Tag: Integration

Retool: Customize Apps and Build Internal Business Tools

You may be curious to know how to customize apps for your business without prior knowledge of coding.

Or, you may be looking for automation software to simplify your business processes.

Companies need to transform manual processes into automated transactions to save time, effort, and money. 

Office-based processes are usually time-consuming and high-cost when done manually. 

Therefore, switching to a low-code app development platform can reduce overhead, turnaround time, and human errors.

As the world continues to go online, it is important to keep up with the fast-changing processes of businesses. 

According to Gartner, more than 50% of medium-large businesses will be integrating low-code as their essential app platform. 

So, let’s find out how Retool can successfully automate and simplify workflow across enterprises and organizations

What is the Retool App Development Platform, and how does it help to customize apps and internal business tools?

Retool is a low-code platform designed for enterprises to allow them to build bespoke internal business tools such as dropdowns, text boxes, and tables. It is ideal for computer engineers, developers, and IT teams that know how to use essential database tools like Excel, SQL, and MongoDB.

Using this platform, the IT department builds an internal tool, while the non-technical team from customer support, operations, and marketing can access and utilize that tool in the “user” setting. Internal tools are built by connecting building blocks to APIs and databases.

Retool connects you with specific data sources as it expects you to have basic knowledge of databases, SQL, and other tools. In addition, this low-code development platform has a wide selection of templates with over 20 options. 

The template gallery contains explanatory pages and imports React or extends using JS.

Developers and engineers use Retool as a backend tool, while internal teams such as those in admin panels, product marketing, and customer support are the users. 

However, this platform doesn’t allow developers or engineers to create multilingual apps.

How does Retool differ from other platforms that can customize apps?

Unlike other app development tools or platforms, Retool comes with “editor mode,” which allows users to design a user interface and write queries. Depending on the plan you choose to use, this platform offers various functions that make it different from other software programs.

For instance, it enables you to utilize the query library and create share, and retrieve queries for APIs or databases. If you set it in user mode, the platform allows you to build or customize apps beyond the editor interface. This gives you revision history and versioned releases that allow you to easily revert the app when needed.

Moreover, you can create user groups while assigning each group to certain permissions in the app. 

The platform also provides audit logs that allow you to check all written queries including writing and reading from databases and APIs.

Another great thing about Retool that makes it stand out from the rest is that you can control it with Git. Meaning, the team from this platform will work with you to create custom connectors. 

Subscribers will receive dedicated success managers and even shared Slack channels with the Retool team.

Who is Retool for?

Employees who are a little bit tech-savvy and willing to learn how to simplify and automate their processes can take advantage of the Retool platform. In addition, managers who are tired of supervising their teams to do manual tasks with traditional software systems can benefit from this app development program.

If you’re a manager of an enterprise or a large corporation, it’s beneficial to use a low-code platform designed for your business processes and needs. Retool is also perfect for both developers and engineers who know about database and scripting languages like SQL and Javascript.

For those who are looking to use a platform to customize apps and build internal business tools that allow the creation and sharing of relational databases, Retool is one of the best options. With an easy-to-use interface and quick database spin-up, this platform is a must-have for IT departments in organizations and companies.

Other common benefits of this platform include storing, organizing, and collaborating data such as product inventories and employee records. 

In your dashboard, you can also make interactive visual analytics to ensure your business is on the right track.

The dashboards are designed to support easier data conversion into understandable and interactive graphics for non-technical end-users and analysts.  They are focused on visualization but don’t work with any unclean data. The key to making the most out of the dashboards is to properly clean your data in the internal database.

Which existing platforms can be integrated with Retool

The best thing about Retool is that you can connect it with any existing platform with APIs. It connects to almost anything with GraphQL or REST API. 

With an increasing number of native integrations, this platform is faster to connect with any data source.

In addition, Retool can also be integrated with Salesforce or any SQL server you want. That way, you can develop customized features with the team from Retool. 

Here is a list of the API integrations you can do with this app development platform:

  • Asana – a collaborative project management tool.
  • Basecamp – a web-based work management tool.
  • Close.io – a sales productivity program with inbuilt SMS, email, and call.
  • Datadog – a cloud-scale app monitoring service.
  • Firestore – a Firebase NoSQL backend service with real-time inbuilt updates.
  • Google Cloud Storage – a universal, highly durable, and scalable object storage.
  • Jira – an agile development issue monitoring tool.
  • Lambda – runs code without using a managing server.
  • OneSignal – an API for sending a mobile push notification, in-app and email messaging, SMS, and web push.
  • REST API – an architectural API that allows users to build API endpoints.
  • SendGrid – customer communication program for marketing and transactional email.
  • Twilio – an API for sending and receiving voice calls and SMS.
  • Zendesk – builds successful software for support teams. 

On the other hand, there are database integrations that you can do with Retool. 

The following are the most common database APIs that can be integrated with this app development platform:

  • AWS Redshift – a fully-managed, petabyte-scale database service.
  • BigQuery – a fully managed, data warehouse without a server.
  • CouchDB – allows to access data through an internationally distributed server cluster.
  • Denodo – offers a data virtualization level on existing databases.
  • Elasticsearch – a distributed, REST-based analytics and search engine.
  • Google Sheets – designed for creation and collaboration on spreadsheets.
  • MySQL – an open-source relational data management system.
  • Oracle – a relational, multi-model data management system.
  • PostgreSQL – an open-source relational data management system.
  • Redis – an open-source, built-in memory data storage.
  • Snowflake – a cloud database platform accessible globally on GCP, Azure, and AWS.Vertica – a distributed, private column-store DBMS.

These are only some of the API and database integrations you can use with Retool. You can find the complete list in the Retool Integrations section. With plenty of options you can use, it’s easier to find the right tools so you can build customized features for your business apps.

Is Retool worth an investment?

Choosing an application development platform is not an easy task. There’s a wide selection of features to choose from.

However, if you want a more affordable low-code platform to automate your business apps including internal tools, automation, apps, process apps, and data collection apps, Retool can provide you with great results.

Even complex apps that involve RPA or AI can be built with the Retool platform.

So before you decide to automate your business processes and eliminate manual software systems, make sure to consider this unbiased review of Retool. 

Are you ready to simplify your workflow? Switching to this automation tool could be the best decision.

What is Slack?

Slack is a great business communication tool to be used among team members working in one organization or on one common project, regardless of where they are located.

Check out our article here – Slack: An Excellent Communication Tool For Remote Teams 

Workato: An Oustanding Platform for Automation and Integration

Looking to automate your processes and workflows?

Automation and integration give businesses a competitive edge. In about 60 percent of occupations, at least one-third of the activities that make up a specific job could be automated (McKinsey, 2017).

Enterprises that still depend on manual workflows are not just ineffective but rather wasteful. There are plenty of platforms that can support automation for businesses.

The time, finances, and human resources spent on these tedious tasks could have been poured into more meaningful projects – projects that have actual impact on the company’s growth and success.

Gartner: #1 Customer and Named Leader 3 Years in a Row

To overcome this major hurdle, Workato offers businesses a top-notch solution that guarantees outstanding results. It promises seamless and low-code automation of business workflows.

Workato augments the processing capacity of your business by allowing you to transport data to and from several apps and software through an incredible app integration system.

In this review, we’ll explain bit by bit how Workato maximizes the potential, productivity, and output of any business.

Workato is comparative to Power Automate and also check out our automate with UiPath article here.

What is Workato? A one-stop solution to automation and integration

With the unfolding of the advanced information age, companies and organizations rely more and more on applications and software to execute their daily tasks.  

The latest statistics reveal that roughly 10% of businesses globally use 200 apps on average that include social media, personal productivity, and business applications like Salesforce and Jira.

Without a fully integrated system, data stored and managed in these apps are scattered, presenting serious problems in the operations and capacity of a business. 

This has been the prime mission of Workato from the very start – to create a far-reaching and powerful automated platform that can integrate all the working apps of any enterprise. 

Workato offers sophisticated solutions that guarantee seamless, reliable, and secured flow of data between multiple applications and software.

They also simplified the transition of manual processes to modern automation by employing machine learning and their patented technology.  

The brilliant innovators behind Workato developed the platform in such a way that it is low-code but remains easily customizable. In this way, companies wouldn’t have to spend additional resources on technical service and training.  

The platform has been servicing 7,000+ businesses from different industries and the feedback is truly remarkable. It is currently paving the way for smart automation, establishing a solid ground as a leader in the market.  

So, How does Workato’s Automation and Integration Operate?

The goal of app integration is to make your apps communicate so that all the data stored in the business’ information system can be accessed and processed simultaneously without the need for manual data entry or migration.   

Typically, app integration requires some hard-core coding and IT work, especially when you want to customize it depending on your business operations. However, Workato eliminates entirely the coding work through its built-in and automated “recipes”.  

Workato’s recipes include step-by-step instructions that dictate when app integration should kick in and should execute a wide range of tasks involved in your business workflow.  

The recipes have three main components – triggers, connections, and actions. The trigger in its literal sense serves as a signal to get the integration working. It prompts a cascade of steps that execute tasks, conditions, and requirements defined by the user.  

Last and most importantly is the connection that plays a vital role in app integration. The connection component links Workato with target business applications.

Once the connection is made by Workato’s automation platform, the data in each app can readily be accessed and processed by its counterpart.

Who Can Use Workato?

Workato’s automation and integration capabilities could really be a big help for businesses that aim to upscale their operations. Not only could they evade doing repetitive tasks manually, but they could also reduce their need for additional resources.  

Managers can easily organize, supervise, and assist their subordinates through Workato. The platform enables managers to view, approve, review, or decline requests/events submitted by their employees.  

Moreover, with cross-departmental sharing of data, managers can make more informed and logical decisions since all the supporting and necessary data are made available by the software platform.

Workato vs Airtable

Workato is also a useful tool for businesses that capitalize on lead management. Normally, data entry specialists would need a significantly long time to update and enrich customer profiles across several apps, thus delaying the sales rep’s actions. This problem often leads to a loss of potential clients and opportunities. 

However, with Workato, you can sync any update across several apps and can forward the lead and accompanying data to the designated sales rep. This happens quickly and accurately.  

Because of its simplified and user-friendly interface, everyone can use Workato – managers, consultants, HR, accountants, entrepreneurs. Anyone who wants to skip the repetitive, time-consuming, and unproductive routine tasks can find great solace in using Workato. 

How Different Is Workato From Other Platforms That Offer Automation and Integration Solution?

Workato is not the sole app integration and automation provider in the market. But it is certainly one of the best. 

First, unlike other providers, Workato promises its clients zero loss of data. The software can transfer huge amounts of data efficiently and quickly as possible.

Moreover, Workato ensures that the data before automation is implemented remains accessible. And most importantly, Workato prevents any loss of data whenever it faces an interruption.   

Second, Workato employs a superior level of data security and governance. The platform placed strong safeguards to protect its client’s data from third-party intrusion.

The data handled, processed, and stored by Workato is encrypted using the company’s top-notch encryption algorithm. Additional layers of protection like data masking and data localization can also be employed under the customer’s discretion.  

Automation may sound so intimidating at first, but Workato makes sure that people with and without coding backgrounds can use the platform hassle-free and comfortably.

The interface of the platform is guaranteed user-friendly. Learning the basic set of commands and operations is also easier than most IPAAS, although mastery requires more experience and training.

Workato really set the bar high in Robotic Process Automation (RPA) by exploring the potential of mixing API and UI- based automation. This feature increases the performance of the platform in solving different problems by appropriating the correct system with the type of problem at hand.

Lastly, Workato does not let you suffer alone. Its customer support is among its best qualities. Clients can reach out to the team through various channels – phone, emails, and chatbox.

The team is extremely responsive and will walk you through your hurdles with the platform. They also provide you with materials and resources on how to use the software based on your needs.   

What Are The Existing Integrations with the Platform? 

Workato works closely with over 1000+ apps in sales, productivity, customer service, human resource, production, development, finance, and many more. 

The most integrated apps in Workato are the following:  

  • Salesforce
  • Slack
  • Jira
  • Trello
  • ServiceNow
  • Zendesk
  • Google Suite 
  • Microsoft Team 
  • Easy projects 
  • NetSuite 
  • Shopify
  • Chargify
  • FedEx
  • Paypal
  • Snowflake
  • Codeship
  • Microsoft 365 
  • Adobe
  • Zoom 

Final Say

Workato brings you the future of business workflows through its seamless, reliable, and highly efficient automation and app integration.

Workato proves to be a powerful platform that can connect the apps involved in your business operations smoothly, securely, and quickly.  

A system as reliable as Workato becomes more appealing because of its no-low code API management. As a result, employees with no technical background in programming can still use the platform well.

Furthermore, Workato sticks to its mandate of helping its clients throughout their journey in automation.  This software can truly bring astounding improvements in the company’s decision-making, management, collaborations, and overall productivity. The time is now.Go have the future in your hands.  

What is Slack?

Slack is a great business communication tool to be used among team members working in one organization or on one common project, regardless of where they are located. 

Check out our article here – Slack: An Excellent Communication Tool For Remote Team

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