In short
Standard connectors are useful when the workflow is simple and the consequences of failure are low. Custom work makes sense when data rules, approvals, permissions, timing, or exception handling are specific to the business.
The integration is not finished when two APIs talk. It needs monitoring, retries, logging, error handling, documentation, and an owner for vendor changes.
Where it bites
Custom integrations bite when nobody owns them after launch. A vendor changes an API, a token expires, a field changes meaning, and the business discovers that the integration was a one-off build rather than an operated system.
What to check
- Which workflow is too important or specific for a standard connector?
- What happens when the API fails, rate limits, or changes a field?
- Who maintains credentials, retries, logs, documentation, and vendor-change reviews?
Common questions
What is a custom integration?
A custom integration is a purpose-built connection between software systems designed around specific workflow, data, permission, and reliability needs.
When should you build a custom integration?
Build one when the workflow is commercially important, too specific for a standard connector, or risky enough that failure needs monitoring and recovery.
What should you check first for a custom integration?
Start with API limits, source-of-truth rules, error handling, retries, logging, security, ownership, and what changes when either vendor updates its API.