Imagine you are developing software and at some point you realize that you have - metaphorically speaking - excluded yourself. You may have built a well-oiled machine, but every change or enhancement, no matter how small, is laborious and time-consuming. Andreas Kranzusch and Till Hahndorf, the founders of CFOxt, found themselves in precisely this situation.
CFOxt is an app that makes the approval process for vacation requests, orders and other internal processes easier for companies. Ten years ago - at a time when no-code was still in its infancy - they developed the first version of the app using traditional programming.
But over the years, the app grew, new requirements were added and the challenges of traditional software development became more and more apparent. Changes were time-consuming, integration with other systems was complicated and there was a lack of flexibility. For Andreas and Till, it was clear that this had to change.
As luck would have it, Andreas and Till were listening to our VisualMakers podcast at the time (independently of each other). It was from us that they first heard about Bubble, Xano, Make and all the other no-code tools that promised to revolutionize software development. Till in particular, who runs a software agency himself, was initially very skeptical as to whether it was possible to build serious software with no-code.
But something told them they could talk to us first. And that's how they got in touch with Alex and Lilith, our founders. The idea was to virtually redevelop the CFOxt app with no-code.
Alex then set to work. The challenge was to rebuild the old app from scratch, including a new back end. For Alex, however, it was clear early on which tools had the power to master this project: Bubble in combination with Xano and Make.
Bubble serves as a flexible front-end with which you can build just about anything you can imagine.
As a scalable and GDPR-compliant back end, Xano has Bubble's back. This is where the data resides securely and can be accessed at any time.
Make is the workflow miracle. Since CFOxt has to create many documents and link data with each other, the bubble workflows had to make way for the iPaaS of our choice.
The result is impressive: CFOxt 2.0 is lean, flexible and easy to use. Customers have now migrated to the new system.
For Andreas and Till, this project was proof that no-code can now easily keep up with custom code.
The advantages of no-code are obvious:
Even though no-code tools are revolutionizing software development, it is important to keep the associated challenges in mind. Till warns against being blinded by the seemingly low costs of the individual tools. The maintenance and further development of a no-code app can quickly become complex and expensive.
CFOxt therefore relies on a lean and focused product that concentrates on the core functions. New features are carefully examined and only implemented if they offer real added value for the customer.
Andreas and Till are positive about the future of CFOxt: No-Code allows them to react flexibly to new requirements and continuously develop the app further. Their goal is to make CFOxt the leading solution for approval processes in small and medium-sized companies.
Her appeal to listeners is clear: be open to no-code and low-code solutions and don't be afraid to try out these tools. The community and the available resources offer great support when developing your own solutions.
And who knows, maybe you'll soon be developing the next killer app with no-code!
