These days users expect apps to be well designed and easy to use, that’s even true when it comes to businesses applications. In its attempts to make it easier for non-coders to create businesses apps Salesforce.com has released new low-code tools for its Lightning Platform.
In an announcement last week Salesforce touted three new tools for the app-making platform and new ‘smart’ features to its app store AppExchange.
The new additions to its Lightning Platform, which was first announced at Dreamforce in 2015, are supposed to make it easier for business professionals who don’t have a technical background to create and design apps from start to finish.
The new Lightning Object Creator can turn spreadsheets into apps without using code stated the release, “teams can now drag and drop spreadsheets into the Object Creator, review data fields for accuracy and publish a digital form, available on desktop or mobile.”
Once the app is started the new Flow Builder feature helps to automate processes within the app, for example managing insurance claims and the new Flow Actions feature offers pre-built options for creating automated, repeated processes.
Salesforce Einstein is, of course, also included in these new tools to help recommend app functions based on specific businesses and their customer needs.
In the press release Salesforce offered this as the example of how all these tools could work together:
“With Lightning Flow Builder, a car dealership can create a flow that takes both staff and prospective buyers through a step-by-step process to configure and purchase a new car. Einstein Next Best Action guides the sale based on details from the test drive, customer history and more to suggest incentives that would help close the sale. Meanwhile, Flow Actions throughout allows the salesperson to enhance their customer interaction at relevant points within the workflow, with access to marketing videos, industry data and even the ability to take payment on the show floor.”
Also announced was a ‘smarter’ app store that offers recommendations that offers specific apps or services based on location, instal history, profile and more. According to the release 88 per cent of Salesforce customer organizations are using AppExchange with almost 6 million app installs.
In a recent International Data Corporation (IDC) study (sponsored by Salesforce) it found that businesses developing apps through the Lightning Platform saw a 545 per cent return on investment (ROI) over a five year period and the platform offered 29 per cent higher app-developer productivity.