Investment consultants manage vast amounts of data daily — from portfolio performance metrics to third-party research and client documentation. Yet many firms still rely on multiple disconnected systems that don’t “talk” to each other. The result? Time-consuming manual work, fragmented insights, and a team that ends up working for the data instead of with it.

A modern ecosystem integration approach ensures that every system — from research to portfolio monitoring — communicates seamlessly, turning disconnected workflows into a single, intelligent network.

Fiducient Advisors: A case study in integration

Fiducient Advisors, a global investment consulting firm managing over $215 billion in assets, experienced this firsthand. While their existing technology was adequate, the influx of millions of data points made it clear that legacy approaches were slowing the firm’s ability to extract actionable insights.

As Brad Long explains, “We want our team focused on connecting key information, not collecting it. The more we do that, the better we are positioned to help our clients prosper.”

Centralizing data is no longer enough — integration is key. Request a demo

The challenges of a fragmented investment ecosystem

Even highly sophisticated teams face recurring integration pain points:

• Disconnected systems: Research, portfolio monitoring solutions, and client reporting tools often operate in silos.
• Manual data collection: Teams spend hours pulling information from spreadsheets, emails, or outdated databases.
• Inefficient due diligence: Form-based processes and document collection are slow and prone to error.
• Wasted talent: Highly skilled professionals end up performing administrative tasks instead of strategic work.

Without seamless investment ecosystem integration, firms risk delayed insights, inconsistent reporting, and lost opportunities to add client value.

Streamlining workflows with Backstop APIs and integrations

Backstop’s extensive integration capabilities allow investment consultants to connect their investment ecosystem and automate workflows across multiple platforms. By leveraging purpose-built REST APIs, teams can:

• Digitize and streamline form-based due diligence and document collection.
• Pull in third-party datasets and benchmarks, ensuring insights are always up-to-date.
• Automate repetitive manual tasks with workflow automation solutions, freeing time for research and strategic analysis.
• Centralize data from multiple systems into one coherent research management system (RMS), improving accuracy and efficiency.

As Long from Fiducient Advisors notes, “The ultimate goal is for data and the systems to work for our team — not the other way around. With Backstop, information is at our fingertips when we need it, organized so we can consume it efficiently, and promote insights when it’s most important.”

Turning integration into a strategic advantage

By connecting the dots across research management systems, portfolio monitoring solutions, and client reporting, firms can:

• Accelerate actionable insights: Analysts spend less time collecting data and more time interpreting it.
• Enhance client service: Up-to-date, centralized data enables faster, more accurate client reporting.
• Support scalability: Integration allows teams to manage more assets and clients without adding headcount.
• Maximize talent utilization: Highly educated research professionals focus on strategy rather than manual data wrangling.
• Automate complex workflows: Backstop’s integration provides investment services workflow automation that reduces friction across departments.

Fiducient’s experience demonstrates how modern integration transforms workflow: instead of being bogged down by legacy processes, their team can focus on connecting key information and delivering high-value insights to clients — reinforcing their firm’s credibility and expertise.

Request a demo — see how Backstop can integrate your investment ecosystem.

Bottom line: Why investment ecosystem integration matters

A disconnected investment ecosystem is no longer viable in today’s data-driven environment. With Backstop APIs and integrations, firms can automate workflows, unify systems, and empower their teams to focus on delivering insights, not managing data.

The result? Faster decisions, better client service, and a measurable competitive advantage through true investment ecosystem integration.