Line-of-business apps
Applications built around a specific part of your business, on low-code, a SaaS platform or custom code.
Purchase requests
Example · the same work, before and after
PR-115Waiting
Site survey equipment
Requested by A. Okoro
Routed to finance director (over $5,000)
quote.pdf
Every change in the audit trail
What we build
Line-of-business applications
We build applications for specific parts of your business on low-codePlatforms that build applications mostly through visual tools and configuration rather than hand-written code., a SaaS platform or custom code, whichever fits the process, the users and the integrations.
Replacing spreadsheets
Turn critical spreadsheets and Access databases into secure, multi-user apps.
Field and inspection apps
Mobile forms with photos, signatures and offline use.
Case and request management
Track requests from intake to resolution with SLAs.
Compliance and audit
Evidence, approvals and audit trails for regulated processes.
Scheduling and bookings
Book people, rooms, vehicles or equipment with availability and reminders.
Approvals and purchasing
Purchase requests and approvals with budgets, limits and audit trails.
How to get started
Three steps to a plan for line-of-business apps
- 1Tell us what you needUse the project form or book a call. A few sentences about the goal is enough to start.
- 2Free technical consultationWe go through your goals, users, existing systems and constraints with you.
- 3Your planA detailed plan covering the right tech stack, architecture, timeline and budget. Then you decide.
How it works
Low-code, SaaS or custom
We recommend the platform for the process, the users and the integrations. Choose one to compare.
Visual building on a platform.
- Data model
- Forms and views
- Workflows
- Publish
- Fits when
- Internal forms, approvals and workflows on data you already hold.
- What it needs
- Platform licences, governance and an owner.
- The trade-off
- Fast to build and change; limits on complex logic, volume and per-user cost.
Common choices: Microsoft Power Apps, OutSystems, Mendix
A request, from form to report
The apps we build follow the same shape. Choose a step to see what happens.
Submit
The user submits a request on web or mobile, with validation as they type.
- Required fields and rules
- Attachments and photos
- Works offline in the field
Our approach
How the work runs
Understand the process
The work, the users and the data, mapped with the team.
Choose the platform
Low-code, SaaS configuration or custom, based on fit and total cost.
Build iteratively
Short cycles with the users who'll rely on the app.
Integrate
Connect to ERP, CRM, identity and document systems.
Launch and support
Data migration, training and a support model.
What we'll need from you
Having these ready keeps the work moving.
Process owner
Someone who knows the process and approves the design.
Users
People who'll use the app, for feedback in each cycle.
Platform access
Environments and licences on your chosen platform.
Current data
Spreadsheets or databases to migrate.
Who's on the project
Our team, working with process owner from yours.
Your side
Our side
Solution architect: Chooses the platform and designs the app.
Services
Line-of-business app services
Platform selection
Low-code, SaaS or custom code, compared on fit and total cost at your scale.
App development
Built in short cycles with the users who'll rely on it, with roles and permissions.
Integration and data migration
Connected to ERP, CRM and identity, with data moved from spreadsheets and old tools.
Governance and support
Environments, data policies, training and a support model after launch.
Deliverables
What you receive
Each deliverable is signed off at the gate that closes its phase. Click one to mark it accepted.
In your hands
What the documentation looks like
Every project ends with documents your team can run with. Here is an excerpt of one of them.
Purchase requests app
Roles and what each can do
| Role | Create | Approve | Report |
|---|---|---|---|
| Requester | Yes | No | Own requests |
| Line manager | Yes | Up to $5,000 | Team |
| Finance director | Yes | Any amount | All |
| Auditor | No | No | All, read-only |
Measuring success
How success is measured
What we report on in line-of-business apps projects. Which measures apply, and their targets, are agreed with you at the start.
Benefits register
Time per task
How long the business task takes in the app compared with before.
- Data from
- Timings from the app's records, compared with a timed baseline
- Measured
- Baseline, then monthly
The baseline is taken before anything changes; targets are agreed at the first gate.
Ready for go-live?
The app goes live only when these are true. Untick one to see what blocks it.
Go-live readiness
Not ready to go live
- Missing: Data migrated and checked
Tick or untick checks to see the result change.
Readiness check
Are you ready for
line-of-business apps?
Five questions, about a minute. You'll see what to settle first and a sensible starting point.
Entry criteria: Line-of-business apps
Give each criterion a status. The gate decides from all of them.
- 1.Is the process the app supports clear?
- 2.Do you know who'll use it and how many?
- 3.Do you have existing platform licences, such as Microsoft 365 or Salesforce?
- 4.Do you know which systems it must connect to?
- 5.Is there someone to own the app after launch?
How to start
From first call to production
Start where you are. Each step ends with a decision, so you commit to the next one only when it makes sense.
Engagement roadmap decision gate
- Free technical consultation
- Current-state assessment
- Pilot
- Rollout
- Adopt and improve
Free technical consultation
One or two sessions
Talk through the goal, the users, the systems involved and any deadlines.
Delivered at the gate
- A clear view of scope and priorities
- A recommended next step
- A plan covering stack, architecture, timeline and budget
Estimate the value
What it could be worth to you
Enter your own figures. The formula is shown, and the estimate can go with your enquiry.
Time saved moving off spreadsheets
Line-of-business apps · your assumptions, with the formula shown
| Assumption | Value |
|---|---|
| 25 | |
| 4 h | |
| 35% | |
| $40 |
Time freed
$72,800
a year
Formula: People × weekly hours × share saved × hourly cost × 52
Add to my enquiryBuild or buy
When you don't need
a custom build
Part of the free technical consultation: when an existing product covers the need, we recommend it instead of a custom build. These are the options we weigh, alongside the tools you already have.
Option C: tailored
Recommended when
- The process is specific to your business
- Several systems need to connect
- Users need offline or field use
- Per-user SaaS pricing is too high at your scale
Full scope
In your industry
Where it applies
What this work delivers in the industries we serve.
Technologies and standards
Chosen for your project
Low-code, SaaS platforms and custom code compared. Choose one to see where it fits and how it's licensed.
| Platform | Best for | Licensing model |
|---|---|---|
| Low-code | Internal apps on Microsoft 365 and Dataverse data | Per user or per app |
| Low-code | Larger, complex apps built by professional developers | Platform subscription |
| Low-code | Business and IT building together, on any cloud | Platform subscription |
| SaaS platform | Apps close to your CRM data and users | Per user |
| SaaS platform | Workflow apps next to IT and service management | Per user or per app |
| Code | Complex logic, external users or high volumes | No per-user licences |
Microsoft Power Apps: Canvas and model-driven apps with Power Automate and Dataverse, governed through managed environments and data policies.
Low-code
- Microsoft Power Apps
- OutSystems
- Mendix
- Retool
SaaS platforms
- Salesforce Platform
- ServiceNow App Engine
- Dynamics 365
Custom
- React
- .NET
- Node.js
- PostgreSQL
Identity
- Microsoft Entra ID
- Okta
Next workstream
Application modernization
Move the portfolio beneath it off legacy platforms, wave by wave.
Previous: Business process designSteering committee packWorkstream 05
Application modernization
Deliver phase
Move the portfolio beneath it off legacy platforms, wave by wave.
Questions
Common questions
about line-of-business apps
Low-code or custom?
We recommend one for each app: low-code for forms, approvals and workflows for internal users, and custom code for complex logic, high volumes, external users or unusual integrations.
Can citizen developers build on it afterwards?
Yes, with governance: environments, data loss prevention policies and a review process for what goes live.
What about our Excel and Access files?
We analyse them, migrate and clean the data, and rebuild the logic in the new app with proper security.
How is a transformation engagement priced?
Assessments and pilots are delivered as fixed-price engagements; rollouts are usually delivered by a dedicated team, wave by wave. The free consultation ends with a plan covering scope, timeline and budget.
More in Digital Transformation
How it connects
- Relies onBusiness process designA clear, simplified process comes before the app.
- Pairs withChange managementAdoption support helps people move off spreadsheets.
- Pairs withApplication modernizationNew LOB apps often replace retired legacy applications.
Planning line-of-business apps work?
Start with a free technical consultation: a detailed plan covering the right tech stack, architecture, timeline and budget for your project.
Start a project