System integration is the process of bringing together component subsystems and ensuring that they function together as a unified system. It is used both for physical systems, such as traditional automation, and for information technology systems, such as MES. In both cases, it involves linking together backend systems that control processes with frontend systems that provide functionality for users. 

An integration project typically follows seven steps that lead from planning through implementation:

1. Determine user requirements: Gather a list of user requirements regarding operations, business processes, or insights that the company wishes to improve. 

2. Analyze requirements: Analyze the list of user requirements to determine the feasibility of designing software that will adequately address all needs. Compromises must be made to balance functionality, design, implementation time, and development cost.

3. Develop a management plan: Before the infrastructure is designed, management must calculate risks, create a timeline, and determine alternative options to ensure that operations will continue to run smoothly even if developers run into issues.

4. Design software infrastructure: Once the analysis is approved, detailed system architecture blueprints will be built to describe how the various systems and data streams will be integrated.

5. Design system integration: Designing the system integration is the most time-intensive phase as it outlines the process, tests, tools, and logistics. With proper integration, all systems will be integrated without losing any data during transfers.

6. Deploy the solution: After the software solution is designed and tested, it is ready to be deployed. When integration is complete, management can begin training employees on the new system.

7. Perform maintenance and continuous improvement: Performing routine maintenance is critical since subsystems and data streams may regularly change. System admin should run scheduled diagnostics to ensure that no new errors have populated. And business users should provide recommendations to improve usability and functionality.