Integration Services

The following are included within the scope of this service offering, which applies to both cloud-based or on-premise information systems (e.g. Banner) and Software as a Service offerings (e.g. Canvas):  

• Determining feasibility based on technical, functional, security, financial, and ongoing support requirements. 
• Identifying viable options to fulfill defined requirements (or specifications) based on a feasibility review, and then selecting the means and methods for implementation.
• Ensuring adequate security (e.g. certificates), software licensing and/or subscription to cloud-based services are maintained to support the implementation and ongoing maintenance.
• System design, configuration, testing, and implementation of the solution(s) based on the pre-defined requirements .
• Change management including the development and execution of a communications plan 
• Post implementation support including assigned roles and responsibilities for ongoing administration (e.g. documentation and configuration management) and technical support (e.g. troubleshooting and upgrades).

• Any head of an academic department, administrative office, data steward, system administrator, or contract manager employed by the University with an appropriate level of responsibility for the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information systems and online services is eligible for this service. 
• Representatives from third party product and service providers, contract employees, and consultants are eligible for this service only with the expressed written consent of a University employee with the appropriate level of responsibility (as describe above).

One or more of the following may be incorporated into a particular integration solution:

• Integration services are essential for organizations such as Framingham State University that rely on multiple information systems and online services in order to help streamline workflows, reduce manual data entry, and improve the accuracy of data across the organization.
• Supported standards and generally accepted best practices for custom programming (or scripting), data preparation, and system configurations for the one-way transfer or two-way exchange of data through periodic secure file transfer based on a predetermined schedule.
• Supported standards and generally accepted best practices for Application Program Interfaces (APIs) including real-time integration (e.g. web services) and asynchronous integration (e.g. message brokering) for the exchange of data and communication between two or more systems so that an event in one system can automatically trigger an event (or process) in another through the use of the APIs.
• Ongoing maintenance and support of integration services to ensure smooth operations and data accuracy.

• The input and involvement of Information Technology Services in the procurement process of the system(s) to be integrated.
• Approval from appropriate department heads and stakeholders, including IT leadership and business units impacted by the integration.
• Availability of necessary data, APIs, and other resources required for the integration process.
• Clear definition of the scope of the integration, including which systems or applications need to be integrated and what specific data needs to be shared.
• An agreed upon plan outlining the timeline, resources, and responsibilities for the integration project.
• Identification of any potential risks or roadblocks to the integration and a plan for addressing them.
• Adequate funding and resources to support the integration, including any necessary hardware or software upgrades.
• Compliance with any regulatory requirements, such as data privacy or security regulations.
• Documentation of any relevant policies or procedures related to the integration process.
• Agreement on any service-level agreements (SLAs) or other qualifying criteria for the integration service (e.g. any system to be integrated with Banner must be already implemented at 5 other colleges or universities).
• Agreement on ongoing maintenance and support for the integration service, including any necessary updates or modifications.

Click on “Request Assistance” or "Report an Issue" from this web page in order to provide us with some basic information about your unmet or anticipated need and then submit your request.

Framingham State University’s Policy on Implementation of Departmental Systems Used for Administrative Functions.

• New Integrations:  A consultation will be scheduled within one week of a request being submitted to Information Technology Services. Implementation timelines are dependent upon the complexity of the integration, its technical requirements, and resource availability. Information Technology Services will work with the requesting party to jointly determine realistic timelines for implementation. 
• Routine Requests: The target fulfillment time for non-urgent service requests such as adding a new data field or modifying an existing integration is five business days from the time of the request.
• Incidents: The target fulfillment time for resolving integration services incidents is as soon as possible for anything affecting the performance or availability of information systems or online services that effect University operations or academic programs, with a maximum target time of one business day from the time the incident is reported.  A temporary work around may be implemented while the root cause is being identified and until the underlying problem is resolved.