Publishing data for reuse by others and in new combinations to answer new questions is becoming more widespread in ecology. However, regardless of the latest buzzword or acronym describing the process, recommendations or requirements for data repositories, expectations of funders or journals, and advancing data archiving skills, the concept of data interoperability still remains elusive. It is interpreted differently by data providers, users, and repositories. Its multidimensionality makes it difficult to measure and communicate it, and, hence, manage expectations. This Inspire Session will provide a lively discussion of data interoperability as determined by sampling methodology, data storage technology, extent of data documentation and its semantics, and data aggregation and formatting decisions as well as skills required specifically for successful data integration to advance ecological knowledge.