Table of Contents

  1. Introduction

  2. Why Integrate Dolibarr with E-commerce Platforms?

  3. Overview of Supported Platforms

  4. Pre-requisites for Integration

  5. Choosing the Right Integration Method

  6. Using Official and Community Modules

  7. Synchronizing Product Catalogs

  8. Handling Prices, Taxes, and Stock Levels

  9. Importing and Processing E-commerce Orders

  10. Managing Customers and Shipping Addresses

  11. Synchronizing Invoices and Payments

  12. Real-Time vs Scheduled Synchronization

  13. API-Based Custom Integrations

  14. Using Webhooks for Live Updates

  15. Integrating with Prestashop

  16. Integrating with WooCommerce

  17. Integrating with Shopify

  18. Data Integrity and Conflict Management

  19. Security and Access Control

  20. Conclusion

1. Introduction

Dolibarr is a powerful ERP/CRM solution designed to centralize business operations. When integrated with e-commerce platforms, it becomes a robust back-office system that handles inventory, invoicing, shipping, and customer service more effectively. This guide explores how to synchronize Dolibarr with online stores to create a seamless, efficient sales infrastructure.

2. Why Integrate Dolibarr with E-commerce Platforms?

Benefits include:

  • Avoiding manual data entry and reducing human error

  • Synchronizing orders, stock, and customer data in real-time

  • Centralizing accounting and logistics

  • Improving customer experience through faster processing

E-commerce platforms typically handle the front-end, while Dolibarr manages fulfillment and finance.

3. Overview of Supported Platforms

Dolibarr can integrate with major platforms such as:

  • Prestashop (native connector available)

  • WooCommerce (via third-party modules)

  • Shopify (via REST API and middleware)

  • Magento (custom APIs and third-party bridges)

  • Custom stores using REST API

4. Pre-requisites for Integration

To prepare:

  • Ensure Dolibarr is installed and accessible

  • API module must be enabled

  • E-commerce store must have API access or plugin support

  • Set matching tax, currency, and product settings across both systems

5. Choosing the Right Integration Method

There are three main approaches:

  • Native modules: Fastest to implement

  • Third-party connectors: More features, but may require licensing

  • Custom API bridges: Full control and flexibility, requires development

Choose based on store volume, budget, and technical capabilities.

6. Using Official and Community Modules

The Dolistore marketplace offers modules for:

  • Prestashop

  • WooCommerce

  • Shopify

Features vary, but common capabilities include:

  • Order sync

  • Product updates

  • Inventory management

  • Customer import/export

Review each module's documentation and compatibility before use.

7. Synchronizing Product Catalogs

Steps:

  • Map product SKUs across systems

  • Export products from Dolibarr to the store, or vice versa

  • Use sync tools to match quantities, prices, and descriptions

Ensure:

  • Images are stored correctly

  • Tax rules are aligned

  • Product variants (e.g., sizes, colors) are handled properly

8. Handling Prices, Taxes, and Stock Levels

Price sync considerations:

  • Define master system (Dolibarr or store)

  • Set consistent currency and tax behavior

  • Use price levels in Dolibarr for multi-tier pricing

Stock sync:

  • Dolibarr’s stock module can auto-decrement on order reception

  • Sync should adjust stock in both systems during transfers

9. Importing and Processing E-commerce Orders

Each new order should:

  • Create a third party (if customer is new)

  • Add shipping and billing addresses

  • Import product lines with correct tax and price

  • Trigger order validation and fulfillment workflows

Dolibarr can also generate:

  • Order confirmations

  • Delivery slips

  • Invoices

10. Managing Customers and Shipping Addresses

Customer data should be unified:

  • Avoid duplicates by using email or customer ID

  • Update address books in both systems

  • Link Dolibarr users to store customers where applicable

Enable GDPR compliance by syncing customer communication preferences.

11. Synchronizing Invoices and Payments

Upon order validation:

  • Dolibarr can generate invoices automatically

  • Payment status can sync from the store

  • Payment gateways can push confirmation to Dolibarr

Use Dolibarr’s bank module to reconcile payments and track due balances.

12. Real-Time vs Scheduled Synchronization

Real-time sync:

  • Faster, but more prone to API throttling

  • Requires webhooks or persistent connections

Scheduled sync:

  • Runs every X minutes/hours

  • Uses batch jobs or cron tasks

  • More scalable for high-volume stores

Choose based on transaction volume and business needs.

13. API-Based Custom Integrations

For full control:

  • Use Dolibarr REST API for product, order, invoice endpoints

  • Authenticate with DOLAPIKEY headers

  • Use GET, POST, PUT, DELETE methods for data management

Store platform API handles incoming/outgoing requests for orders and inventory.

14. Using Webhooks for Live Updates

Many e-commerce platforms support webhooks:

  • Trigger on new order, customer signup, or product change

  • Send data to a Dolibarr endpoint or bridge app

Build a lightweight middleware using Node.js or Python to consume these webhooks.

15. Integrating with Prestashop

Use the Prestashop Dolibarr Connector:

  • Sync products, orders, customers

  • Supports bidirectional sync

  • Offers UI for mapping fields

Install module in both Dolibarr and Prestashop, configure API keys and schedules.

16. Integrating with WooCommerce

Options:

  • Use third-party modules (from Dolistore)

  • Build a bridge using WooCommerce REST API and Dolibarr API

Synchronize:

  • WooCommerce orders → Dolibarr orders

  • Products and categories

  • Payments and invoices

17. Integrating with Shopify

Approach:

  • Use Shopify Admin API to fetch orders and products

  • Push data into Dolibarr via REST API

  • Use middleware like Laravel, Node.js, or Zapier for orchestration

Handle customer accounts, inventory, and order status syncing.

18. Data Integrity and Conflict Management

Avoid issues by:

  • Logging all sync actions

  • Rejecting malformed or incomplete data

  • Validating IDs, SKUs, and pricing formats

  • Alerting on sync failures

Always test with staging environments before going live.

19. Security and Access Control

Ensure:

  • HTTPS is enabled on all API endpoints

  • API keys are rotated periodically

  • Access tokens have limited scope

  • Store logs of integration activity

Review permissions of integration users in Dolibarr regularly.

20. Conclusion

Synchronizing Dolibarr with e-commerce platforms transforms your back-office efficiency. Whether through native modules or custom API bridges, the ability to unify inventory, orders, customers, and payments across systems saves time, reduces error, and scales with your business. With careful planning, configuration, and testing, you can build a fully integrated commerce stack centered on Dolibarr.