Thoughts and ideas on how to build tools, automate workflows and speed-up the workplace.
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
SQL is a powerful database query language that can be used to unlock valuable insights stored in databases. But SQL can be difficult to learn and use, particularly for non-specialists. That’s where a SQL GUI (Graphical User Interface) comes in handy. SQL GUIs are useful for developers and non-developers alike. They provide intuitive interfaces to interact with the database without writing SQL syntax commands. You can visually interact with tables, rows, fields, searches, and more, without any specialist knowledge.
Ronan McQuillan
Dec 22, 2023
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
A Google Sheets GUI can help you turn your spreadsheets into real apps. There are many useful free online tools for businesses. And Google Sheets is certainly one of the best of them. It allows you to get all the power of spreadsheets, databases, and scripting all at once. But at the end of the day, it’s still a spreadsheet tool. So you are limited to the grid design and unfiltered data entry.
Ronan McQuillan
Dec 20, 2023