Data integration platform maker Dell Boomi, which previously made tools that are safe and usable only in the hands of IT experts, has simplified its platform so it can be used by line-of-business employees.
The company has launched a new extension to its unified suite called Boomi Flow, a low-code development package for building and deploying workflow applications.
Low-code is software that’s complicated in the application yet makes the user interface simple enough for line-of-business employees to use. With low-code development tools, non-IT people can build and customize standard business applications and make them directly relevant to the business they do every day–at their desks or on location somewhere else. Drop-down menus and wizards used in an intuitive fashion are the keys to low-code.
Low-Code Not New But Trendy Again
Low-code is parallel to something we’ve been covering in eWEEK a lot lately: citizen development, in which non-IT personnel at companies are able to customize all or parts of a business application in order to make using it a better, more satisfying experience for everybody concerned.
Boomi Flow, which became widely available Sept. 21, aligns with its flagship cloud integration technology to deliver a unified cloud platform that orchestrates data, applications and business processes.
Based on Boomi’s acquisition of San Francisco-based software vendor ManyWho earlier this year, Boomi Flow enables enterprises to build workflows that streamline routine business processes–such as order-to-cash, purchasing, employee onboarding, case management and credit limit approvals.
Developers use Boomi Flow’s intuitive, low-code environment to create business applications that meet predetermined parameters for automated execution. For example, Boomi Flow can help organizations streamline the employee lifecycle–from recruitment, background checks, onboarding, training, promotions and other job changes—all the way to separation.
Extension of Ways to Connect Apps and Data Sources
CEO Chris McNabb told eWEEK that Boomi has seen significant interest from its Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS) customers in how Boomi Flow can augment and extend their ability to connect applications and data sources. Conversely, Boomi Flow customers are looking to Boomi iPaaS for agile integration that’s far faster and easier than custom-coding or traditional on-premise middleware, McNabb said.
Boomi Flow also aligns with Boomi’s Master Data Management (MDM), API Management and EDI (electronic data interchange) offerings to supply additional capabilities. For example, Boomi MDM can check for duplicate records across several applications in a workflow and flag them for resolution. Boomi API Management equips organizations to build connectivity across systems ranging from legacy mainframes to mobile apps, preparing them for data exchange and workflow automation.
For more information or to see a demonstration, go here.