Data Synchronization

Data synchronization is the process of keeping related information consistent between two or more software systems.

Data synchronization is the process of keeping related information consistent between two or more systems.

It may happen continuously, in response to events, or on a scheduled basis.

What It Means in Practice

Imagine:

CRM contains a customer's email address.

Email platform contains the same customer.

If the email changes in the CRM, synchronization may update the email platform so both systems continue representing the same person correctly.

### One-way synchronization

System A → System B

System A owns the information.

System B receives a copy.

### Two-way synchronization

System A ↔ System B

Both systems can change information.

Two-way synchronization introduces more complexity because conflicts need rules.

One of the most important decisions is:

Which system owns this value?

For example:

PMS owns room inventory → Channel Manager distributes it.

or:

Point of Sale owns inventory → online store receives updates.

Your Inventory Sync glossary term is a commerce-specific example of this broader concept.

Synchronization may use:

The appropriate method depends on how quickly the information needs to change.

Unsynchronized systems create conflicting versions of reality.

Examples include:

The cost often appears as manual reconciliation.

Common problems include:

For every synchronized field, define:

Where real-time synchronization is unnecessary, a simpler scheduled workflow may be more dependable.