Answer
No. Real time makes sense when a delay immediately leads to wrong decisions – for example with scarce stock, access rights or certain order statuses. For large product catalogues, overnight billing or stable master data, a scheduled batch can be more robust and economical. Files are not inherently outdated either; with clear formats and controlled processing, they can be very reliable.
The decision should depend on the acceptable delay, data volume, consequences of errors and the capabilities of the external system. A combination often makes sense: events report changes, while a regular reconciliation detects lost messages. “Real time” must also mean more than just the technical transfer. If a target system only processes data minutes later, the user interface must show this intermediate state correctly.
As of 3 September 2026
Further reading
Related topic: Back ends and interfaces