> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.solutioo.de/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.solutioo.de/shopware/shopware6_en_us/getting-started/architecture-and-data-flow.md).

# Architecture & Data Flow

The Shopware 6 API Connector connects Business Central as the **leading ERP system** with Shopware 6 as the **online shop**. Communication takes place exclusively through the **Shopware Admin API** (REST) using a bearer token.

**Roles of the systems**

* **Business Central** is generally the **leading data source** for items, prices, inventory, and customers.
* **Shopware 6** is the **sales front end** and returns **orders**.

**Data flow**

```mermaid
flowchart LR
    subgraph BC[Business Central]
        Items[Artikel/Preise/Bestand]
        Cust[Kunden/Kontakte]
        Orders[Verkaufsaufträge]
        Log[Aktivitätsprotokoll]
    end
    subgraph SW[Shopware 6]
        Prod[Produkte]
        Prices[Preise/Regeln]
        SWO[Bestellungen]
    end
    Items -->|Upload| Prod
    Items -->|Upload| Prices
    Cust -->|Upload| SW
    SWO -->|Download| Orders
    Orders -->|Status/Lieferung/Rechnung| SWO
    Prod -.->|Matching/Import| Items
    BC <-->|Admin-API + Bearer-Token| SW
    SW --> Log
```

**What is transferred in which direction?**

| Object                                  | Direction     | Trigger                       |
| --------------------------------------- | ------------- | ----------------------------- |
| Items, pictures, attributes, categories | BC → Shopware | Upload (manual / scheduled)   |
| Prices & price lists                    | BC → Shopware | Upload (manual / scheduled)   |
| Inventory                               | BC → Shopware | Upload (manual / scheduled)   |
| Customers & B2B users                   | BC → Shopware | Upload (manual / scheduled)   |
| Orders                                  | Shopware → BC | Download (manual / scheduled) |
| Shipment/invoice status                 | BC → Shopware | when posting                  |
| PDF documents                           | BC → Shopware | Upload (Premium)              |

**Mappings as the connecting element**

So that BC values and Shopware values find each other, the connector maintains **mappings** – for example for taxes, payment methods, currencies, and sales channels. These are filled once through [Load Shopware Initial Data](/shopware/shopware6_en_us/configuration/load-shopware-initial-data.md) and maintained in the [Shopware Assignment & Mapping](/shopware/shopware6_en_us/configuration/shopware-assignment-and-mapping.md) section.

**Logging**

Every API call can be logged. Business events end up in the [Activity Log](/shopware/shopware6_en_us/monitoring-and-logs/activity-log.md), and technical details (with the *Developer Log*) in the [API Call Log](/shopware/shopware6_en_us/monitoring-and-logs/api-call-log.md).


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