
Thoughts and ideas on how to build tools, automate workflows and speed-up the workplace.
Speed and quality often sit on opposite ends of the spectrum in application development. Yet, we believe they can coexist harmoniously. We’re excited to introduce an easier, faster way to create multi-step forms. Our journey began with a simple observation: the existing form block lacked the flexibility to handle multi-step processes to easily handle multi-step processes. This limitation forced users to resort to intricate workarounds, which were neither ideal nor efficient.
Jamie Birss
Jan 9, 2024
Databases are vital for every business. But as soon as you create your database, a question arises. How can you maintain the information you store? Of course, you could write out queries manually, but you’ll also want a way for less technical staff to enter data. This means building forms. Today we’ll look at how to create forms for SQL databases. You can also use forms to limit access to your database.
Ronan McQuillan
Jan 3, 2024
Claris FileMaker Pro is one of the oldest names in the low-code space. Claris is a subsidiary of Apple, so FileMaker was originally conceived as essentially being a Microsoft Access alternative for Mac users. This is an important piece of context because it means that FileMaker started life as an integrated relational database engine and GUI. This remains its core offering, but it’s also evolved to include functionality around building custom interfaces and automations.
Ronan McQuillan
Jan 2, 2024
Appian is one of the most popular low-code platforms on the market today. Founded in 1999, it’s also one of the older players in this space. Perhaps more than any of its competitors, Appian is highly focused on enabling teams to automate manual processes, without necessarily having previous development experience. On top of this, it offers all of the same kinds of functionality that we see with other platforms in this space - like a visual interface builder, data management tools, and other features for speeding up internal app development.
Ronan McQuillan
Jan 2, 2024
Obviously, Google Sheets is great for collaboratively managing all sorts of data. There are big downsides here too though, especially if you’re working at scale. One solution is using a form to enter data into Google Sheets. Today, we’re going to look at exactly how you can do this in Budibase. There are a bunch of other ways you could do this too, of course. We’re biased, but we think Budibase is the best option.
Ronan McQuillan
Jan 1, 2024
There are countless situations where you might need to integrate multiple databases. This might be necessary for a particular app project. Providing more centralized and efficient access to information could also be a goal in itself. However, accomplishing this can be a challenge, especially for inexperienced developers. Today we’re going to look at two methods key methods for integrating databases, as well as how Budibase can make life easier along the way.
Ronan McQuillan
Dec 22, 2023
We love to hate spreadsheets. They’re everywhere. We use Excel for everything from planning our vacations and weddings, to managing inventories, payroll, and just about any other business process under the sun. But, like any blunt instrument, spreadsheets are almost the most elegant solution. Today, we’re going to look at a better way to manage data, calculations, and workflows. That is, how to make an app from Excel spreadsheets. You see, spreadsheets offer a huge amount of flexibility - there’s a reason why they’re so ubiquitous.
Ronan McQuillan
Dec 21, 2023
The humble table is the core of almost any data-centric app interface. Table UI design is central to how your users find, view, and interact with all kinds of information. With such a fundamental role in your tools, the design of your tables and the screens that contain them can have an outsized impact on your overall user experiences. Today, we’re going to look at some of the top ways you can design your tables for maximum efficiency, usability, and effectiveness.
Ronan McQuillan
Nov 27, 2023