September 2021 Summaries

Merge has announced a partnership with UKG, integrating its Unified API with UKG's HR and workforce management solutions, UKG Pro and UKG Ready. This collaboration allows developers to seamlessly integrate with UKG products, enhancing software companies' ability to build integrations faster. UKG is a well-regarded provider of HR solutions, managing aspects like recruitment, payroll, and talent management, with a client base that includes major organizations such as Marriott and Tesla. By using Merge's API, customers can achieve a one-time integration to access numerous integrations across HRIS, ATS, and Accounting, with support for common data models and features like seamless authentication and issue detection. This partnership underscores Merge's commitment to simplifying the integration process and expanding its reach within the developer ecosystem.

The text provides an in-depth explanation of Unified APIs, highlighting their role in streamlining the integration process by offering a single, aggregated API that offers access to multiple software providers within the same vertical, such as HR or accounting. Unified APIs simplify the complexities of authentication, data transformation, syntax, and data syncing, making it easier for developers to build integrations with various software products that have distinct APIs. Unlike other integration approaches like Embedded Workflow Builders and Integration Marketplaces, Unified APIs standardize data models and API endpoints, offering a consistent format for data operations. They are particularly beneficial for customer-facing integrations, where there is a need to support a diverse range of software providers. The text also discusses the capabilities of a good Unified API, which include normalization, flexibility, transparency, and automated responses, and provides examples of companies utilizing Unified APIs to enhance their product offerings.

Merge offers a comprehensive integration platform that simplifies the process of building and managing integrations for post-sales teams, emphasizing customer success through extensive training, accessible resources, and ongoing support. The platform is designed to alleviate the complexities of integration development, allowing teams to focus on delivering seamless experiences to their customers. Merge’s approach includes a structured training regimen starting from the initial engagement, robust documentation and help resources for quick information access, and responsive, tailored support for issues beyond standard procedures. By dedicating resources to ensure their customers' success, Merge enables post-sales teams to efficiently handle integration challenges and enhance their service delivery.

Lanna Wang, a visual designer and rising sophomore at Stanford, reflects on her summer internship at Merge, a company known for its positive culture and focus on employee well-being. Under the mentorship of Merge's founding designer, Simeon Lee, Wang honed her design skills, particularly in using Figma and understanding design principles such as typography and color systems. Her projects included redesigning landing page elements and developing a new React Admin CMS, which required collaboration with engineers and product teams. Through her experiences, Wang gained confidence in her design abilities, learned the value of iterative design, and recognized the importance of asking the right questions to improve user experience. She concludes by expressing gratitude for the opportunity and the impact of design in enhancing user interactions, while looking forward to exploring more facets of design in her future career.