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Gone are the days when someone needed to know how to code to build an app. Today, nearly anyone can become a citizen developer — that is, a person who creates new business applications using low-code or no-code platforms.
Three years ago, Gartner predicted that by 2023, large organizations would have four times more citizen developers than professional developers. That’s because “virtually every industry has a need for digitizing things at the business level,” said John Bratincevic, Forrester analyst and low-code developer.
And while there are many low- and no-code tools available today, one increasingly popular option is GoogleAppSheet, which claims more than 4.5 million apps were built using its platform.
What Is Google AppSheet?
Google AppSheet is a platform that allows users to create desktop, mobile and chat applications without the need for coding knowledge. Praveen Seshadri launched the tool in 2014 and sold it to Google in 2020. AppSheet is now part of Google Cloud’s suite of tools.
With the platform, users can build custom applications using data sources like Google Sheets, Forms and other cloud-based spreadsheets and database platforms.
Google AppSheet bills itself as a no-code platform, promising a simpler interface and user experience than similar low-code tools.
“Where you get real no-code is when you have tools that are targeting non-technical employees and allowing them to build digital solutions or apps or what have you,” said Michele Rosen, researcher manager at IDC.
Related Article: What Are Low-Code/No-Code Platforms?
What Can Google AppSheet Do?
Google AppSheet offers a wide range of capabilities that allow users to create versatile and powerful apps, including:
- Data integration: Users can connect various data sources, including Google Sheets, Excel and SQL databases, enabling them to use existing data to build apps.
- Customizable user interface: Users can customize the appearance and functionality of their apps, including the layout, colors and logos to match their branding or preferences.
- Automation and workflows: AppSheet enables the automation of tasks and workflows, such as sending notifications, emails and reports based on specific triggers and conditions.
- Security and governance: The tool provides security features like user authentication, permissions and data governance to ensure apps comply with organizational policies and data privacy regulations.
Google AppSheet aims to democratize software development by allowing citizen developers to create and deploy applications to solve their specific business needs without waiting for IT department resources.
Right now, said Bratincevic, the most mature citizen development programs tend to be in physical operations-heavy industries — like oil and gas companies — where there are still a lot of easy things for subject matter experts to digitize or automate. But, he added, you also see these programs in very conservative, regulated types of organizations, such as banks and government entities.
What Types of Apps Can Google AppSheet Create?
Users have the ability to create a diverse range of apps for both business needs and personal projects. The tool can be used across various industries and for a number of functions.
Some examples of apps users can create with Google AppSheet include:
- Data management apps: For managing databases, inventories, catalogs and directories. Users can create apps that allow for viewing, editing and organization of data stored in spreadsheets and databases.
- Project management and task tracking apps: Apps that help teams manage projects, track progress, assign tasks and set deadlines. These apps can include features for commenting, updating task statuses and integrating calendar functions.
- Customer relationship management (CRM) apps: Apps with CRM systems that track interactions with customers, manage leads and organize sales processes.
- Event management apps: To organize events, manage guest lists, send invitations and track RSVPs. These apps can also include features for scheduling and resource allocation.
- Inventory and asset management apps: Apps that track inventory levels, orders, sales and deliveries. They can also be used for asset management, including tracking equipment location, status and maintenance schedules.
- Educational and training apps: For creating interactive educational content, quizzes and learning modules, as well as for managing class schedules, attendance and grades.
- Expense tracking and budgeting apps: Finance apps that help users track expenses and receipts, as well as manage budgets.
- Custom dashboards and reporting apps: For visualizing data, generating reports and creating dashboards that display key metrics and insights from connected data sources.
AppSheet also has a variety of app templates available for common app use cases.
Related Article: How Companies Are Using Low-Code Platforms Today
What Are the Advantages of Google AppSheet?
Google AppSheet offers several benefits that make it an appealing choice for businesses looking to develop custom apps without hiring employees with extensive coding knowledge.
Accessible to All Skill Levels
AppSheet makes it easy to build custom apps without the need for coding or technical expertise. Anyone with an idea or a problem to solve can use the tool to build and deploy apps.
Despite its ease of use, Rosen said many citizen developers still come from an analytic background. “They may be power Excel users or may have some other reason why they have an affinity for data. Sometimes, it can be people who are involved in managing business processes.”
Saves Organizations Money
AppSheet can reduce the cost associated with hiring professional developers or outsourcing app development. There are a lot of hard savings in terms of process efficiency, according to Bratincevic.
He also pointed to the savings associated with ending current subscriptions. “As these [citizen development] programs scale, companies will start to retire SaaS apps and fold them into these platforms. Because if you have a platform and you pay for the users, it doesn’t necessarily cost anything incrementally to put more apps on. So, if you have a bunch of SaaS licenses, you can remake those apps on the platform and bank the money and then, you control the app going forward.”
More Ideas Come to Life
A lot of great ideas die because nobody can do them, said Bratincevic. “There’s no time to do them, or we don’t want people to do them, or we want to specifically enable experimentation and innovation.”
No-code has power because it’s solving problems that are generally below the interest level or available funds and resources of an IT department that has the skills to build those kinds of apps, added Rosen.
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Leads to Workforce Upskilling
Mature companies that think through citizen development the right way see it as a sort of workforce upskilling, said Bratincevic. Similar to how the whole world had to reorient around using personal computers 30-40 years ago, he said, something that was new and alien and kind of risky at the time.
“The really smart companies, the most advanced, see themselves essentially upskilling their workforce and becoming a more attractive employer because some kind of software development, whether you think of it that way or not, is replacing a lot of the things we currently do today…”
Generative AI Capabilities
Built-in generative AI features makes it possible to build an app with AppSheet using natural language. You can describe the type of app that you want at a high level, and AppSheet responds by asking follow-up questions, generating previews and offering sample data to seed the app for testing.
A lot of development vendors are incorporating generative AI into very specific aspects of the development process, said Rosen. “The whole idea here was to make building apps easier. And obviously if you can just use natural language to describe what you want and have an app built for you, that could be the easiest way.”
What Are the Limitations of Google AppSheet?
The limitations that come with Google AppSheet are very use case specific, said Bratincevic. But some common limitations that may crop up for those using the tool include:
A Learning Curve
Low- and no-code tools like Google AppSheet are designed for people with little to know coding knowledge, but there’s still a learning curve, said Bratincevic.
“They do a good job making it pretty and kind of getting you started on an angle that you understand,” but users without a data analytics or technical background may still experience some challenges getting used to the tool’s interface and walking through the app creation process for the first time.
Less Flexibility
“No-code systems tend to do things a specific way, and that makes them less flexible than other low-code tools,” said Rosen.
The experiences are more prescribed, added Bratincevic. You’re not coding anything you possibly can — you have your canvas of components that you can use for creating a screen.
“If you have some extremely bespoke thing you want to do that doesn't fit that pattern, which again, these more citizen developer type tools tend to be more restricted by design, then you'd have to do it in some other technology,” he said.
Limited Integrations
Integrations are where a lot of heartache happens. “There is only a certain range of integrations. There’s only a certain range of back-end systems or services that out of the box you can connect to,” explained Bratincevic.
Right now, Google AppSheet integrates directly with Google Workspace. Apps can also connect to other various data sources, including Microsoft Excel files, Cloud SQL, Apigee, Microsoft Azure SQL, AWS, Salesforce objects, Smartsheet, Odata and others.
Related Article: The Business Value of No-Code and Low-Code Solutions
How to Use Google AppSheet
Using Google AppSheet involves eight steps from initial setup to deploying your app:
1. Sign up or Log In
If you don’t already have one, you’ll need a Google Account, as AppSheet is part of Google Cloud Services. Organizations that use Google Workspace automatically have access to AppSheet Core edition at no additional cost.
2. Create a New App
Next, you can choose to create a new app from scratch or use one of the templates available that match your desired application.
3. Connect to a Data Source
Now it’s time to choose your data source. AppSheet supports various data sources, including Google Sheets, Excel files on Dropbox, OneDrive, SQL databases and more. Ensure your data is well-organized with clear headers for each column in your spreadsheet or database, which helps AppSheet understand how to structure your app.
4. Customize Your App
You can use the AppSheet Editor to customize your app, which can include defining the user interface, app functionalities and how users interact with data. You can also add in features like forms for data entry, maps for location data, charts for data visualizations and workflows for automating tasks.
Users have the ability to customize the user interface of the app, too, to manage the look and feel of the app. This can include changing colors, layouts and branding elements.
5. Define Security and Access Controls
Configure user authentication to control who can access your app. Google AppSheet supports various authentication methods, including Google Accounts and Office 365. You can also set permissions to define what users can view, edit and delete within the app, which ensures sensitive data remains protected and users only access relevant information.
6. Test Your App
Use the AppSheet editor to preview the app and test its functionality. Check all features, workflows and data interactions to make sure they work as expected.
7. Deploy Your App
AppSheet offers a deployment check to identify any potential issues before you make your app public. Once your app passes the deployment check and you’re satisfied with the functionality, it’s time to deploy it.
You can share the app with users by sending them a link or by inviting them via email. Unbranded apps can also be published directly to the Android Play store or iOS App Store.
8. Monitor and Update
Like any app, it’s important to keep an eye on it to ensure it’s working as intended and to gather feedback from users. You can always return to the AppSheet editor to make updates based on feedback and evolving needs.
