Low-code

What it means

Low-code refers to platforms in which apps, forms and automations are assembled from ready-made blocks in a graphical environment with minimal programming. The related term no-code describes tools that need no programming at all.

Typical uses are internal: approving invoices and holidays, tracking jobs, a simple customer database or connecting two systems through an API, such as the online shop and the accounts. Someone from the department, not only a programmer, can often build such solutions.

The advantages are speed and a low starting cost. The drawbacks are dependence on the platform, limited scope for complex requirements and the risk of many small apps that IT does not know about and nobody maintains.

How it works in practice

For small and medium-sized companies, low-code is often the cheapest route to digitalising processes. We recommend starting with one specific process, such as approving supplier invoices, and measuring how much time and how many errors it saves.

When connecting to the accounts, data quality and permissions need care. An automation that writes to the accounting system must have clear rules, duplicate checks and a log of what it changed and when, so that the books remain verifiable.

Platforms are paid for by subscription, usually to foreign providers. The costs are deductible, VAT is handled by self-assessment and personal data need a processing agreement. For larger solutions it is worth comparing the total cost with bespoke development.

What to watch out for

The most common risk is shadow IT. Staff build apps holding customer data without the company knowing, and when the author leaves nobody knows how they work. Keeping a register of apps and their owners prevents a key process depending on a forgotten tool.

The second risk is platform lock-in. As the company grows or prices change, moving elsewhere can be expensive because the logic and data sit in a proprietary format. Before building a critical process on it, check how you would get out.