“Hey IT, can we get a simple app to track our team’s project expenses?”
“Sure, we’ll add it to the backlog. We should get to it in about… nine months.”

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The IT backlog is a universal bottleneck that stifles innovation and frustrates business teams who need solutions now. But what if the people who understand the problem best could build the solution themselves?

Enter the era of low-code and no-code (LCNC) platforms, and their powerful synergy with modern ERP systems.

Demystifying Low-Code/No-Code

• No-Code: Visual drag-and-drop tools that allow non-technical users (in HR, marketing, ops) to build full applications without writing a single line of code.
• Low-Code: Visual development environments that speed up the process for professional developers, allowing them to build complex applications faster by reducing hand-coding.

The key point? Both approaches dramatically reduce the time and cost of application development.

Real-World Use Cases: Innovation at the Speed of Business

When LCNC platforms can easily connect to your core ERP data via APIs, they unlock a wave of grassroots innovation. Here are just a few examples:

• The HR Onboarding Portal: An HR manager can build a custom portal for new hires. Once a candidate is accepted in the ERP’s HR module, the portal automatically triggers, guiding them through paperwork, equipment requests, and introductory meetings—all without IT involvement.
• The Marketing Event Tracker: The marketing team can create an app to manage event budgets, track leads, and measure ROI. The app pulls the initial budget from the ERP and feeds lead data back into the CRM module.
• The Plant Floor Efficiency App: A production supervisor can design a simple mobile app for line workers to report minor equipment issues or suggest process improvements, directly linking them to assets and workflows in the ERP.

The Governance Factor: Freedom Within a Framework

The biggest fear for IT leaders is “shadow IT”—a wild west of unsecured, ungoverned apps. A modern ERP strategy with LCNC solves this by providing “freedom within a framework.”

• Centralized Governance: IT controls the LCNC platform and the API connections to the core ERP, ensuring security, data integrity, and compliance.
• Citizen Developer Programs: IT can train and support “citizen developers” in business units, providing best practices and guardrails.
• Core vs. Context: The core ERP remains the “single source of truth” for critical financial, customer, and product data. The LCNC apps provide the flexible “context” for specific departmental needs.

Future-Proofing Your Business

An ERP’s value is no longer just its built-in features, but its ability to act as a stable platform for a galaxy of custom apps. By embracing low-code/no-code, you tap into the collective creativity of your entire organization, allowing you to adapt to new challenges at a pace the modern market demands.

Stop adding to the backlog. Start building.

Ready to unleash innovation across your company? Ask us how our ERP solutions integrate with leading low-code platforms. [Let’s talk about empowering your business users].