Using Low-Code Tools for Automation: A Practical Guide
When it comes to streamlining workflows and boosting productivity, automation is the way forward. But if you’ve ever tried to automate something, you probably realised it can get complex pretty fast—particularly when coding is involved. Thankfully, with the rise of low-code and no-code tools, you don’t need to be a seasoned developer to get things done. These platforms make automation accessible, even for those of us who would prefer not to stare at code all day!
In this blog post, we’ll dive into what low-code tools are, why they’re a game-changer for automation, and explore a few popular options to get you started.
What Are Low-Code Tools?
Low-code platforms allow users to build applications and automate workflows with minimal manual coding. Instead of writing lines and lines of code, you can create processes through visual drag-and-drop interfaces, form builders, or pre-built templates. These platforms take care of the backend technical stuff while letting you focus on the logic and tasks you want to automate.
The distinction between low-code and no-code is minor: low-code tools often allow a bit of custom coding for flexibility, while no-code platforms aim to eliminate coding entirely. Either way, you’re leveraging a tool that takes care of most of the heavy lifting.
Why Does This Matter?
For businesses and individuals alike, this means:
- Speed: You can build solutions fast—often in hours or days, not weeks or months.
- Cost Efficiency: You won’t need to hire a developer for every small change or workflow automation.
- Scalability: These tools can grow with your business, handling everything from simple automations to complex workflows.
- Empowerment: It puts control back into the hands of non-techies, allowing them to automate tasks that would otherwise consume significant time and resources.
How Low-Code Automation Helps in Real Life
Let’s face it: many of our daily tasks are repetitive. Whether you’re managing customer inquiries, sending follow-up emails, or processing forms, these activities take up a lot of time. Low-code automation tools let you automate such tasks, freeing up your schedule for more meaningful work.
A few examples:
- Customer Service Automation: A support team using a low-code tool like Zapier can automatically route customer inquiries to the right team, send responses based on common queries, or escalate high-priority tickets.
- Marketing Automation: Tools like HubSpot and ActiveCampaign help marketers automate email campaigns, segment audiences, and track engagement, all with minimal manual input.
- Data Management: Need to pull reports or analyse data from different sources? Low-code tools can sync your data between apps like Google Sheets, Salesforce, and Slack, allowing you to keep everything in sync with almost no effort.
Popular Low-Code Tools for Automation
There’s no shortage of low-code platforms out there. To help you get started, I’ve rounded up a few that I’ve found particularly useful:
1. Zapier
Probably the best-known low-code tool in the market, Zapier connects over 2,000 apps and enables you to automate just about any process you can think of. Want to send a Slack message every time you receive a new email? Easy. Need to back up your Google Drive files to Dropbox automatically? Done in a few clicks.
Zapier operates on the concept of “Zaps,” which are individual workflows. The free plan gives you up to 100 tasks per month, which is great for light automation. But if you’re looking to scale, the premium plans offer plenty of value.
2. Integromat (now Make)
If Zapier is automation’s Swiss Army knife, Integromat is its surgical tool. It allows for more complex, multi-step workflows and lets you branch out based on conditions. It’s perfect if you need workflows that do more than just pass data from one app to another.
Its visual interface is intuitive, but what sets it apart is its ability to handle intricate data transformations. It can be particularly useful for those who need a bit more control or have workflows involving more complicated processes.
3. Power Automate
From the Microsoft ecosystem, Power Automate integrates tightly with Office 365 and Microsoft apps like Teams, SharePoint, and Dynamics 365. If your business relies on these tools, Power Automate is a no-brainer.
The beauty of Power Automate lies in its versatility: you can automate basic tasks like sending notifications, or more advanced processes like approval workflows across departments.
4. Airtable Automations
If you’re using Airtable, you’re likely already familiar with how powerful it is as a relational database. But its automation features deserve a shoutout too. Whether it’s sending reminders, updating records, or triggering integrations with other apps, Airtable makes it simple to create automations directly within your base.
Airtable’s visual builder lets you define triggers and actions within a few clicks. Plus, since it’s tightly integrated with their core database, you can easily customise the workflows to suit your data needs.
Key Benefits of Low-Code Automation
Time Savings: The most obvious benefit is the time saved by not manually performing repetitive tasks. Instead of manually uploading documents, sending emails, or copying data between apps, these tools do it for you.
Error Reduction: By automating data transfers and repetitive tasks, you eliminate the human error that inevitably creeps into manual processes.
Improved Focus: With mundane tasks taken care of, you or your team can focus on the more strategic, value-adding work that drives the business forward.
Consistency: Low-code automation ensures your processes are followed to the letter every time. No more wondering if someone forgot to send that report or follow up on that email chain.
Things to Keep in Mind
While low-code tools are incredibly useful, they’re not a silver bullet for all automation needs. Some workflows may still require custom coding, especially if you’re dealing with proprietary software or need to integrate deeply with your existing systems. But for the majority of everyday automations, low-code platforms are more than sufficient.
Also, as you scale, the costs of these platforms can add up. It’s worth periodically reviewing your automations to ensure you’re getting the most value out of them.
Final Thoughts
Low-code tools are changing the game for automation, allowing non-developers to streamline processes, save time, and improve productivity with ease. Whether you’re looking to reduce time spent on manual tasks, eliminate errors, or just want a bit more breathing room in your workday, these platforms have something for everyone.
If you haven’t already, now’s the time to explore low-code automation tools. Give Zapier or Integromat a go, start automating some of your more tedious tasks, and see how much time you can free up for the things that really matter.
After all, wouldn’t you rather spend your time working on your business, not in it?
What are your thoughts? Have you tried any low-code tools for automation? Let me know in the comments below!