces and pre-built connectors for automating workflows and data synchronization. Best for organizations needing master data management alongside integration.
  5. Exalate is a flexible, cross-platform integration tool built specifically for bidirectional synchronization of work items, tickets, cases, and service requests across platforms. It also provides configurable field mappings and AI-assisted configuration through Aida, making it well-suited for cross-company integrations.
  6. Jitterbit enables real-time data exchange for automating business processes and workflows with robust transformation tools. It also provides a unified approach to managing system integrations across an organization. Best for organizations that need strong data transformation capabilities alongside integration.

What are the Benefits of Two-Way Sync?

1. Enhanced Collaboration

Two-way sync lets teams using different platforms stay aligned without switching tools. A development team in Jira and a support team in Zendesk can share work item updates, comments, and status changes automatically. Neither team has to leave their preferred tool, and both see the same information. 

This is especially valuable in cross-company scenarios where giving external partners direct access to your system isn’t feasible. Platforms with support for granular access controls, like those certified under ISO, help ensure that shared data stays within defined boundaries. You can verify an integration tool’s security posture through resources like Exalate’s Trust Center.

2. Improved Data Accuracy

Manual data entry between systems introduces typos, missed updates, and version conflicts. Two-way sync eliminates that by propagating changes automatically. 

When a support agent updates a ticket’s priority in Freshservice, the corresponding work item in Jira reflects that change without anyone copying it over. Everyone works with the most current information, which reduces the chance of decisions based on stale data.

3. Increased Efficiency

Duplicating information across systems is a time sink. Two-way sync removes that overhead by keeping multiple platforms updated simultaneously. Instead of a project manager spending 30 minutes each morning copying status updates from Azure DevOps into a Salesforce case, the sync handles it. 

That time goes back to actual project work. Over weeks and months, the cumulative time savings are significant, especially for teams managing dozens or hundreds of synced records.

4. Accurate Real-Time Updates

When you make a change in one system, it reflects in the connected system quickly (often within seconds, depending on the sync mechanism). This matters most in time-sensitive workflows. 

A severity-1 incident logged in ServiceNow that triggers an immediate work item in Jira means the engineering team sees the problem right away, not after the next scheduled batch run.

5. Better Scalability and Flexibility

As your business grows, you add new tools. A two-way sync solution that supports a broad range of connectors (Jira, ServiceNow, Freshdesk, Asana, GitHub, Salesforce, Azure DevOps, and others) lets you integrate new systems without rebuilding your sync architecture. 

Look for platforms that also offer custom connectors for proprietary or niche tools, so you’re not locked into a fixed set of supported systems.

6. Reduced Risk of Discrepancies and Errors

Every manual handoff between systems is a potential failure point. Two-way sync closes those gaps by ensuring every update made in one platform propagates across all connected systems. 

Combined with proper conflict resolution rules, this virtually eliminates the “which version is correct?” problem that plagues teams relying on spreadsheets, emails, or chat messages to keep each other informed.

Use Cases for Two-Way Sync

Companies wanting a two-way sync usually fall into two categories: connecting applications for internal teams, or connecting with external partners, suppliers, vendors, or customers.

Case 1: Support and Development Sync

Case: A SaaS company’s support team uses Jira Service Management (JSM) to handle customer tickets, while the engineering team works in GitHub. When a customer reports a bug, the support agent has to manually create a GitHub issue, then check back periodically for updates to relay back to the customer.

Solution: Exalate connects JSM to GitHub, automatically creating a linked item in GitHub when a support ticket meets escalation criteria (e.g., labeled “bug” and priority is “High”). Status changes, comments, and attachments sync bidirectionally, so the support agent sees engineering progress without leaving JSM.

Real-world application: Support response times improve because agents no longer wait for engineering to send manual updates. Engineers get full customer context in GitHub without joining a support tool. The customer gets faster resolution because the handoff between teams is instant.

Case 2: ITSM Integration

Case: A financial services company runs ServiceNow for IT service management, but different departments also use Freshservice and Jira for their specific workflows. Incident management, change management, and problem management processes are fragmented across these tools, making it hard to maintain end-to-end visibility.

Solution: With ITSM synchronization, Exalate connects ServiceNow, Freshservice, and Jira so that incidents, change requests, and related work items flow between systems based on defined rules. Each team continues working in their preferred tool while the sync engine keeps all platforms aligned.

Real-world application: An incident logged in ServiceNow that requires a code change automatically creates a work item in Jira. When the developer resolves the work item, the ServiceNow incident updates accordingly. The operations team gets a unified view across all ITSM tools without forcing teams onto a single platform.

Case 3: Sales and Marketing Collaboration

Case: A B2B technology company uses Salesforce for sales pipeline management and a separate marketing automation platform for campaigns. The marketing team runs targeted campaigns, but the sales team doesn’t see which prospects engaged with specific content. Meanwhile, sales feedback about lead quality never reaches the marketing team.

Solution: Two-way sync between Salesforce and the marketing platform ensures that campaign engagement data (email opens, webinar attendance, content downloads) flows into Salesforce contact records automatically. Sales feedback and lead disposition data sync back so marketing can refine targeting.

Real-world application: Sales reps see a prospect’s full engagement history before their first call, enabling more relevant conversations. Marketing gets a closed-loop view of which campaigns actually generate revenue, not just leads. Both teams work from the same data without duplicate entries.

Case 4: E-commerce Integration

Case: An online retailer manages inventory across multiple sales channels (website, marketplace, physical stores) using different systems. Price changes and stock levels updated in one channel don’t immediately reflect in others, leading to overselling and customer complaints.

Solution: Bidirectional sync between the e-commerce platform, inventory management system, and payment gateway keeps product information, pricing, and stock levels consistent across all channels in near real-time.

Real-world application: When a product sells out on the website, the marketplace listing updates within minutes, preventing overselling. Price adjustments made centrally propagate everywhere at once. The retailer builds customer trust through accurate product information and availability across every touchpoint.

Case 5: Timely Reporting and Visibility

Case: A professional services firm tracks projects in Asana but reports financials and utilization metrics in a separate system. Project managers spend hours each week manually compiling status updates for leadership dashboards.

Solution: Two-way sync between Asana and the reporting system consolidates project data automatically. Task completions, milestone updates, and resource allocations flow into the reporting platform without manual intervention. Leadership comments or priority changes in the reporting tool sync back to Asana.

Real-world application: Leadership sees real-time project status and resource utilization without waiting for weekly status meetings. Project managers reclaim hours previously spent on manual reporting, and discrepancies between “what’s in the project tool” and “what leadership sees” disappear.

Case 6: MSP Integration

Case: A managed services provider supports multiple clients, each using different ITSM tools. Client A uses Jira, Client B uses Freshservice, and Client C uses Zendesk. The MSP manages everything in a single ServiceNow instance but struggles to keep each client’s tickets synced with their respective systems.

Solution: Exalate connects the MSP’s ServiceNow to each client’s platform independently. Each connection has its own sync rules, so the MSP controls exactly what data they share with each client without exposing internal workflows or data from other clients.

Real-world application: When the MSP updates a ticket in ServiceNow, the corresponding record in the client’s system (whether Jira, Freshservice, or Zendesk) updates automatically. Clients see progress in their own tool without requesting access to the MSP’s internal system. The MSP scales to new clients by adding new connections rather than redesigning their sync architecture.

Case 7: Pre-Migration Sync

Case: Your company acquires a small agency that uses Jira, and you need to bring them into your existing Azure DevOps environment. A direct data migration would disrupt both teams’ workflows during the transition period.

Solution: Exalate establishes a temporary two-way sync between the agency’s Jira and your Azure DevOps. Both teams continue working in their current tools while all new and updated work items stay synchronized. When the team is ready, the final migration happens with minimal disruption because the data has been flowing in parallel.

Real-world application: The acquired team doesn’t lose productivity during the transition window. Your team gets visibility into the agency’s active work immediately, and when the full migration completes, there are no data gaps or lost context from the transition period.

Challenges of Setting Up a Two-Way Sync

Data Conflicts and Consistency

The biggest technical challenge in two-way sync is ensuring data changes propagate accurately without conflicts or discrepancies. When two users update the same record in different systems at the same time, the sync engine needs clear rules for which change wins. Without proper conflict resolution, you risk overwriting valid changes or creating duplicate records.

Unwanted Data Leakage

Teams today have information that’s more distributed than ever. Having the information they need within their own tool has immense benefits. But if a two-way sync is poorly configured, unwanted data can slip through. 

A support agent’s internal notes might accidentally sync to a customer-facing system, or sensitive financial data could reach a partner who shouldn’t see it. 

Stick with sending only the required data and make sure your sync security is airtight. Tools that support independent sync rules for each side of the connection, like Exalate, help reduce this risk because each organization controls its own outgoing and incoming data.

Legacy System Compatibility

Legacy systems are still very much a part of modern organizations. Older platforms may have limited APIs, outdated authentication methods, or rigid data structures that make bidirectional sync difficult. 

Implementing a sync between these diverse technology stacks often requires custom connectors or middleware that can bridge the gap between modern REST APIs and older integration protocols.

Scaling Complexity

A two-way sync between two systems is manageable. But as you add more systems, the complexity grows. Five systems with bidirectional connections between each pair means 10 distinct sync configurations to manage. 

Each new system added increases the potential for conflicts and requires careful mapping. Choose a sync platform that handles multiple connections without requiring you to rebuild from scratch each time.

Ongoing Maintenance

A two-way sync isn’t a “set it and forget it” setup. Systems update their APIs, new fields get added, workflows change, and teams grow. Your bidirectional synchronization requirements will shift over time. 

New field mappings might arise, or you might stop syncing existing fields. The integration tool you choose should make all of this easy to modify without downtime or re-implementation.

Despite all these challenges, if done properly, two-way sync can be a pleasant experience for your teams. With the right solution, think increased collaboration, reduced interdependency, and the data you need in the tool you use the most.

Best Practices for Two-Way Sync

1. Start with Clear Requirements

Before choosing a tool or writing a single sync rule, document exactly what needs to sync, in which direction, and under what conditions. Identify which fields map to which, which system is the source of truth for specific data types, and what should happen when conflicts arise. Skipping this step is the most common reason sync implementations stall or need rework.

2. Choose the Right Integration Tool

Select an integration tool that fits your current needs and can grow with you. Evaluate the range of supported connectors (does it cover Jira, ServiceNow, Freshservice, Azure DevOps, Salesforce, and other platforms your teams use?), the depth of field mapping customization, and whether it supports cross-company sync scenarios where each side controls their own data. 

AI-assisted configuration, like Exalate’s Aida, can reduce setup time significantly, especially for teams without dedicated integration engineers.

3. Sync Only What’s Needed

It’s tempting to sync everything, but over-syncing creates noise and increases the attack surface. Define the minimum data set required for each connection. 

A development team probably doesn’t need customer billing information, and a support team doesn’t need every commit message. Sending only relevant data keeps sync fast, reduces conflict potential, and aligns with data minimization principles for security and compliance.

4. Test Thoroughly

Before going live, test extensively in a sandbox environment. Verify that data syncs correctly in both directions, conflict resolution rules work as expected, and edge cases (empty fields, special characters, large attachments) don’t break the sync. This catches issues before they impact daily operations.

5. Monitor and Maintain

Regularly check on sync performance. Watch for errors, latency increases, or data mismatches. Most integration platforms provide error logs and notifications. Set up alerts so your team knows immediately when a sync fails rather than discovering it days later when someone notices outdated data.

6. Involve Stakeholders Early

Get input from all teams that will use the sync. The support team might need different fields than the engineering team. The compliance team might have data residency requirements. Involving stakeholders early prevents “we didn’t think of that” moments after the integration is already live.

Exalate: A Customizable Two-Way Synchronization Solution

Exalate supports one-way and two-way synchronization between Jira, Salesforce, Zendesk, ServiceNow, GitHub, Azure DevOps (Cloud and Server), Freshservice, Freshdesk, Asana, and more. 

It also supports custom connectors for proprietary platforms with available REST APIs, extending your integration reach beyond any single vendor’s ecosystem.

trouble shooting screen showing Aida diagnosis pop-up

Exalate uses a Groovy-based scripting engine that lets you configure your sync exactly as needed. Need to map Jira “Done” status to a ServiceNow “Resolved” state with a resolution note? That’s a few lines of scripting. Need to filter synced work items by label, priority, or custom field values? Straightforward to set up.

Exalate’s AI-assisted configuration, powered by Aida, lets you describe your sync requirements in plain language and generates the configuration for you. This takes into account your inputs, existing configuration, and Exalate’s scripting API. As with any AI-generated output, review everything before publishing changes.

What sets Exalate apart for cross-company sync is that each side of the connection manages its own sync rules independently. Your organization controls what data you send out and how you process incoming data, without needing to coordinate configurations with the other party. 

This makes it particularly well-suited for MSP integrations, vendor collaborations, and any scenario where organizations need to share data without sharing system access.

Conclusion

In today’s world of specialized tools, keeping everyone on the same page is a challenge. Two-way synchronization solves that by ensuring your data remains accurate and consistent across systems. By automating data sharing, teams can focus on strategic work rather than routine data entry.

Whether it’s sales, support, ITSM, or cross-company collaboration, two-way sync enhances teamwork, reduces errors, and empowers teams with real-time information.

Despite its challenges (conflict resolution, legacy system compatibility, and scaling complexity), the right two-way sync solution transforms how teams work together. The goal is simple: everyone has the data they need, in the tool they prefer, when they need it.

If you don’t enjoy setting up a sync yourself, you can always choose to offload it to us, and we’ll handle everything for you.

You can always learn more through our docs and academy, or you can simply ask Aida your questions. If you still don’t have an answer, feel free to book a call with our sync experts to discuss your use case.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is two-way synchronization in simple terms?

Two-way synchronization is a process where changes made in one system are automatically reflected in a connected system, and vice versa. If you update a work item in Jira, the linked ticket in ServiceNow updates too. If someone changes the ticket in ServiceNow, that change flows back to Jira. Both systems stay consistent without manual intervention.

What is the difference between one-way and two-way sync?

One-way sync pushes data in a single direction: from System A to System B. Changes in System B don’t flow back. Two-way sync maintains a bidirectional relationship where updates in either system propagate to the other. Two-way sync is ideal when both teams actively work on shared records and need to see each other’s changes.

How does Exalate handle conflict resolution in two-way sync?

Exalate gives each side of the connection independent control over sync rules. You define how incoming data is processed on your end, and the other party does the same on theirs. This means conflicts are handled at the configuration level: you decide which fields to accept, which to ignore, and how to transform incoming data before it writes to your system. For scenarios where both sides update the same field, you can set source-of-truth rules per field.

What platforms does Exalate support for two-way sync?

Exalate supports bidirectional synchronization between Jira, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Zendesk, GitHub, Azure DevOps (Cloud and Server), Freshservice, Freshdesk, Asana, and Jira Service Management. It also supports custom connectors for proprietary systems with available REST APIs, so you can integrate platforms that aren’t covered by pre-built connectors.

Can Exalate sync data between two different companies?

Yes. Cross-company sync is one of Exalate’s core strengths. Each organization independently controls what data they send and how they process incoming data. This means you can share work item updates with a partner, vendor, or customer without giving them access to your internal system, and without needing to coordinate sync configurations with them.

What is AI-assisted configuration in Exalate?

Exalate includes Aida, an AI scripting assistant that helps teams navigate setup and configuration. For sync rules, AI-assisted configuration lets you describe your requirements in plain language, and Aida generates the corresponding scripts. This speeds up implementation, especially for teams that are new to Exalate or need to configure complex field mappings quickly.

How secure is two-way sync with Exalate?

Exalate is ISO 27001:2022 certified, uses encrypted connections (TLS 1.2+), and supports role-based access controls. Each side of a connection controls its own data flow independently, which means no single point of failure exposes both systems. You can review Exalate’s full security posture, certifications, and compliance documentation at the Trust Center.

Can I use Exalate for a temporary sync during system migration?

Yes. Pre-migration sync is a common use case. You can set up a temporary bidirectional connection between the old and new systems so both teams continue working during the transition period. Once the migration is complete, you simply remove the connection. This avoids the “big bang” migration approach, where everyone has to switch tools at once.

What types of data can Exalate sync bidirectionally?

Exalate can sync work items, tickets, cases, service requests, comments, attachments, status changes, priority levels, custom fields, labels, and more. The specific fields available depend on the connected platforms and your configuration. You control exactly which data points sync and how they map between systems.

Recommended Reading:

The Future of Work: The Role of AI in Cross-company Integration

Exalate-AI-CCI-3990x2244

Traditional workplaces were characterized by physical offices, fixed working hours, and localized teams. 

Technology progressed and organizations became inclined towards digital transformation. Rigid hierarchical team structures became more dynamic and distributed. 

This digital age brought in a shift towards flexibility and connectivity, making the way for remote work environments.  

At the same time, businesses began to rely heavily on work management systems to handle daily activities, implement projects, and respond to customer needs. Teams using these systems, however, started becoming siloed.

As businesses become more specialized, these globally siloed teams using different systems wanted to find a way to collaborate effectively. They were also seeking the same efficiency levels they had in traditional workplaces without hampering team dynamics. 

Their focus was on finding an automatic mechanism for exchanging the required information everyone needed. 

Integration was an answer to this quest. 

This integration began by connecting teams within different departments. And then as the demand grew, companies realized they could extend the benefits of their internal integrations to their partnerships with other companies. 

Cross-company integration came into the picture! 

The Rise of Cross-company Integration

Cross-company integration (CCI) is connecting diverse systems across multiple companies. 

This concept isn’t merely about linking different systems but involves a comprehensive approach to connecting remote teams, establishing clear processes between them, and using technology to aid communication across organizational boundaries. 

It involves exchanging information based on the requirements of various stakeholders, ensuring tasks created in one system can be efficiently addressed in another.

Given the complexities and costs associated with building and maintaining CCI, many companies started to turn toward third-party integration providers. 

These vendors specialize in creating, configuring, maintaining, and scaling integrations, offering a more manageable and secure solution. 

Building a Worldwide Network of Connected Companies

Exalate started off as one such integration provider that allowed teams to connect with each other in a peer-to-peer fashion, meaning one entity connecting to a single other entity. 

Entity in this case can be a company, a department, two different teams, or the same team working on different projects. 

Within a few years, we saw a growth in companies wanting to connect to multiple other companies either establishing a one-to-many, many-to-one, or many-to-many relationship, while having the freedom to orchestrate their integration the way they want. Security was always a top priority. 

We realized the more the number of connections these companies form with their partners, suppliers, customers, or vendors, the more value their integration brings. 

It also enhances the trust, empathy, and transparency in their relationships forming a stronger and more ever-lasting bond.

Building upon this concept, we shaped the vision at Exalate. 

We aim to build a worldwide network of connected companies, where organizational boundaries blur and communication lines grow stronger. 

But there’s more to it than simply a vision. 

The Future of Work: Collaboration Beyond Boundaries

Cross-company integration built across a worldwide network aims to redefine the way work is meant to happen. 

It streamlines communication across organizations at the push of a button. 

It aims to align modern collaborations with modern integration demands like distributed, agile, loosely coupled, secure, and scalable integration. 

It allows companies to extend their workflows and collaborate efficiently with external teams, mirroring internal team dynamics. 

The future of work is driven by the need for efficiency, innovation, and the ability to respond swiftly to market changes. 

The integration market has changed significantly with low-code approaches, pre-built connectors for common applications, and templates for typical scenarios. 

The Artificial intelligence (AI) boom over the past few years is a force to drive this market even further by allowing people-focused values to be at the forefront. 

When integration is combined with the power of AI, it changes the equation at workplaces even further. 

The Role of AI in Cross-Company Integration

So what transformative role does AI play in facilitating cross-company integration? 

McKinsey reports that AI adoption is accelerating rapidly, with the potential to significantly impact global GDP. By 2030, approximately 70% of companies might adopt some form of AI technology, compared to about 33% today. The report also emphasizes the competitive advantage for early adopters, who could see substantial increases in productivity and profitability.

Traditionally, users set up their integrations with the help of technical resources or from the software vendors themselves. For easy-to-implement scenarios, they use predefined templates. However, for complex scenarios, a lot of back and forth is required to set up a working integration. 

AI-assisted integration makes this simpler. It converts natural language commands into low-code integration scripts or templates that you can directly apply to your connection.

Let’s delve into the specifics. 

AI can help cross-company integration in the following ways: 

  • Providing a means to gather explicit integration requirements from all the involved stakeholders
  • Crafting specified integrations between systems with simple or natural language user prompts
  • Ensuring the security of the integration is maintained based on the requirements of all companies
  • Identifying templates for use cases
  • Enabling a 360-degree view of how the integrated environment looks like
  • Coupling it with advanced monitoring, reporting, and analysis to ensure the integration is reaping the benefits envisioned initially
  • Giving cool insights on how integrations could evolve or scale 
  • Aiding self-starters via integration templates that can be reused to build DIY connections

Benefits of AI-based Integration 

AI-assisted integration offers numerous benefits, transforming how businesses handle data and processes. Here are some key advantages:

Improved Accuracy

AI minimizes human errors in integration. With machine learning algorithms, the system can learn from past mistakes and continuously improve, ensuring data integrity and reliability.

Scalability

AI-assisted integration can handle increasing amounts of data and complexity without requiring a proportional increase in resources. This scalability is important for growing businesses and those experiencing fluctuating data volumes.

Cost Reduction

Automation through AI reduces the need for extensive manual labor and the associated costs. Moreover, AI systems can operate 24/7, providing continuous integration services without additional labor costs.

Predictive Maintenance

AI can predict potential issues in the integration process before they occur, allowing proactive maintenance and reducing downtime. This predictive capability ensures smoother operations and minimizes disruptions.

Intelligent Insights

By analyzing integrated data, AI can uncover hidden patterns and insights that might be missed by human analysis. These insights can drive strategic decision-making and uncover new business opportunities.

Flexibility and Adaptability

AI systems can adapt to changes in business processes and data structures more quickly than traditional integration methods. This flexibility ensures that integrations remain relevant and effective even as business needs evolve.

Challenges in AI-assisted Integration

However, even though AI seems to be a lucrative proposal, it’s important to understand the challenges it brings along. 

  • Translating information between custom systems and developing a common language for seamless communication
  • Creating standards similar to HTTP
  • Gathering data and ensuring it’s accurate and consistent 
  • Ensuring clear and accurate information exchange paths 
  • Avoiding biased outcomes or AI hallucinations
  • Ensuring integration security 
  • Connecting and including legacy systems in AI endeavors

The transition to smart integration with AI technology is not easy. It includes rethinking your entire integration strategy and staying ahead in a competitive data-driven world. 

Conclusion: Shaping the Future Together

As workplaces evolve from traditional settings to dynamic, distributed teams, there is a need for flawless collaboration across company boundaries. 

The future of work is intertwined with AI-driven cross-company integration. AI simplifies integration by converting natural language commands into actionable scripts, improving accuracy, scalability, and cost efficiency. 

The benefits of AI-assisted integration are clear: smarter workflows, predictive maintenance, and insightful analytics. 

Incorporating AI in your integration effort not only optimizes operations but also sets the stage for a more connected and agile business workplace.

Recommended Reading:

Integration Security: Key Measures and Best Practices for Enterprises

Integration-Security-1300x731

Integrations ensure that daily operations across multiple business units and platforms are seamless and accurate. When those integrations span multiple enterprises—think partners, MSPs, vendors, or suppliers—the complexity, criticality, and volume of exchanged data all increase.

But here’s what often gets overlooked: integration points are also attack surfaces. Every connection between two systems is a potential entry point for data breaches, unauthorized access, or compliance violations. And the more integrations you add, the larger your exposure becomes.

This article breaks down what integration security actually looks like in practice, what to prioritize when evaluating solutions, and how to build a security-first approach that scales with your enterprise.

Key Takeaways

  • Integration security isn’t just about encryption; it involves authentication, access control, compliance, and continuous monitoring working together.
  • Cross-company integrations introduce unique risks because you’re exchanging data across organizational boundaries with different security postures.
  • API security, zero trust principles, and data governance frameworks are now table stakes for enterprise integrations.
  • Real-world integration security requires balancing protection with performance; overly restrictive controls can break the workflows that integrations are supposed to streamline.
  • Choosing an integration platform with built-in security controls saves significant time compared to bolting security onto an existing setup.

What is Integration Security?

Integration security refers to the combination of protocols, practices, and technologies that protect data as it moves between connected systems. It covers everything from how data is encrypted during transfer to who can access it, how authentication works between systems, and what happens when something goes wrong.

In practical terms, integration security answers these questions: Who can initiate a sync? What data gets shared? How is that data protected in transit and at rest? What happens if an unauthorized party tries to intercept or modify the data? And how do you prove compliance when regulators come asking?

For single-organization integrations—say, connecting your Jira Cloud instance to ServiceNow internally—the security considerations are fairly standard. You’re managing access controls, encryption, and monitoring within your own environment.

But cross-company integrations are a different story. When you’re syncing data between your ITSM platform and a partner’s development tool, or sharing customer records between your CRM and an MSP’s ticketing system, you’re dealing with two separate security postures, two sets of compliance requirements, and often two very different levels of security maturity.

Why Integration Security Matters More Than Ever

The average enterprise now runs over 1,000 applications. Each integration between those applications creates a data pathway that needs protection. Here’s why this is becoming increasingly critical:

Expanding Attack Surfaces

Every integration endpoint is a potential vulnerability. APIs, webhooks, sync agents—each one needs authentication, authorization, and encryption. As organizations add more connections across platforms like Jira, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Azure DevOps, Freshservice, Freshdesk, Zendesk, and Asana, the number of endpoints to secure multiplies.

The risk isn’t theoretical. API-based attacks increased significantly over recent years, with misconfigured integrations being one of the most common entry points. Attackers specifically target integration points because they often have elevated permissions and access to data across multiple systems.

Regulatory Pressure Keeps Growing

Data protection regulations don’t just apply to your primary systems. They apply everywhere your data flows, including through integrations. If a customer’s health records move from your EHR system to a partner’s service desk through an integration, that entire data pathway falls under HIPAA.

Non-compliance isn’t just about fines (though those can reach millions). It’s about operational disruption when regulators require you to shut down non-compliant data flows, and reputational damage that takes years to recover from.

Cross-Company Data Exchange is the Norm

Integration is no longer just an internal IT concern. Organizations routinely share data with partners, vendors, MSPs, and customers. These cross-company integrations introduce risks that internal integrations don’t face: different security standards, different compliance requirements, and limited visibility into the other party’s security practices.

When a managed service provider connects to your ServiceNow instance to manage tickets, you need confidence that the integration itself isn’t creating a backdoor into your environment.

Business Continuity Dependencies

Modern workflows depend on integrations functioning correctly and securely. When a security incident disrupts an integration—whether it’s a compromised API key, a man-in-the-middle attack, or a misconfigured access control—it doesn’t just affect the integration. It can cascade through dependent processes, affecting teams that may not even know they rely on that data flow.

Common Integration Security Threats

Understanding the specific threats helps you evaluate whether an integration solution actually addresses them or just checks boxes on a marketing page.

API Vulnerabilities

Most modern integrations rely on APIs. Common API security gaps include broken authentication (weak or improperly implemented token validation), excessive data exposure (APIs returning more data than the integration actually needs), and insufficient rate limiting (making APIs vulnerable to brute force attacks).

An integration platform should enforce strict API security by default, not leave it to you to configure correctly.

Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks

Data in transit between systems is vulnerable to interception if encryption isn’t properly implemented. This is especially relevant for cross-company integrations where data travels over public networks. TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3 encryption should be non-negotiable for any integration handling sensitive data.

Credential Compromise

Integration connections require authentication credentials—API keys, OAuth tokens, service account passwords. If these credentials are compromised (through phishing, code repository leaks, or insider threats), attackers gain the same access the integration has, which is often broad.

Look for platforms that use short-lived tokens (JWT), support OAuth 2.0, and allow credential rotation without disrupting active integrations.

Privilege Escalation

Integrations often require elevated permissions to read and write data across systems. If access controls aren’t granular enough, an integration might have permissions far beyond what it actually needs. This violates the principle of least privilege and creates unnecessary risk.

Data Leakage Through Misconfiguration

One of the most common and preventable security issues is simply configuring an integration to share more data than intended. Without clear controls over what data gets synced and where, sensitive information can end up in systems where it shouldn’t be.

This is where independent sync control matters. Each side of an integration should be able to define exactly what data it sends and receives, without depending on the other party’s configuration.

Essential Security Controls for Enterprise Integrations

When evaluating integration solutions, these are the security controls that actually matter—not as a checklist, but as operational capabilities:

Encryption (In Transit and At Rest)

This is the baseline. All data moving between systems should use TLS 1.2 or TLS 1.3 encryption. Data stored temporarily during sync processing should be encrypted at rest. Ask vendors specifically about their encryption implementation—”we use encryption” isn’t enough. What protocols? What key management practices? Who has access to decryption keys?

Authentication and Authorization

Strong authentication between integrated systems prevents unauthorized connections. This means OAuth 2.0 or JWT-based authentication rather than static API keys, role-based access controls (RBAC) that limit what each integration connection can access, and multi-factor authentication (MFA) for administrative access to integration configurations.

Data Governance and Minimization

Integration platforms should let you control exactly what data gets synchronized. This means configurable field mappings, the ability to exclude sensitive fields from sync, and data transformation capabilities that can mask or anonymize information before it leaves your environment. You should never be forced to share your entire dataset just because two systems are connected.

Monitoring and Alerting

Passive security isn’t enough. Integration platforms should provide real-time monitoring of sync activity, alerting on anomalies (unusual data volumes, unexpected access patterns, failed authentication attempts), and logging that supports forensic analysis if something goes wrong. Look for platforms that maintain 24/7 monitoring.

Zero Trust Principles in Integration Security

Zero trust isn’t just a network security concept; it applies directly to integrations. The core idea: never trust, always verify.

Applied to integrations, zero trust means every sync request is authenticated and authorized, regardless of where it originates. Connections aren’t trusted just because they were configured by an admin last year. Access is continuously verified, and permissions are regularly reviewed. Each integration connection has the minimum permissions necessary to function, nothing more.

This approach is particularly important for cross-company integrations, where you can’t make assumptions about the other party’s internal security. Even if a partner’s network is compromised, zero-trust controls at the integration layer limit the blast radius.

Integration Security for Cross-Company Scenarios

Cross-company integrations introduce unique security challenges that require specific architectural decisions:

Independent Control Per Organization

Both parties in a cross-company integration need independent control over their sync configuration. Organization A should be able to define exactly what data they share without requiring Organization B to configure it, and vice versa. This prevents one organization’s security lapse from exposing the other’s data.

At Exalate, each side of an integration connection operates independently. Each organization controls their own sync rules, field mappings, and data filters. This means a misconfiguration on one side doesn’t automatically expose data from the other.

Data Residency and Sovereignty

For organizations operating across multiple jurisdictions, where data is processed and stored matters. Integration solutions should offer flexibility in deployment—cloud, on-premise, or containerized (Docker)—so organizations can meet data residency requirements without sacrificing integration capabilities.

This is especially critical for regulated industries. A European healthcare organization syncing patient data with an American partner needs to ensure that integration processing respects GDPR data residency rules.

Secure Connection Establishment

The process of establishing a new integration connection should itself be secure. This means mutual authentication between connecting organizations, encrypted invitation mechanisms, and verification steps that prevent unauthorized parties from establishing connections.

Practical Use Cases: Integration Security in Action

Financial Services Partner Integration

Case: A fintech company integrates its Jira Cloud environment with a banking partner’s ServiceNow instance to collaborate on regulatory compliance work items. Both organizations need to share progress updates without exposing proprietary development details.

Solution: Independent sync rules on each side ensure the fintech shares only compliance-related work item statuses and comments, while internal development notes, code references, and sprint planning data stay within their Jira environment. JWT-based authentication secures the connection, and token rotation occurs automatically.

Real-world application: Compliance teams at both organizations track shared regulatory deliverables in real time. The bank sees status updates and relevant notes in ServiceNow without ever accessing the fintech’s Jira instance directly. No manual status emails, no spreadsheet tracking, no security gaps.

MSP Multi-Client Management

Case: An MSP manages IT services for 15 clients, each using different platforms, some on Freshservice, others on Zendesk, and several on ServiceNow. The MSP needs to integrate with each client’s environment without creating cross-client data exposure.

Solution: Each client integration operates as an isolated connection with its own authentication credentials, sync rules, and data filters. The MSP’s central system receives only the data each client has approved for sharing. No client’s data can leak to another client’s workspace through the integration layer.

Real-world application: The MSP resolves a critical incident for Client A in Freshservice, and the status update syncs to Client A’s internal system automatically. Client B’s Zendesk environment is completely unaffected and isolated, even though both integrations run through the same MSP platform.

Development-to-Operations Handoff

Case: A software company uses Azure DevOps for development and Freshdesk for customer support. When customers report bugs, support needs to escalate them to development and track resolution without giving the support team direct access to the development environment.

Solution: Integration connects Freshdesk tickets to Azure DevOps work items with controlled field mapping. Support teams see resolution status and developer comments relevant to the customer, but internal technical discussions, code diffs, and sprint assignments remain in Azure DevOps. The integration uses AI-assisted configuration to set up the appropriate field mappings and sync rules without requiring manual scripting.

Real-world application: A customer reports a bug in Freshdesk. The ticket automatically creates a corresponding work item in Azure DevOps. As developers investigate and fix the issue, the customer-facing status updates sync back to Freshdesk so the support agent can keep the customer informed, all without any copy- pasting between systems.

How Exalate Approaches Integration Security

At Exalate, integration security is built into the platform architecture.

Exalate holds ISO 27001:2022 certification, which means our information security management system is continuously audited against international standards. But certifications only tell part of the story.

Here’s what that looks like operationally: All data in transit is encrypted using TLS 1.2/1.3. Authentication between connected instances uses JWT tokens with automatic rotation. Role-based access controls govern who can create, modify, or delete integration connections. A 24/7 security operations center monitors for threats continuously.

For cross-company integrations, each organization maintains independent control over its sync configuration. Your sync rules, field mappings, and data filters are yours so the other party can’t override them. This ensures that even if a partner’s environment is compromised, your data exposure is limited to exactly what you’ve configured to share.

Exalate supports connections across Jira Cloud, ServiceNow, Zendesk, Salesforce, Azure DevOps (Server and Service), Freshservice, Freshdesk, GitHub, Asana, and custom REST API connectors. 

AI-assisted configuration through Aida helps teams set up secure integrations faster by guiding configuration decisions and reducing the risk of misconfiguration.

Deployment flexibility means you can run Exalate in the cloud (fully managed), on-premise (self-hosted), or in Docker containers, matching your data residency and sovereignty requirements without compromising integration capabilities.

Visit our Trust Center for full details on Exalate’s security posture, certifications, and compliance documentation.

How to Evaluate Integration Security Before You Buy

Not all integration platforms treat security equally. Here’s a practical framework for evaluating vendors beyond their marketing claims:

Ask About Architecture, Not Just Features

A vendor might list “encryption” on their website, but that doesn’t tell you whether they encrypt data at rest, how they manage encryption keys, or what happens if a key is compromised. Ask specific questions: What encryption protocols do you use? How are API credentials stored? What’s your key rotation policy?

Review Compliance Documentation

Request ISO certificates directly. Check when they were issued. Look for vendors that publish security documentation transparently, like through a publicly accessible trust center.

Test Access Controls

During proof-of-concept evaluations, test whether the platform actually enforces the access controls it claims. Can you restrict specific fields from syncing? Can you set up granular permissions for different team members? Does RBAC actually work at the connection level, or just at the platform level?

Evaluate Cross-Company Controls

If you need cross-company integrations, verify that each organization has independent control. A platform that requires shared admin access or gives one party visibility into the other’s configuration creates unnecessary risk.

Check Incident Response Capabilities

Ask vendors about their incident response plan. How quickly do they notify customers of security incidents? What’s their process for patching vulnerabilities? Do they have a bug bounty program? Vendors that are transparent about their incident response process are generally more trustworthy than those who claim they “never have security issues.”

Conclusion

Integration security is a continuous practice that should be embedded in how you select, configure, and maintain every connection between systems. 

As enterprise integration landscapes grow more complex, with cross-company data exchange becoming standard, the gap between organizations that treat security as foundational and those that treat it as an afterthought will only widen.

The right integration solution should make security easier, not harder. It should give you encryption by default, granular access controls, independent configuration for cross-company scenarios, and compliance certifications that hold up under scrutiny.

Exalate provides enterprise-grade integration solutions built on these principles. Book a demo to see how it works for your specific use case.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is integration security?

Integration security is the set of protocols, practices, and technologies that protect data as it moves between connected systems. It covers encryption, authentication, access controls, data governance, monitoring, and compliance, essentially everything needed to ensure data exchanges between platforms remain secure, authorized, and auditable. For enterprise environments connecting tools like Jira, ServiceNow, or Salesforce, integration security ensures that the convenience of automation doesn’t come at the cost of data protection.

What certifications should an integration platform have?

ISO 27001 confirms the vendor has a systematic information security management system. For industry-specific needs, verify that the platform supports compliance with GDPR, depending on your regulatory environment.

How does Exalate handle cross-company integration security?

Exalate gives each organization in a cross-company integration independent control over their sync configuration. Each side defines what data they send and receive through their own sync rules and field mappings; the other party can’t override or access these settings. Authentication uses JWT tokens with automatic rotation, and all data moves over TLS 1.2/1.3 encryption. This architecture means that even if a partner’s environment is compromised, your data exposure is limited to exactly what you’ve configured to share. 

What platforms does Exalate support?

Exalate connects Jira Cloud, ServiceNow, Zendesk, Salesforce, Azure DevOps (both Server and Service), Freshservice, Freshdesk, GitHub, and Asana. For systems not on that list, Exalate supports custom REST API connectors, extending integration capabilities to proprietary platforms and niche tools. Each connector applies the same security controls—encryption, RBAC, JWT authentication, regardless of the connected platform.

Can I control exactly what data syncs through an integration?

Yes, this is a critical integration security capability. Exalate allows granular field-level control over what data gets synchronized. You can sync work item statuses and comments while excluding internal notes, financial information, or personally identifiable data. You can also apply data transformations that modify or anonymize information before it leaves your environment. This supports data minimization principles and regulatory compliance.

How does AI-assisted configuration improve integration security?

Exalate’s AI-assisted tools help reduce security risks by guiding configuration decisions. Instead of manually scripting sync rules where a typo could expose unintended data, Aida helps you understand what each configuration option does and how it affects data flow. This reduces misconfiguration errors, which are one of the most common causes of integration security incidents.

What deployment options does Exalate offer for data residency compliance?

Exalate offers cloud (fully managed), on-premise (self-hosted), and Docker (containerized) deployment options. This flexibility is essential for organizations with strict data residency requirements, such as European organizations that need to keep data processing within the EU for GDPR compliance, or government agencies operating air-gapped environments. Hybrid configurations are also supported, where some integration nodes run in the cloud and others on-premises.

How do I evaluate an integration platform’s security before purchasing?

Review their trust center or security documentation for specifics on encryption protocols, authentication mechanisms, and access controls. During proof-of-concept testing, verify that access controls actually work at the field level. For cross-company use cases, confirm that each organization has independent configuration control. Ask about their incident response plan, vulnerability management process, and security monitoring capabilities. Vendors that are transparent about security details are generally more trustworthy.

What happens to my data if an integration connection is compromised?

A well-architected integration platform limits blast radius. With Exalate, each connection is independently authenticated and authorized, so a compromise in one connection doesn’t affect others. JWT tokens expire automatically and can be rotated without downtime. Independent sync controls mean only the data you’ve explicitly configured to share is at risk, not your entire dataset. Exalate monitors for anomalies and can respond to threats in real time. Your incident response should include revoking compromised connection credentials, reviewing sync logs, and re-establishing the connection with fresh authentication.

Recommended Reading:

Transforming Business Dynamics: The Power of Cross-Company Integration with Exalate

Cross-company integration

In today’s business environment, there’s an increasing reliance on work management systems for daily operations like project implementation, customer support, and more. 

This is a result of organizations demanding specialization in every business aspect, leading to a gamut of such systems. Teams using these best-in-class systems may not always operate within the same organization or location. And when they pull their shoulders under a joint business initiative, they need effective and streamlined collaborations. 

Thus, it’s vital to extend the efficiencies of a unified team and system to other collaborating teams through integration. 

This necessity gives rise to the concept of cross-company integration (CCI). 

Cross-company integration is connecting diverse systems across companies and finding common ground for information exchange. This information is exchanged based on the requirements of multiple stakeholders. 

Essentially, cross-company integration involves system integration, integrating people and processes along the way! 

Sometimes, the integration focuses on connecting internal teams within a single organization or belonging to the same legal entity. This is what we call a classic example of intra-company integration. 

Intra and cross-company integration both effectively help systems communicate and exchange information with one another, only the complexities of a CCI are different in nature. 

The Business Case for Cross-Company Integration

The necessity for cross-company integration has long been apparent. It’s driven by the desire of teams from various organizations to collaborate efficiently and employ task management systems for joint projects. 

However, the intricacies of cross-company integration render it a daunting challenge. 

Companies on this journey recognize that integration is just the beginning; the real test lies in its maintenance. They understand the importance of sustaining efficiency levels post-integration, which often entails going above and beyond initial efforts.

Cross-company integration (CCI) presents a compelling business case, yielding tangible benefits across various fronts. 

  • Firstly, it fosters substantial cost savings by automating processes and reducing redundancies, thereby optimizing resource allocation. 
  • Secondly, CCI enhances operational efficiency by connecting disparate systems and workflows, facilitating smoother data exchange, and accelerating decision-making processes. 
  • Moreover, it promotes enhanced collaboration among teams and stakeholders, breaking down silos and fostering a cohesive environment conducive to innovation and growth. 


By leveraging cross-company integration, businesses not only improve their bottom line but also position themselves competitively in a rapidly evolving market, where agility and collaboration are paramount for sustained success.

Exalate’s Visionary Approach to Cross-Company Integration

At Exalate, we recognize that cross-company integration is not a one-time setup but an ongoing investment. It’s not something you set up today and forget the next day. 

Exalate’s CEO Francis Martens, brings his own personality to cross-company integration. His journey from a product developer to a co-founder has shaped the visionary perspective of CCI and has become a pivotal force at Exalate. 

Our commitment to CCI extends beyond its implementation; it’s about incorporating and optimizing integration strategies to drive sustained growth. 

Thorough preparation is important for integration initiatives, including requirements gathering, ensuring it aligns with business strategy, and assessing the potential impact on existing processes. 

A well-implemented cross-company integration project harmonizes external collaborations with internal team dynamics, creating a cohesive operational environment that boosts productivity and fosters a culture of innovation and adaptability. 

Organizations considering CCI adoption should prioritize environments with high volumes of repetitive tasks within process-oriented frameworks. These environments offer fertile ground for integrating disparate entities and driving shared objectives forward. 

Real-World Examples of Cross-company Integration

Witnessing the potential of cross-company integration through real-world examples brings forth its tangible benefits. 

Francis has encountered a lot of success stories, showcasing how businesses have used CCI to integrate their operations with partners, suppliers, and clients, fostering a new paradigm of collaboration and efficiency. 

From multinational corporations to agile startups, these examples demonstrate how cross-company integration can help orchestrate workflows, enhance communication, and accelerate project delivery. 

For instance, WirelessCar, an innovative player in the field of connected digital services leverages CCI to streamline its collaboration with leading automotive brands. Similarly, one of Turkey’s biggest insurance company embraced CCI to promote real-time and seamless synchronization with its suppliers. Again, DPG Media uses CCI to consolidate workflows and teams while navigating hypergrowth. 

These success stories are living proof of how cross-company integration can evolve organizational agility, innovation, and sustainable growth.

Addressing Cross-company Integration Challenges

Despite the obvious advantages of cross-company integration, many companies struggle with its setup and upkeep, essentially due to its inherent complexity. 

Integration Set Up and Maintenance

For many companies, implementing and maintaining the integration is a tall order. 

In this context, the challenge is significant as businesses undergo constant changes every single day. Interpretations and approaches to handling tasks evolve, processes, or infrastructure changes. 

These factors directly impact the investment made in integration in addition to its maintenance. So, it’s important to define integration requirements early on, be involved in the planning, configure the requirements with changing needs, and actively monitor its usage. 

Operational Discrepancies

Often, companies that operate on numerous defined processes diverge significantly from what their processes indicate. 

If such companies want to integrate with other companies, they are forced to implement workflows they might not be following or deal with unforeseen events. 

Francis faced a situation where two companies, collaborating for seven years, discovered unexpected problems while setting up their integration. One specific issue was the lack of a clear definition for reopening a task they intended to exchange. Without an integrated process definition, confusion arose, and team responses varied. 

An integration in such a setup will only be practical if the processes are effectively followed, resulting in end-to-end process automation, and predictable results.  

Integration Security

Companies prioritize the security of their integration and with good reason. Cross-company integrations, in particular, involve high-level security requirements.

To address this challenge, it is advisable to minimize the exchange of information. Restricting data exchange independently at the endpoints of the integrating systems will ensure only the required data is shared. 

Also, if appropriate safety measures are in place, integration security can be effectively achieved. 

The Future of Collaboration

The current outlook on collaboration is evolving, driven by technological advances and growing interconnectedness. Cross-company integration emerges not merely as a solution but as a catalyst for cultivating a network of connected companies. 

Traditional paradigms are giving way to agile, interconnected networks, where companies integrate their operations, systems, and processes to achieve collective goals. 

The transformation towards a worldwide network of connected companies then becomes a reality, where organizations effortlessly collaborate with partners, suppliers, and clients, leveraging standardized protocols and shared infrastructure to drive efficiency and innovation. 

The advent of technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) further pushes this transformation through automated integration assistance, predictive analytics, and much more. 

Yet, when surrounded by this technological revolution, it’s important to ensure human-centric values remain at the forefront. Through these values, it’s possible to guide the ethical and equitable deployment of technology and make sure collaboration serves the greater good. 

As we navigate this future, it becomes essential to cultivate a culture of collaboration, set apart by trust, transparency, and empathy, where diverse perspectives are celebrated, and collective success is prioritized over individual gain.

Recommended Reading:

10 Best ServiceNow Integrationhub Alternatives for Enterprise Integration (2026)

BI-Alternatives_-04

ServiceNow is a versatile digital transformation platform widely used for its customization capabilities. This extends to ServiceNow’s IntegrationHub, a popular choice for businesses seeking to integrate ServiceNow with work management systems like Jira, Salesforce, Azure DevOps, and others.

As the demand for integration solutions grows, so does the need for alternatives that offer comparable features with greater flexibility, better pricing, or specialized capabilities for scenarios that IntegrationHub doesn’t handle well.

This guide explores the most valuable IntegrationHub alternatives, helping you find the right fit based on your specific integration requirements, whether that’s bi-directional sync, cross-company collaboration, or complex ITSM workflows.

Quick Comparison: IntegrationHub Alternatives at a Glance

ToolBest ForBi-Directional SyncReal-TimePricing Model
ExalateComplex intra and cross-company integrations with full control✅ Native (script-based)✅ YesPer active items in sync
BoomiEnterprise data orchestration⚠️ Configurable (requires custom dev)❌ No (batch/polling 5-60 min)Per connector, quote-based
MuleSoftAPI-first enterprises⚠️ Requires API development⚠️ Near real-timePer vCore/API, quote-based
ZigiOpsNo-code ITSM integrations✅ Native✅ YesPer integration
ONEiOManaged integration service✅ Native✅ Yes (24/7)Subscription (€99+/mo)
WorkatoWorkflow automation⚠️ Via separate recipes (not native)❌ No (task-based delays)Per task, quote-based
UnitoMid-size teams needing 2-way sync✅ Native✅ YesSubscription

Why Teams Look for IntegrationHub Alternatives

IntegrationHub allows you to execute third-party APIs as a part of a flow when a specific event occurs. An event can be as simple as a high-priority incident. It calls these integrations “spokes,” which are easy to configure and allow you to perform various actions without writing code. For instance, you can use the Jira spoke to connect Jira with ServiceNow.

ServiceNow’s IntegrationHub has around 180+ spokes that allow integrations with apps like Slack, Microsoft Teams, GitHub, Miro, monday.com, and more. Additionally, it has an eBonding spoke that connects two ServiceNow instances without requiring a separate IntegrationHub subscription.

IntegrationHub works well when you need:

  • Simple outbound integrations from ServiceNow
  • Pre-built spokes for common applications
  • Low-code integration within the ServiceNow ecosystem
  • One-way data flows triggered by ServiceNow events

IntegrationHub falls short when you need:

  • Bi-directional sync: IntegrationHub is primarily designed for outbound integrations. Setting up a fully functional, ongoing two-way sync requires significant custom development.
  • Cross-company integration: ServiceNow controls the integration, which doesn’t work for organizations needing secure integrations with external partners where both sides need independent control.
  • Non-ServiceNow connections: If you need to connect systems like Jira Service Management to Zendesk, you cannot use IntegrationHub spokes since one side must always be ServiceNow.
  • Advanced use cases: Out-of-the-box capability is limited. Custom code development for advanced sync becomes lengthy and difficult to maintain.
  • Cost-effective scaling: Spokes are bundled in subscription packages, and pricing is limited by transaction counts that can be quickly exhausted.
  • Clear troubleshooting: Error messages lack context, making diagnosis difficult.

In my experience, people looking at IntegrationHub alternatives often lean towards platforms that offer either no-code simplicity or script-based flexibility for complex scenarios. ServiceNow users tend to be technical and recognize what simple code can offer integrations.

IntegrationHub Alternatives

1. Exalate

Exalate is a bi-directional integration platform designed for complex sync scenarios, particularly cross-company integrations where both parties need independent control over their data flow.

What makes Exalate different:

Unlike IntegrationHub’s spoke-based approach, Exalate uses a Groovy-based scripting engine that handles everything from basic field mapping to advanced transformation logic. The platform gives each side of an integration full operational control over what data they send and receive, making it ideal for partner integrations, MSP relationships, and M&A scenarios.

Key Features:

  • Unified console: Manage all integrations from a single interface, with network visualization showing how your systems interconnect
  • AI-assisted configuration (Aida): Describe what you want to sync in plain language, and Aida generates the Groovy scripts. Aida also helps troubleshoot sync errors with context-aware suggestions
  • Test Run: Safely test your sync scripts before deploying to production, reducing the risk of errors affecting live data
  • Script versioning: Track changes to your sync rules with version history and rollback capability
  • Integrated retry mechanism: Handles downtimes automatically and resumes sync from the point of interruption

Supported Connectors:

Jira Cloud, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Azure DevOps (Cloud and Server), Zendesk, GitHub, Freshdesk, Freshservice, Asana, plus early-access connectors including Xurrent, TOPdesk, Ivanti, HaloITSM, SolarWinds, and ConnectWise. You can also request custom connectors here.

Security:

Exalate is ISO 27001:2022 certified. The platform uses state-of-the-art authentication frameworks (API keys, OAuth, PAT) and doesn’t require system credentials for integration management access. Data is encrypted both in transit and at rest. Visit the Exalate Trust Center for full security documentation.

Exalate Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Rapid integration setup with granular control over data exchange
  • Flexible enough to implement virtually any sync scenario
  • AI-assisted configuration reduces the scripting learning curve
  • Extensive documentation, community, and video resources
  • Worldwide support team
  • Full operational control is maintained on each side of the integration

Cons:

  • Can have a moderate learning curve for advanced scenarios
  • The notification system has room for improvement

Pricing:

Exalate uses outcome-based pricing: you pay based on how many work items you’re actively syncing between systems. You can choose a different plan for each integration you create.

For example, if you’re syncing 50 work items between Jira and ServiceNow, you pay for those 50 items regardless of how many updates occur or how many users interact with them.

Use the Exalate pricing calculator to estimate costs for your specific setup.

Best for: Organizations needing bi-directional sync with operational control, cross-company integrations, MSP/partner collaboration, and complex ITSM workflows.

Not for: Teams needing only simple one-way automations where IntegrationHub spokes suffice.

Start a free Exalate trial

2. Boomi

Boomi is an integration platform as a service (iPaaS) that connects systems, databases, and applications. It provides API management capabilities and a centralized platform to connect cloud and on-premise applications without complex coding or hardware.

Key Features:

  • ETL (Extract, Transform, and Load) capabilities
  • Master Data Hub for centralized business data
  • B2B/EDI Management for trading partner communications
  • API Management for custom API creation and deployment
  • Flow for custom workflow automation

Boomi Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Wide range of connectors
  • Scalable, reusable, and low-code
  • Support for real-time and batch integrations

Cons:

  • Complex transactions require coding
  • Performance concerns for high-volume integrations
  • Navigating support can be challenging
  • Complex licensing model

Pricing: Plans include Professional, Pro Plus, Enterprise, and Enterprise Plus. Contact sales for pricing.

Best for: Enterprise organizations needing broad data orchestration across many systems.

Not for: Teams specifically needing deep bi-directional ITSM sync or cross-company integration control.

3. MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

MuleSoft Anypoint Platform provides tools for building, managing, and scaling APIs and integrations. It supports both on-premise and cloud applications with a focus on API-first architecture.

Key Features:

  • API Manager for centralized API design, deployment, and monitoring
  • Anypoint Studio for graphical integration design
  • DataWeave transformation language for data mapping
  • Mule runtime engine for deployment flexibility
  • Anypoint Exchange library of pre-built connectors and templates

MuleSoft Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Comprehensive API management with interactive UI
  • Integration with multiple platforms and services
  • Customer support is included with packages
  • Low-code setup options

Cons:

  • Improvements needed in deployment strategy and access management
  • Higher licensing costs are challenging for small businesses
  • Complex pricing model
  • Steep learning curve

Pricing: Gold, Platinum, and Titanium tiers. Request a quote for specific pricing.

Best for: API-first enterprises with significant development resources.

Not for: Teams needing quick bi-directional sync without extensive development investment.

4. ZigiOps

ZigiOps is a no-code integration platform focused on ITSM tool connections. It offers pre-built templates for common ServiceNow integration scenarios with real-time bi-directional sync capabilities.

Key Features:

  • No-code configuration interface
  • Pre-built integration templates for ITSM tools
  • Real-time bi-directional data sync
  • Support for ServiceNow, Jira, Azure DevOps, Salesforce, and others
  • Custom field mapping and transformation

ZigiOps Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Quick setup with pre-built templates
  • No coding required for standard scenarios
  • Real-time synchronization
  • Cost-effective compared to IntegrationHub

Cons:

  • Limited flexibility for highly customized scenarios
  • Smaller connector ecosystem than larger iPaaS platforms
  • Less suitable for cross-company integrations requiring independent control

Pricing: Contact sales for pricing based on connections and requirements.

Best for: Teams wanting quick, no-code ITSM integrations without complex customization needs.

Not for: Organizations needing deep scripting control or cross-company integrations with autonomous control on each side.

5. ONEiO

ONEiO is a cloud-based integration solution specializing in ITSM tool connections with a managed service approach. They handle integration complexity so your team can focus on operations.

Key Features:

  • No-code integration platform with turnkey solutions
  • Context-specific integration logic
  • ONEAi artificial intelligence model for IT service integration
  • Managed integration service option

ONEiO Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Easy to use and implement
  • Responsive support team
  • Good root cause analysis for integration problems

Cons:

  • Some features are missing, like detailed rule analysis
  • No direct contract (through partners only)
  • Limited integration performance reporting
  • Complex error searching

Pricing: Contact sales for a quote after the free trial.

Best for: Organizations preferring a managed integration service with less hands-on maintenance.

Not for: Teams needing detailed control over integration logic or wanting to avoid partner-based contracts.

6. Perspectium

Perspectium is a ServiceNow-native integration solution designed for high-volume data replication scenarios. Unlike API-based approaches, it uses a Publish-Subscribe model that doesn’t impact ServiceNow performance.

Key Features:

  • Message Broker System (MBS) for scalable data transfer
  • Native ServiceNow installation
  • High-throughput capability (20+ million records per day)
  • Support for bulk data replication and eBonding
  • Purpose-built for ServiceNow environments

Perspectium Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Excellent for high-volume data scenarios
  • Doesn’t throttle ServiceNow performance
  • Native ServiceNow integration
  • Strong for reporting, analytics, and BI use cases

Cons:

  • ServiceNow-focused (limited for non-ServiceNow integrations)
  • Requires specialized implementation
  • Less suitable for simple integration scenarios

Pricing: Custom pricing based on requirements.

Best for: Organizations with high-volume ServiceNow data replication needs, especially for reporting, analytics, or BI purposes.

Not for: Teams needing flexible cross-platform integrations beyond ServiceNow-centric scenarios.

7. Workato

Workato is an integration and automation platform that connects applications and automates workflows without extensive coding. It focuses on combining integrations with business process automation.

Key Features:

  • Flexibility to publish APIs, build data integrations, and create custom bots
  • Common Workato Runtime (CWR) for scalable execution
  • Recipe-based automation with triggers and actions
  • Event stream processing capabilities

Workato Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Intuitive UI and straightforward implementation
  • Good documentation and customer support
  • Recipe logic scales from simple to complex
  • Extensive library of pre-built connectors

Cons:

  • Some simple operations require significant manipulation
  • The platform can seem overwhelming for beginners
  • Complex pricing structure
  • Constraints with large file uploads or processing

Pricing: Contact sales for pricing.

Best for: Teams wanting to combine integration with workflow automation across business processes.

Not for: Organizations specifically needing deep bi-directional ITSM sync with independent control.

8. Celigo

Celigo is an iPaaS platform providing automation for business users and IT teams. It supports pre-built connectors for SaaS applications with AI-powered data processing capabilities.

Key Features:

  • Drag-and-drop integration with advanced script injection options
  • AI for time-consuming tasks and data mining
  • Template packaging for team reuse
  • Support for databases and SaaS applications

Celigo Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • User-friendly and intuitive interface
  • Great customer support across channels
  • Good documentation and public forums

Cons:

  • Error logs not comprehensive
  • Steep learning curve
  • Limited flexibility for advanced use cases with pre-built connectors

Pricing: Free, Standard, Premium, and Enterprise plans based on feature availability.

Best for: Teams integrating SaaS applications with moderate complexity needs.

Not for: Organizations needing highly customized ITSM integrations or cross-company control.

9. Jitterbit Harmony

Jitterbit Harmony is a low-code integration platform for connecting systems, automating workflows, and creating apps to streamline business processes.

Key Features:

  • Cloud Studio low-code UI
  • API Manager for lifecycle management
  • Management console for centralized monitoring
  • Pre-built, customizable integrations

Jitterbit Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Ease of use
  • Good customer service
  • Variety of pre-built connectors

Cons:

  • Lack of in-depth tutorials
  • Performance issues with inactive web pages
  • Limited training resources
  • Unclear error messages
  • Rigid minimum requirements limit scaling

Pricing: Standard, Professional, and Enterprise plans tied to the Enterprise License Agreement.

Best for: Organizations needing to integrate legacy systems with modern applications.

Not for: Teams needing real-time bi-directional sync for ITSM workflows.

10. Zapier

Zapier is a workflow automation tool supporting 6,000+ web applications with a simple drag-and-drop interface. It focuses on connecting consumer and business applications for task automation.

Key Features:

  • Interfaces for designing forms, web pages, and basic apps
  • Zaps (triggers and actions) for workflow automation
  • Tables for data storage and manipulation
  • Massive app ecosystem

Zapier Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Easy implementation with many third-party apps
  • Great customer support (24/7, chatbot, email)
  • Good for handling repetitive tasks
  • A huge number of supported apps

Cons:

  • Limited flexibility for complex workflows
  • Higher price for paid versions relative to capabilities
  • Requires monitoring to ensure zaps run correctly
  • Can be slow or inconsistent

Pricing:

  • Free tier available
  • Starter: $29.99/month ($19.99 annually)
  • Professional: $73.50/month ($49 annually)
  • Team: $103.50/month ($69 annually)
  • Company: On-demand pricing

Best for: SMBs automating simple to moderately complex tasks across web applications.

Not for: Enterprise ITSM integrations, bi-directional sync, or cross-company data exchange.

11. Integrately

Integrately offers pre-built automations that activate in a single click. It positions itself as a Zapier alternative with a simpler setup for common integration patterns.

Integrately Pros and Cons:

Pros:

  • Integration with numerous apps
  • Instant notifications when integration breaks
  • Great customer support
  • Easy and intuitive platform

Cons:

  • Limited flexibility
  • Steep learning curve for complex setups
  • Interface can be confusing for complex integrations

Pricing:

  • Free tier
  • Starter: $19/month
  • Professional: $39/month
  • Growth: $99/month
  • Business: $239/month

Best for: Small businesses needing simple automation between common applications.

Not for: Enterprise integration, ITSM workflows, or bi-directional sync requirements.

Build vs. Buy: When Custom Integration Makes Sense

Some organizations consider building custom integrations using ServiceNow APIs and in-house development. This approach can work, but it requires careful cost-benefit analysis.

Consider custom development when:

  • You have dedicated integration developers on staff
  • Your requirements are highly unique, with no existing solution
  • You need complete control over every aspect of the integration
  • You have a budget for ongoing maintenance and upgrades

Choose a dedicated integration platform when:

  • You need a faster time to value
  • Your team lacks specialized integration development skills
  • You want predictable costs without maintenance overhead
  • You need vendor support for troubleshooting
  • Requirements may evolve over time

Use the build vs. buy calculator to estimate the total cost of ownership for your specific scenario.

Making the Right Choice: Selection Criteria

When evaluating IntegrationHub alternatives, consider these factors:

1. Sync Direction

  • One-way (outbound from ServiceNow): IntegrationHub may suffice
  • Bi-directional: Look for platforms with native two-way sync (Exalate, ZigiOps, ONEiO)

2. Integration Scope

  • Internal only: Most platforms work
  • Cross-company with partners: Exalate’s operational control model & unified integration network view excels here

3. Technical Requirements

  • Simple field mapping: No-code platforms (ZigiOps, Zapier)
  • Complex transformations: Script-based platforms (Exalate, MuleSoft)

4. Volume and Performance

  • Standard volumes: Any platform
  • High-volume replication: Perspectium, Exalate

5. Budget

  • Transaction-based pricing can be unpredictable
  • Outcome-based pricing (Exalate) provides cost certainty
  • Consider the total cost of ownership, including maintenance

6. Support Requirements

  • Self-service: Platforms with strong documentation, almost every
  • Managed service: Strong docs + ONEiO, Exalate’s Integration as a Service

Final Verdict: Exalate as an IntegrationHub Alternative

Selecting an integration solution depends on your use cases, budget constraints, security needs, and technical requirements. Here’s when Exalate makes the most sense:

Choose Exalate if you:

  • Prefer depth over breadth in your integrations, with the ability to customize every aspect of sync behavior through Groovy scripting, now enhanced by AI-assisted configuration
  • Want to start simple and scale up, with guided assistance from the Exalate team throughout your journey
  • Need cost-effective, predictable pricing based on actual usage rather than arbitrary transaction limits
  • Are self-sufficient and want to explore technical resources before needing support, including documentation, Aida (your AI documentation assistant), and the Exalate community
  • Need secure cross-company integrations where each party maintains independent control over their data flow and sync rules
  • Require scalability to grow your integration network, adding new connections and systems as your business expands
  • Want to offload integration management entirely through Exalate’s Integration as a Service offering
Start a free Exalate trial

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between IntegrationHub and third-party integration platforms?

IntegrationHub is ServiceNow’s native integration solution using pre-built spokes, primarily designed for outbound integrations where ServiceNow controls the flow. Third-party platforms like Exalate offer bi-directional sync, cross-company integration capabilities, and connections between non-ServiceNow systems (like Jira to Zendesk).

Can I use IntegrationHub for bi-directional sync?

While technically possible with significant custom development, IntegrationHub is primarily designed for outbound integrations. Platforms like Exalate are purpose-built for bi-directional sync scenarios.

How do I choose between no-code and script-based integration platforms?

No-code platforms (ZigiOps, Zapier) work well for standard integration patterns with minimal customization. Script-based platforms (Exalate, MuleSoft) are better for complex transformations, conditional logic, and unique business requirements. Exalate bridges both with an AI-assisted configuration that generates scripts from natural language descriptions.

What’s the typical implementation timeline for IntegrationHub alternatives?

Simple integrations with no-code platforms can be set up in hours to days. More complex bi-directional sync scenarios typically take days to weeks, depending on requirements. Enterprise iPaaS implementations (MuleSoft, Boomi) often require weeks to months.

What happens if one system goes down during sync?

Exalate includes an integrated retry mechanism that handles downtimes automatically. When connectivity is restored, sync resumes from the point of interruption without data loss.

Can I test integrations before deploying to production?

Exalate’s TestmRun feature lets you test sync scripts against selected items before publishing to production. This reduces the risk of configuration errors affecting live data.

How does outcome-based pricing work?

With Exalate’s outcome-based pricing, you pay based on the number of work items actively in sync, not transactions or API calls. If you’re syncing 50 items between Jira and ServiceNow, you pay for 50 items regardless of how many updates occur. This makes costs predictable and scales with actual business value.

What connectors does Exalate support?

Exalate supports Jira Cloud, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Azure DevOps (Cloud and Server), Zendesk, GitHub, Freshdesk, Freshservice, and Asana. Early-access connectors include Xurrent, TOPdesk, Ivanti, HaloITSM, SolarWinds, and ConnectWise. Custom connector development is available for Enterprise plans.

Where can I learn more about Exalate’s security practices?

Visit the Exalate Trust Center for comprehensive security documentation and detailed information about certifications, data handling, and compliance.

Recommended Reads

The Role of Embedded Integration in Modern Work Environments [2026]

Embedded integration

Embedded integration is the process of building third-party connectivity directly into a software application so that users can connect with other tools without leaving the interface.

Instead of relying on external middleware, standalone connectors, or manual data transfers, embedded integration makes connectivity a native part of the product experience. For the end user, it feels like a built-in feature, not an add-on.

The demand for this approach has grown fast. With the average enterprise now running hundreds of SaaS applications, teams need their tools to communicate without the constant tab-switching and copy-pasting that kills productivity. Interestingly, integrations are the third most important factor for buyers of SaaS apps, which tells you exactly how critical seamless connectivity has become.

In this guide, we’ll walk through how embedded integration evolved, how it works under the hood, the differences between iPaaS and embedded iPaaS, key platform features to evaluate, who benefits most, and practical use cases you can implement today.

Key Takeaways

  • Embedded integration brings third-party connectivity directly inside an application, eliminating the need for external interfaces or middleware.
  • It relies on APIs, webhooks, and event-driven protocols to sync data between connected systems in real time.
  • iPaaS handles internal, cross-application integrations, while embedded iPaaS (eIPaaS) delivers customer-facing integrations natively within a software product.
  • Modern embedded platforms combine AI-assisted configuration with scripting flexibility to handle everything from simple syncs to advanced, multi-platform workflows.
  • Software vendors, legacy system operators, MSPs, and companies that want to offload integration complexity to experts all benefit from embedded integration.
  • Use cases range from cross-tool workflow orchestration and ITSM synchronization to real-time escalation pipelines and cross-company collaboration.

Embedded Integration: The Origin Story

SaaS applications exploded over the past several years, driven largely by the shift to remote and hybrid work. Teams adopted tools that fit their workflows—project trackers, service desks, CRMs, dev platforms—but these tools rarely talked to each other out of the box.

The result? Companies ended up copying data between systems, toggling between apps, and spending time on manual handoffs instead of productive work.

Then the realization hit: this doesn’t scale. Organizations need automated, accurate, and secure data exchange between their applications.

SaaS vendors picked up on this quickly and started developing native ways to integrate with commonly used tools. The goal was straightforward: increase user adoption, reduce churn, and keep customers engaged within the product.

That’s exactly where embedded integration was born. Rather than sending users off to a third-party tool or middleware console, vendors started bringing integrations directly inside their applications.

At the simplest level, embedded integration is a way of providing native connectivity within the app, reducing the friction of switching between unknown interfaces.

But how does the integration actually function inside the application?

What is Embedded Integration?

Embedded integration is the process of using third-party apps or APIs within an application to connect with other applications or systems seamlessly.

With an embedded integration, most of the integration capabilities function within the application’s interface. The user doesn’t have to learn a new tool or navigate an external platform to set up, configure, or manage their connections.

Unlike traditional integration methods that often involve external middleware or connectors, embedded integration brings the power of connectivity directly into the application, enhancing user experience and reducing complexity.

How Embedded Integration Works

Embedded integrations rely on APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), webhooks, or event-driven protocols to enable real-time data exchange between connected applications.

Here’s what happens under the hood:

When a trigger event occurs in the source application—say, a status change on a Jira work item or a new Salesforce case—the embedded integration detects it. It then transforms the data into the format required by the destination system and pushes it through, often in real time. The reverse can also happen, making it a true bidirectional exchange.

The key is to make this process transparent to the end user. They shouldn’t need to think about data formats, API calls, or connection protocols. It just works.

For instance, integrating your existing team’s workflow with another team’s unique workflow without anyone having to modify anything in their respective workflows. Each side controls what data it sends and receives, keeping things clean and autonomous.

So, how did companies evolve from building integrations from scratch to using dedicated embedded integration platforms?

The Evolution: From Custom-Built Integrations to Embedded Platforms

Data-heavy organizations with stringent security requirements or large enterprises with ample resources often choose to build integrations in-house.

While this can be feasible for a few companies, it’s rarely the best long-term choice. Scalability, resource requirements, and ongoing maintenance are just a few of the challenges that come with building integrations on your own. Every time a connected platform updates its API, your in-house team has to react, and that gets expensive fast.

Such enterprises then shift focus to third-party integration vendors who can manage their integration needs. These vendors continue evolving to keep their platforms relevant as the SaaS landscape changes.

Enterprises were just getting started with third-party solutions when a new player entered the space —iPaaS.

What iPaaS Brought to the Table

Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) vendors offer pre-built templates, active monitoring, and built-in security in their cloud integration offerings. They provide a unified environment for designing, deploying, and managing integrations between various systems.

But iPaaS comes with its own limitations. Organizations often found themselves investing heavily in training, working with no-code templates that couldn’t handle complex edge cases, dealing with heavyweight platforms that felt like overkill for simpler needs, and navigating expensive vendor contracts.

iPaaS works well for internal integrations by connecting the apps your own teams use. But when it comes to offering a cohesive, native-like integration experience to customers or external partners, it falls short. That gap gave rise to embedded iPaaS.

iPaaS vs. Embedded iPaaS: What’s the Difference?

iPaaS operates as a standalone integration platform, independent of specific applications. It’s designed to connect internal systems across your tech stack.

Embedded iPaaS (eIPaaS) is different. It takes the core capabilities of iPaaS and embeds them directly within a software product, so end users can access integration functionality without ever leaving the host application. The user experience feels native, branded, and seamless.

Here’s a quick comparison:

iPaaS is best for internal operations, which helps in syncing your CRM with your ERP, connecting your HR platform to payroll systems. The integration is managed centrally by your IT or operations team.

Embedded iPaaS is best for customer-facing integrations, letting your end users or partner organizations connect their tools to yours, directly from within your application. The integration is experienced as a built-in feature of your product.

Building on top of the iPaaS ecosystem, embedded integration platforms combine the automation benefits of iPaaS with a native user experience. They started as a variation of embedded iPaaS, but have since matured into their own category.

The Role of AI-Assisted Configuration and Low-Code Flexibility

Around the same time, another shift hit the integration landscape, which has led to the rise of low-code tools and AI-assisted configuration.

Modern embedded integration platforms leverage AI to reduce setup time and complexity. Instead of writing integration scripts from scratch, users can describe what they want in plain language, and the AI generates the configuration logic.

For example, Exalate uses Groovy scripting for advanced integrations, but also offers AI-assisted configuration that lets teams set up sync rules faster with fewer errors and less reliance on specialized scripting knowledge. Exalate also provides Aida, a scripting assistant that helps users find relevant guides, scripting examples, and troubleshooting steps without leaving the platform.

The result: a complex integration built using low-code scripts that provides a native-integration-like feel in your application, making integration a fundamental aspect of the product itself. 

Teams can connect their applications—whether it’s Jira, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Zendesk, Azure DevOps, Freshservice, Freshdesk, Asana, GitHub, or custom platforms—with their counterparts, all from within their own tools.

What to Look for in an Embedded Integration Platform

Not all embedded integration platforms are created equal. When evaluating options, here are the capabilities that matter most and how they impact your integration outcomes.

Data Operations and Transformation

A strong platform handles the full spectrum of data operations: pulling, pushing, routing, formatting, and transforming data between applications. This matters because different systems structure data differently. A Zendesk ticket and a Jira work item don’t share the same schema, so the platform needs to translate between them on the fly.

Customizable Sync Rules and Automation

The platform should allow you to automate data flows across your company’s software products and your end customers’ applications. Look for the ability to set granular triggers based on platform-native query syntaxes (like JQL for Jira, WIQL for Azure DevOps, or advanced search syntax for ServiceNow) so syncs fire automatically based on conditions you define.

Unified View of Integration Health

A unified view gives you a clear picture of your integration network’s health, focusing on what’s syncing, what’s failing, and where attention is needed. This is especially important when managing multiple connections across different platforms.

Hybrid IT Environment Support

Many organizations operate in hybrid environments that combine on-premises systems with cloud applications. An effective embedded platform bridges both, connecting tools like Azure DevOps Server (on-premise) with Jira Cloud or ServiceNow, for example, without compromising performance. For organizations in government, financial services, or healthcare with strict compliance requirements, this flexibility is non-negotiable.

Vendor-Agnostic Connectivity

The best platforms connect with a wide range of applications regardless of vendor. Exalate, for instance, supports Jira, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Azure DevOps (Cloud and Server), Zendesk, GitHub, Freshservice, Freshdesk, Asana, and offers custom connectors via REST API for specialized requirements. This reduces dependency on a specific technology stack and future-proofs your integration infrastructure.

Security That’s Built In, Not Bolted On

Enterprise integration platforms need robust security, not as an afterthought, but baked into the architecture. Look for capabilities like token-based authentication, RBAC (role-based access control), end-to-end encryption, and TLS 1.2/1.3 for data in transit. 

Platforms should also hold relevant certifications like ISO 27001:2022 and maintain a transparent Trust Center where you can verify their security posture. This matters even more for cross-company integrations, where data flows between different organizations.

Scalability Without Re-architecting

Your integration needs will grow. The platform should let you scale from a single connection to a network of integrations across multiple platforms without requiring a complete overhaul of your setup. Adding a new connector or extending an existing integration should be straightforward.

Flexible Pricing

Pricing models vary across the industry: pay-per-seat, pay-per-use, outcome-based pricing tied to active synced entities, or flat rates. Outcome-based pricing, where you pay for items actively in sync rather than user seats, tends to scale more fairly with actual business value.

Integration as a Service

Some vendors go beyond providing just the platform. Exalate, for example, offers the entire integration as a service, from concept to full-scale operation. This means you can offload the design, configuration, and maintenance of your integrations to experts, freeing your team to focus on core business priorities.

Who Needs Embedded Integration Platforms?

Software Vendors (ISVs)

Independent software vendors who offer point solutions or platform solutions—whether on-premise or SaaS—are natural candidates. Embedding integrations into their product enhances functionality, reduces customer churn, and makes the product stickier in competitive markets. When your users can connect your tool to their Jira, ServiceNow, or Salesforce from within your interface, you remove a major objection during the sales process.

Legacy System Operators

Companies running legacy systems that need to communicate with modern platforms face a unique challenge. Using the right embedded integration approach lets these organizations connect old and new without the painful overhead of re-engineering legacy infrastructure. A platform that can bridge on-premises systems—like Azure DevOps Server—with cloud-based tools eliminates the technical debt that typically comes with legacy modernization.

Managed Service Providers (MSPs)

MSPs, acting as service integrators, need to connect and manage diverse client systems while maintaining high service quality. Embedded integration helps MSPs deliver a unified experience by connecting their SaaS applications with those of their customers.

Additionally, managed security service providers (MSSPs) can use embedded integrations to meet specific customer security requirements, syncing incident data between platforms while ensuring only authorized information crosses organizational boundaries.

Companies That Want to Offload Integration Complexity

Then there are organizations that recognize integration is complex from day one and choose to hand it to experts. They want reliable partners to take their integration from concept to implementation without building internal integration teams.

These companies benefit from no-code/low-code embedded integration systems that combine ease of setup with the depth to handle advanced use cases. When paired with AI-assisted configuration and professional services, even complex cross-platform scenarios become manageable.

How to Choose the Right Embedded Integration Approach

Choosing between building in-house, using iPaaS, or adopting an embedded platform depends on several factors. Here’s a framework to guide the decision:

  • Build in-house if you have dedicated engineering resources, the integration scope is narrow, and you need complete control over every line of code. Be prepared for ongoing maintenance costs as connected platforms evolve their APIs.
  • Use iPaaS if your primary goal is connecting internal systems, syncing your CRM with your ERP, and connecting HR tools to payroll. iPaaS shines when the integration audience is internal teams managed by IT.
  • Use embedded iPaaS if you need to offer customer-facing integrations within your product. This is the right choice when end users, partners, or external teams need to set up and manage connections from within your application. Look for platforms that support both simple no-code patterns and advanced scripting for complex scenarios.
  • Use Integration as a Service if you want to outsource the entire integration lifecycle — design, implementation, monitoring, and optimization. This is ideal for companies without dedicated integration teams or those managing multiple complex cross-company scenarios.

At the end of the day, embedding integration into your product is a strategic choice. Non-embedded, external UI-based integrations still work for some scenarios. But if native user experience, scalability, and cross-company collaboration are priorities, embedded integration platforms deliver clear advantages.

Embedded Integration Use Cases

Workflow Orchestration Across Development and Service Teams

Case: A software company uses Jira for development and ServiceNow for IT service management. When a customer reports a defect through ServiceNow, the support team needs to escalate it to the dev team’s Jira backlog, but without manually copying ticket details, losing context, or giving support staff direct access to the engineering environment.

Solution: An embedded integration syncs specific ServiceNow incidents to Jira as work items, mapping statuses, priorities, comments, assignees, custom fields, and attachments bidirectionally. Triggers are configured using ServiceNow’s query syntax to only escalate incidents that meet certain criteria (e.g., priority = P1, assignment group = Product). On the Jira side, JQL-based triggers route incoming work items to the correct project and board.

Real-world application: The support team works entirely within ServiceNow. The dev team works entirely within Jira. Neither team switches tools, yet both have real-time visibility into the progress of the defect, from initial report through development, testing, and resolution.

Real-Time Escalation Pipeline Across Messaging and Project Management

Case: A product team uses Asana for task management and needs real-time visibility in Slack or Microsoft Teams. When task statuses change, deadlines shift, or blockers are flagged, the relevant stakeholders need instant notifications without setting up separate webhook configurations or monitoring dashboards.

Solution: An embedded integration links the project management platform to the messaging tool, pushing real-time updates to designated channels. Filters ensure only meaningful changes trigger notifications, not every minor field edit.

Real-world application: When a task status moves to “Blocked” in Asana, a notification is sent to the team’s dedicated Slack channel. When a Jira work item tied to the same initiative is marked “Done,” a completion summary is posted to the same channel. Stakeholders stay informed without opening a single tracking tool.

ITSM Cross-Platform Synchronization

Case: An MSP manages three enterprise clients. Client A uses ServiceNow, Client B uses Jira Service Management, and Client C uses Freshservice. The MSP needs to pull relevant ticket data from all three into their own Zendesk instance for unified reporting and SLA tracking without exposing client environments to each other.

Solution: The MSP sets up embedded integrations between each client’s ITSM tool and their Zendesk. Sync rules are configured independently for each connection, determining which fields flow in which direction. The MSP can filter what they send and what they receive. For instance, syncing only P1 and P2 incidents from ServiceNow, while syncing all work items tagged “MSP-escalation” from Jira Service Management.

Real-world application: The MSP views all client ticket activity within their Zendesk, applies their own SLA policies, and sends resolution updates back to each client’s native tool. Each client sees the updates appear in their own platform, as if the MSP were working inside their system directly. This approach elevates service delivery and ensures SLAs are met consistently.

Cross-Company Collaboration Without System Access

Case: After an acquisition, a manufacturing company runs development in Azure DevOps while the acquired team uses Jira. Both teams need to collaborate on shared product initiatives without granting direct system access across organizational boundaries.

Solution: An embedded integration connects the two Azure DevOps and Jira instances, syncing work items, statuses, comments, and attachments bidirectionally. Each side controls its own sync rules independently. The Azure DevOps team defines what leaves their environment, and the Jira team defines how incoming data is mapped and routed. AI-assisted configuration generates the initial sync rules based on a plain-language description of what needs to sync, reducing setup time from days to hours.

Real-world application: Developers in Azure DevOps create and update work items in their environment. Those updates automatically appear in the corresponding Jira project. When the Jira team adds comments or changes a status, those changes sync back to Azure DevOps. Neither team needs VPN access, extra tool licenses, or training on the other side’s platform.

Syncing Customer Feedback Between CRM and Development

Case: A B2B SaaS company tracks customer feedback in Salesforce. When a feature request or critical bug report comes through, the sales team needs it to reach the product backlog in Jira with enough context for the dev team to act on it immediately.

Solution: An embedded integration syncs Salesforce cases tagged with specific criteria (e.g., Type = “Feature Request” or Priority = “Critical”) to Jira as new work items. The sync maps Salesforce case fields to Jira work item fields, including the account name, contact, description, and priority. When the dev team updates the Jira work item with progress notes or a resolution, those updates sync back to the Salesforce case so the account team can communicate with the customer.

Real-world application: Sales and support teams never need to open Jira. Developers never need to check Salesforce. Both sides get the context they need, in the tool they already work in. Customer response times drop because the feedback loop is fully automated and bidirectional.

Wrap-Up

Embedded integration has moved from a nice-to-have feature to a competitive differentiator for software vendors, MSPs, and enterprises dealing with multi-platform environments.

The approach solves a real problem: teams use different tools, those tools don’t natively connect, and manual workarounds create friction, errors, and wasted time. Embedded integration eliminates that gap by making connectivity a core part of the application experience.

Whether you’re an ISV looking to reduce churn by offering native integrations, an MSP connecting diverse client environments, or an enterprise syncing ITSM, CRM, and development platforms across organizational boundaries. The right embedded platform can transform integration from a pain point into a strategic advantage.

Platforms like Exalate bring together AI-assisted configuration, flexible scripting, vendor-agnostic connectivity across Jira, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Azure DevOps, Zendesk, GitHub, Freshservice, Freshdesk, Asana, and custom connectors, all with enterprise-grade security built in. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is embedded integration?

Embedded integration is the practice of building third-party connectivity directly into a software application. It allows users to connect with other systems in order to sync data, automate workflows, and manage integrations without leaving the host application’s interface.

How is embedded integration different from iPaaS?

iPaaS connects internal systems across your tech stack and is typically managed by IT teams through a standalone platform. Embedded integration (or embedded iPaaS) is designed for customer-facing use cases, where integrations are delivered as native features within a software product. The end user experiences it as a built-in part of the application.

What systems does Exalate support for embedded integration?

Exalate connects Jira Cloud, ServiceNow, Salesforce, Azure DevOps (Cloud and Server), Zendesk, GitHub, Freshservice, Freshdesk, Asana, and custom platforms via REST API connectors. It supports bidirectional sync across all of these, with full control over what data flows in each direction.

Can I use embedded integration for cross-company collaboration?

Yes. Embedded integration platforms like Exalate are specifically designed for cross-company scenarios. Each side of the integration controls its own sync rules independently, meaning you define what leaves your environment and what enters, without exposing your internal systems to the other party. Security is handled through JWT token-based authentication, TLS encryption, and role-based access controls.

How does embedded integration handle data security?

Look for platforms with built-in security capabilities: token-based authentication, end-to-end encryption (TLS 1.2/1.3), RBAC, and compliance certifications. Exalate, for instance, maintains a transparent Trust Center and is ISO 27001:2022 certified, with data hosted in Tier 4 datacenters in Europe.

Does Exalate require coding knowledge to set up?

Not necessarily. Exalate offers an AI-assisted configuration that generates sync rules based on plain-language descriptions. For more advanced scenarios, you can use Groovy scripting for full control over data transformations, conditional logic, and field mappings. Aida, Exalate’s scripting assistant, also helps users find scripting examples and troubleshooting guides.

What’s the difference between one-way and two-way embedded integration?

One-way integration syncs data in a single direction. For example, receiving status updates from a GitHub repository in your Azure DevOps instance. Two-way (bidirectional) integration lets data flow in both directions, keeping both systems in sync. Most enterprise use cases benefit from two-way sync to maintain full context on both sides.

Can embedded integration work with on-premises systems?

Yes. Platforms like Exalate support on-premises deployments, including Azure DevOps Server. This is critical for organizations in regulated industries, where data must remain within controlled infrastructure. The platform can bridge on-premise and cloud environments without compromising security.

How long does it take to set up an embedded integration?

For standard use cases, embedded integrations can be configured in hours rather than weeks, especially with AI-assisted setup. More complex scenarios involving custom field mappings, conditional routing logic, or multi-platform topologies may take longer but still require significantly less time than building integrations from scratch.

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How to Sync Incidents, CMDB, Change Requests, Problems, and Custom Fields Between Jira and ServiceNow

Sync SNOW Case to Jira Epic

This article was originally published in the Atlassian Community.

Organizations using ServiceNow and Jira often find it challenging to set up a reliable integration between the two platforms. We helped one such organization solve its workflow orchestration challenges, manage multiple complex relationships, and much more with an Exalate ServiceNow Jira integration.

Exalate created a bridge that held all their integration requirements together without disrupting daily business operations.

Understanding the Challenge

Over a discovery call, the delivery manager explained their integration scenario.

They use ServiceNow as their central hub for receiving customer requests, including incidents, service requests, HR inquiries, and more. On the other side, their development team relies on Jira to manage the software development life cycle (SDLC) tasks across multiple projects.

This setup led to several pain points:

  • Lack of visibility: With work spread across two platforms, getting a consolidated view of all activities was difficult.
  • Duplication of effort: Keeping data consistent between ServiceNow and Jira meant double entries, copying, and pasting, all of which created inefficiency.
  • Real-time data sharing: Comments, custom fields, attachments, and other data needed to stay synchronized between a public ServiceNow instance and a private Jira instance in real time.

They needed a solution that could:

  • Sync work items in real time, two-way, between ServiceNow and Jira
  • Orchestrate workflows between service and development teams
  • Connect public instances with instances behind firewalls
  • Keep private conversations private
  • Impersonate comments exchanged between ServiceNow and Jira
  • Sync multiple ServiceNow entities like incidents, CMDB, change requests, and problems
  • Sync custom fields between Jira and ServiceNow

Exalate: A Tailored Solution

Exalate provides a flexible and customizable solution to these integration challenges. Here’s how it addressed this organization’s needs:

  • Customization through Groovy scripting: Exalate’s scripting engine gives you full control over how data is mapped, transformed, and synced. As Deepak, the Account Manager at Exalate, puts it: “More or less anything is possible if you write a piece of code for it.” You can map any ServiceNow entity (incidents, change requests, problems, CMDB CIs, catalog tasks) to the appropriate Jira work item types with custom field transformations tailored to your workflows.
  • Bi-directional real-time sync: Exalate offers full two-way synchronization with real-time updates by default. Data is updated promptly between public and private instances of Jira, including attachments, descriptions, summaries, and historical data. Need to run a bulk sync of existing records? That’s supported too.
  • AI-assisted configuration with Aida: Exalate’s AI-assisted configuration tool, Aida, helps you generate sync scripts from natural language prompts. Describe what you want to sync, and Aida will help create the mapping. This speeds up setup significantly, especially for complex field mappings like syncing SLA records or mapping urgency levels between platforms.
  • Test Run before going live: Before pushing any sync configuration into production, you can use the Test Run feature to validate your scripts against real data. Select the work items you want to test, run the sync, and review incoming and outgoing replicas to confirm everything maps correctly.
  • Unified management console: Manage all your connections and integrations from a single console. No need to switch between multiple instances. The console includes network visualization to see how your systems are connected, side-by-side views of both sides of a connection, and script versioning with rollback capability for safe configuration changes.
  • Versatility: Exalate supports a wide range of platforms beyond ServiceNow and Jira, including Azure DevOps Cloud, Azure DevOps Server, Salesforce, Zendesk, Freshservice, Freshdesk, Asana, GitHub, and custom connectors. Whether you’re integrating with external partners, MSPs, or teams using different ITSM tools, Exalate adapts to your setup.

After a demo tailored to the organization’s pain points, the delivery manager said: “Everything looks good and Exalate seems to meet all our requirements.”

How to Set Up a Jira ServiceNow Integration with Exalate

Setting up a connection between Jira and ServiceNow in Exalate takes just a few steps. You do everything from the Exalate console at exalate.app. There’s no need to install anything separately on each instance.

Step 1: Log in and create a new connection

Sign in to the Exalate app. From your workspace, click “+ Add Connections” and select “Create new connection.”

Step 2: Add your first system

Enter the name and URL of your first system (System A). You can start with either Jira or ServiceNow. Once you enter the URL, Exalate runs a validation check. If the system is already in your workspace, authentication happens automatically.

For new systems, you’ll need to enter authentication details. ServiceNow uses Basic authentication (username and password), and Jira uses OAuth.

Step 3: Add your second system

Repeat the same process for the other side. Enter the system name, URL, and authenticate.

Step 4: Name your connection and create it

Give your connection a name and description. Click “Next,” review the details, and click “Create connection.”

Step 5: Configure your sync

Once the connection is created, select “Continue to configuration.” You’ll have two options:

  • Quick Sync for a standard setup that gets you syncing right away
  • Edit & Test for custom scripting with Groovy, where you can fine-tune field mappings, add conditions, and control exactly what syncs

Use Aida to help generate your scripts, or write them manually. When ready, use the “Start Test Run” option to validate against real work items before going live.

Security and Compliance

Exalate is built with enterprise security in mind:

  • ISO 27001 certified
  • Role-based access control (RBAC)
  • Encryption in transit (TLS 1.2/1.3) and at rest
  • Decoupled access control, so integration management is separated from ticketing system credentials
  • Full audit trails for configuration changes

Review Exalate’s security documentation at the Exalate Trust Center.

Pricing

Exalate uses outcome-based pricing. You pay for active sync pairs (work items currently in sync), not user seats or per-transaction fees. Each integration is billed independently, so you can mix plan tiers based on complexity.

  • Free trial: 30 days, full functionality, all supported systems
  • Starter: $100/mo per integration ($85/mo annually) with 50 active items
  • Scale: $280/mo per integration ($200/mo annually) with 200 active items
  • Pro: Starts at $550/mo per integration (billed annually) with custom active items
  • Enterprise: Contact Sales for unlimited active items

To learn how Exalate can be tailored to your specific use case, book a discovery call with an integration engineer.

Start a free trial | Get Exalate on the Atlassian Marketplace

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