On the web, you find a lot of Javascript libraries available nowadays. This makes the life of a developer a lot easier, as it provides him with a set of tools ready to use in his applications. In other words, it prevents him from reinventing the wheel and thus fastens his development process.
Advantages
Since OutSystems is all about speed, Niels explained how to take advantage of those libraries and integrate them into your OutSystems applications. He was able to achieve the same results in only a few minutes!
Data Range Picker
During our Belgian Community OutSystems meetup on January 22, he took a javascript library called âDate range pickerâ available on http://www.daterangepicker.com/
Since reusability is one of the biggest strengths of OutSystems, Niels also explained how to turn it into a reusable component and make it available for everyone.
Have you ever heard of a dashboard where the page is automatically updates without the need of user interaction? Or did you ever have a project where real time data was a key functionality?
Then Websockets is the answer here! It allows interaction between server and client at any time without the client even requesting it. Niels explained us how to integrate this technology into the OutSystems platform. He used the firebase components available on the forge.
And of course, he showcased how to send realtime data to a specific user (or a set of users) regardless the platform (web or native mobile)!
In November last year, the entire Providit attended the OutSystems Developer Conference in Lisbon. The conference was dedicated to the development of mobile and web apps on the OutSystems low-code platform. The objective was to strengthen the bond among the team members and to learn new things about app developing with OutSystems. Niels, OutSystems Professional Developer and lead developer at Providit, especially enjoyed learning more about microservices, mobile applications, and the use of Microsoft Azure AI in Outsystems.
The Providit
team travelled to Lisbon a day early, to have a day of team building. The team
members visited the city center and had a good time together while sightseeing
and having a couple of drinks at the terraces. After a relaxing evening on the
coast, the team was ready for two days of dedication related to the OutSystems
Platform.
Microservices
The first tech talk that Niels attended was part of the Architecture track. âIt was a fantastic sessionâ, he says. âSince OutSystems 11, the architecture to build applications has improved a lot. One of the cases on display was a back-end example with several applications using the same server actions. However, the code needed an update. Normally, this means that each application has to be manually updated and deployed. Microservices, a new approach, solves this problem by ignoring manual updates as the applications can use the new code automatically.â
Mobile applications
Niels also learned something interesting during a tech talk about mobile applications. âI asked a question that had been on my mind for a long time: how to synchronize large pictures to your smartphone without impacting its performance? The answer was that it is important to compress the files so that they become small before synchronizing. In that case, itâs possible to keep working on your smartphone as the decompressed files are downloaded in the background. When you want to see a picture, the full file will be downloaded.â The goal for attending the sessions was hereby met: learning new things.
Microsoft Azure
A last tech talk that Niels attended was about Microsoft Azure on the OutSystems Platform. âThe presenter explained how to integrate an online tire catalogue with the help of Microsoft Azure recognition software. The result is that customers now scan a tire with their smartphone and receive information about it such as type, width, wheel diameter, and price.â By combine OutSystems and the MS Azure recognition software, the presenter was able to create a great application in no time.
Niels
is an OutSystems fan and regrets that he was not able to attend more tech talks
during the two-day OutSystems Developer Conference. However, the good news is
that all talks are now available on the conference website: https://www.outsystems.com/learn/techtalks/.
Developing apps
with OutSystems at Providit feels like home to Niels. âWe are a very close
group of colleagues and are also friends. Our organizational structure is horizontal,
and everyoneâs opinion is appreciated. This is often not the case at big IT
companies. Last but not least, at Providit I get the possibility to grow
personally and professionally. Thatâs really important to me.â
Do you want to become an OutSystems developer and help organizations to develop better apps faster? Contact us via info@providit.eu
The on-site services package that Fujitsu GPMO, until recently, offered to big customers, now comes in a standardized version within easy reach of SMEs. GPMO markets its Selfoss services via a portal build by Providit using OutSystems as a delivery platform.
GPMO (Global Program Management Office) is a department of Fujitsu Technology Solutions. It ensures the management and coordination of the IT services that Fujitsu customers buy. GPMO is headquartered in Brussels. There are also regional offices in Portugal, Costa Rica and the Philippines. If support via a service desk and remote support don't suffice and a service call-out is needed, on the customer's premises, by a professional, GPMO swings into action. Among the company's impressive references are big-name customers such as Lufthansa and Schneider Electric: large, internationally active companies for which GPMO develops a tailored service. Whenever a customer flags a problem, GPMO dispatches a technician or a service partner to the site. The fifty employees of GPMO handle about 240,000 IT support tickets a year, for service call-outs in all four corners of the world.
Rapid Application Development
Meanwhile, under the Selfoss services label, GPMO also offers a more standardized package of on-site services, aimed at SMEs. It concerns services such as the creation of a new user, the migration of data and applications onto a replacement machine, technical or logistic assistance during a move and other desk-side support. âTo optimally streamline the marketing of those services, we decided to develop a user portalâ, says Alex Curias, VP GPMO at Fujitsu Technology Solutions. âThe portal manages all underlying processes: ranging from the automated sending-out of quotations up to the management of contracts, payments, and more.â
In the search for a suitable technology for developing the portal, GPMO soon came across the principle of RAD (Rapid Application Development) â which introduced them to OutSystems. âA first proposal from a would-be partner didn't tick all the boxesâ, recalls Serge Van Branden, Global Deployment Director at GPMO. âAfter that we invited Providit to drop by. With that firm there was a definite click, both technical and personal, right from the off.â GPMO's in-house team performed the analysis for the portal. The business side of the story was already in place. âWe had, of course, been making price quotations for customers for several years alreadyâ, Van Branden continued, âbut, until just recently, it was all done manually.â
Close to the business
GPMO engaged Providit for the technical development. And, right from the start, there was a strong interaction. Providit thought along with GPMO, every step of the way. âWe have always retained the mindset of a startupâ, Curias explained. âThat same mentality is also visible at Providit: the urge to innovate and, step by step, to make progress, as rapidly as possible.â For Providit it was also important to be close to business, throughout the project â quite literally in fact. Van Branden: âAbout half of the software development took place on-premise, in our own offices.â That gave GPMO significant added value. âWe found ourselves in uncharted territoryâ, Curias recalled. âwhich is why we took the time to consult closely with our customers about what exactly they expected from the solution.â
In each case, Providit promptly took that feedback with them into the development process. Van Branden: âWe opted for a truly iterative approach, and by the book. The terms agile and lean werenât just buzzwords here, it went much wider than that.â By adopting that approach GPMO made optimal use of what OutSystems had to offer. Van Branden: âIn comparison with a traditional technology, the speed of software development with OutSystems was truly spectacular. We are talking here of a factor of five to ten, for sure.â Software development using a traditional technology had always been a non-starter in GPMO's eyes. Curias: âOur aim was to work efficiently: quickly and not too expensive, in which we could quickly adapt the pilot projects that had just been launched, to incorporate the feedback coming back from the business. In that respect, OutSystems has come up to expectations, without a doubt. It all went very smoothly and in no time.â What's more, GPMO no longer has to look over its shoulder for the hosting of the portal. All that happens automatically, on the platform of OutSystems itself.
Alex Curias, VP GPMO at Fujitsu Technology Solutions: Providit has the mentality of a startup: the urgeto innovate and make rapid progress, supported by technology that caters to that speed of execution.
New business model
Initially, the Selfoss services portal went live for existing customers and for new customers who'd found GPMO via Fujitsu's network. In the next stage, GPMO aims to develop the market itself and boost the sales of its services via the portal. âIn any project there are three parties involvedâ, Van Branden explained. âBesides GPMO and the customer there is also the delivery partner, the service provider who goes on-site at the customer's. These service providers also benefit from the portal, as they're able to organize themselves more efficiently.â This is but one of the aspects that shows how big an impact the portal has on GPMO's operating efficiency. âThe portal is changing our businessâ, Curias confirmed. âA quotation is dispatched automatically to a customer within 24 hours. Within a week after the clientâs go-ahead the customer can be issuing his first IT support tickets. Quotation cycles of six months are a thing of the past. This wouldn't have been possible without the portal. And without the winning combination of Providit and OutSystems, we wouldn't have built the new portal as fast as we did.â
As the new version of OutSystems, version 11, has been recently released, it was the ideal moment to take a closer look at it during our Belgium OutSystems Community meetup of November 13th. The complete Providit team also went to Portugal to discover the new features, but you find more about that trip in another blog post. Now, we would like to focus on three main topics.
Service Modules, Service Actions and Screen Templates
First of all, Didier Leroy talked about Service Modules and Service Actions. Service Action allows, compared to Server Actions, to create a weak dependency between actions.
Next, Nick Vandebriel introduced the new Screen Templates to us. OutSystems looked at the market and created over 50 templates. They cover most of the types of applications that have been built lately. Starting from one of the templates allows you to develop the screens even faster.
At the beginning of October, Outsystems organized its annual conference, NextStep 2018, in Amsterdam. During the conference, over two thousand participants witnessed the unveiling of OutSystems 11. OutSystems 11 is the latest version of the nr 1 low-code delivery platform. So, what benefits can new and existing customers expect from OutSystems 11? Let's have a look.Â
OutSystems 11: whatâs in it for you?
With previous versions of OutSystems, customers mainly focused on developing applications on top of existing core or legacy systems. For example, a contract management system on top of an existing customer management system or a new interface on top of legacy web services. But with OutSystems 11, you now have all the tools to start replacing those legacy core systems. The two most important new features to achieve this are low-code microservices and the support for deploying to containers.
Let's focus on the first feature: low-code microservices. With low-code microservices, you effectively implement a full-fledged microservices architecture. Gone are the hours of validating and fixing cross-architecture impacts on complex sets of apps or large systems! You now safely create and change reusable services and applications fast and at scale.
The second feature: containers. With containers, you take advantage of streamlined, lean operations and faster deployment, as well as increased scalability, resilience and portability. You're now able to deploy apps and services to leading container-as-a-service and platform-as-a-service providers, including Amazon, ECS, Azure Container Service, Pivot PAS and on-premises Docker container environments.
Artificial Intelligence, a look into the future
Outsystems has started a research initiative to bring Artificial Intelligence (AI) to low-code development. By leveraging the possibilities of machine learning, Outsystems AI predict the next steps in your business flow. By recommending the most likely options, it's not only increasing the development speed even further, it's also guiding the developer in making higher quality applications.
Ar you curious how you take full advantage of the latest features in low-code development? Do not hesitate to contact us! Read more
When developers think of OutSystems, they tend to not think any further than just the development tools and features. But the OutSystems Platform holds a lot more than that!
In this meetup, we had a look at the infrastructure. What types of servers do you need and in which setup?
MVP Kurt Vandevelde also explained the complete process of creating a new version of an application. Next to that, he showed how to perform an OutSystems platform upgrade without any downtime for the business users.
The second topic was about CSS Custom Properties. Via a basic example, Arno Vandermeeren showed the different possibilities.
And last but not least, Tim Timperman gave us a high-level overview of OutSystems version 11 that was released last week. OutSystems 11 delivers advanced capabilities specifically designed to address the challenges of replacing massive systems and large application portfolios. Delivering apps with a coordinated, modern look-and-feel that people can't wait to use is faster than ever. OutSystems 11 delivers what teams need to create and change code safely, even when their work spans multiple projects, groups, and organizations.
As you can read, there's a lot more to tell about the OutSystems Platform! Are you eager to find out more? Check it out here!Read more
Packed with industry giants, forward thinkers and digital innovation stories, NextStep Amsterdam is definitely the IT event of 2018.
Low-code, machine learning and artificial intelligence
So, what are you waiting for? Save your space now for Nextstep Amsterdam 2018! Get ready to see how low-code digital factories are transforming traditional development. And learn how artificial intelligence, machine learning, and low-code make an unbeatable combination. On top of that, hear from OutSystems customers and partners who are crushing their digital transformation initiatives. And finally, geek out with IT leaders who share your passion for innovation. Just be there live as we unveil our biggest product launch ever!
Keynote Speaker
We warmly welcome JEREMY WHITE, Executive Editor at Wired. Wired is an influential technology and trends magazine which covers innovation and the businesses that are building the future. He especially analyzes and identifies the emerging trends and technological shifts that will impact consumers and businesses alike. From IoT to AI, smart homes to smart cities, flying cars to passenger drones, he has firsthand experience of trends. But he also has personal contact with the global business leaders driving them!
Analyst Speaker
With more than 35 years of experience in the application arena Andy Kyte, VP & Gartner Fellow, will take the stage for an unforgettable session. He has focused his research on the challenges CIOs and business management teams face when managing complex application portfolios. And besides that, are dealing with continuous demand for more application capabilities.
NextStep Amsterdam 2018
Join us on 08-09 October 2018 at Taets - Art and Events Park, which is called the creative hotspot of Amsterdam. This unique event venue is located on the magnificently beautiful national heritage site on the Amsterdam North Sea Canal.
Digitizing and automating various business processes is undoubtedly the most complex and never-ending challenge that organizations is facing nowadays. So, don't miss ABISS 2018!
ABISS 2018
Knowledge, internal collaboration, budgets and the impact of decisions on productivity, competitiveness and personnel, are very important to an organization. Therefore, constant knowledge building, new applications and consultation have become an 'ongoing commitment'.
It is needless to say that you can't only implement this commitment and knowledge only at the top layer, also the workplace needs to be involved. On top of that, each business unit has its own needs and criteria according to feasibility and performance. So, every step in digitization must fit into a perfectly orchestrated whole.
Our target group
Every industrial or traditional organization that produces goods belongs to the target group of this event. We take all possible production companies, whether discrete or process industry, in consideration! Going from chemistry, pharmaceuticals and food to metal, plastics, wood and textiles.
For whom?
ABISS 2018 focusses on visitor profiles such as managers and owners of SMB as well as large organizations. Responsibles for specific business processes (production, maintenance, procurement, engineering, planning, R & D, quality, SCM, warehousing, safety, IT, HR, etc.) also draw our attention. And of course, we count on a large amount of IT managers and cyber security managers.
Providit and Cronos aan de Leie
Cronos aan de Leie and Providit are at your disposal all day for all kinds of questions and advice on the digitization of your organization!
Our offering consists (among many other things) of Application Visualisation, Sharepoints & Mobile Solutions, Augmented and Virtual Reality Applications, Big Data Analytics and Business Intelligence and Analytics. We have great experience with Cloud Services, Digital Manufacturing, Engineering, Development Software: PDM, CAD, CAM, CAE and Financial and Accounting Software. We specialize in HRM and Quality Management Software, IoT Services, Software and Applications. Our experts breathe Low-code development (OutSystems), Master Data Management and Mobile Learning and Manual Apps. We master Software Selection & Consulting, Supply Chain Management Software and Workflow Software.
Don't wait, register here! We are looking forward to meeting you on 4 October 2018 in Kortrijk.
 As an enthusiastic and passionate IT professional, you dream of a job in an environment where work feels like a hobby, where the newest technologies are in use and employees are valued from day one. And of course, where you find plenty of opportunities for professional as well as for your personal development. Where to sign? Become a Providit Pro at the largest OutSystems team in Belgium!
The OutSystems low-code platform helps organizations with their digital transformation, building and deploying apps in a fraction of the time that hand-coding would take. As fast changing markets and new opportunities urge businesses to build and deliver better apps, OutSystems is the way to go. Itâs a rapid application delivery (RAD) platform that enables you to visually develop web and mobile applications fast.
12 times faster
Didier Leroy, OutSystems web and mobile developer, started working at Providit last January. He graduated as a bachelor in IT business solutions. He started as an intern and was amazed by the OutSystems low-code platform. âBuilding applications with low-code happens ultra-fast. Whenever the business has a change request, you easily include it in the applicationâ, says Didier. Before his internship at Providit, Didier considered pursuing a different career path. However, his experience with low-code, the friendly work environment and his inspirational colleagues made him change his mind. Didier: âItâs a lot of fun working here. They treat me as a member of the team, not as a number. Thatâs really important to me. We are all Providit.â
When Didier started as a Providit Pro, he worked on a challenging project for a large car dealer. He had to build a planning system for rental cars. Didier used OutSystems to rebuild a planning application that was originally hand-coded in Angular 5. He finished the project in two months. The customer was very happy because it took 6 months and 4 Java developers to build the original application. He delivered the low-code solution 12 times faster! Didier: âThe entire approach was so appealing to me. I immediately had the opportunity to work for a large customer. And the best proof that I am a proud Providit Pro, is the efforts I do to acquire new customers by sharing my work experience in my personal network.â
Pleasure is the measure of success   Â
Glenn studied applied informatics and started working at Providit last April. He strongly endorses the OutSystems low-code platform. âHand-coding an application can be a daunting experience. For example, you need to write Java code for five days before you can do a first test. During that test, you often experience that the application is not working as expected. Low-code is faster and easier. Itâs a visual way of working. You immediately see if an application works and itâs easy to make changes when it doesnâtâ, he says. Besides low-code, Glenn also enjoys the nice work atmosphere and collegiality at Providit. Glenn: âWe work hard and play hard. We share responsibility and authority equally amongst colleagues. We have the freedom to plan our own work and to grow professionally as well as personally at our own pace.â
Over the last couple of months, Glenn built several low-code apps. An interesting project he worked on, is the time sheet checker. In many IT organizations, managers check the paper time sheets of their employees on a monthly basis. That's a time-consuming task. Glenn: âI automated the paper time sheet with a low-code app, making it a lot easier for managers to check time sheets per employee. Furthermore, the app makes it possible to send the employee an email in case the time sheet is not correct.â
Didier and Glennâs proud stories show that pleasure is the measure of success at Providit.
Are you interested to join us and to become a proud Providit Pro? Contact us at info@providit.eu Read more
Hi! I am Tim Timperman, Managing Partner at Providit, and we use the OutSystems low-code platform to build all our online applications. Today, I challenged myself to build an app in a day. As the 2018 FIFA World Cup is ongoing, I decided to spend just eight working hours to build a mobile app named âTimâs World Cupâ. So, my objective is to build a basic app for all soccer fans. What do you think? Did I succeed? Is it really possible to build an app that fast?
Low-code platform                     Â
A low-code platform is based on rapid application development. That means that it allows developing high-quality web and mobile apps visually. So that you can basically build an app in a day! Traditional app development requires programmers to write every line of code. Low-code however is a way to design and develop software significantly faster with minimal hand-coding. It enables users to deliver value more quickly and more reliably. Therefore, a low-code platform meets the needs of organizations that want to build and manage apps for their businesses at high speed. You may conclude that low-code gives these organizations the opportunity to create a competitive advantage. In addition, a low-code platform is a viable solution for the shortage of developers in the IT sector.
My journey
What steps did I take to build and deliver my mobile app âTimâs World Cupâ in just eight hours?
Step 1: Requirements
Building a mobile app in a day starts with listing the appâs requirements. My requirements are clear : a calendar of the 2018 FIFA World Cup matches, an overview of the groups, and the scores in the groups.
Step 2: Data
Is the data for the defined requirements available? Let's check on the internet where it is possible to get the data for my app. At GitHub, I discover free public APIs that open up access to the required data. These APIs give me the chance to easily retrieve and integrate the data in my app in a day. Brilliant!
Step 3: Build
The OutSystems low-code platform provides me an intuitive drag-and-drop editor to quickly build a visual model of the mobile app in a day. Easy as 1-2-3!
Step 4: Test
Before deploying the app in a day, I thoroughly test it with the built-in preview feature. Then, I test it on my smartphone. Does it look intuitive and does it feature all the requirements I listed? Yesss!
Step 5: Deploy
Well, I am very happy with the result of my basic mobile app in a day. Using the OutSystems low-code platform, I automatically deploy the app for Android and iOS. Furthermore, I create a QR code so that all soccer fans with Android devices can download the app. Have fun!
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