OutSystems 11

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 wead 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.

UI Components

And last but not lease, Glenn Michiels showed how UI Components are used to -again- increase the performance of the developers. Please find all our presentations on: 1/ Service Modules https://www.slideshare.net/Providit/outsystems-community-meetup-2018-11-service-modules-124969897 2/ Screen Templates https://www.slideshare.net/Providit/outsystems-community-meetup-2018-11-screen-templates-124969893 3/ Reusable UI Components https://www.slideshare.net/Providit/outsystems-community-meetup-2018-11-reusable-ui-components-124969891 Would you like to know more about who we are? Check us out here!  Or are you looking for a new career challenge? Then click here. Read more

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. 

OutSystems 11: what’s 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.

Get your tickets now!

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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.

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  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. It’s 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. “Building applications with low-code happens ultra-fast. Whenever the business has a change request, you easily include it in the application”, 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: “It’s a lot of fun working here. They treat me as a member of the team, not as a number. That’s really important to me. We are all Providit.” 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: “The 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.”

Pleasure is the measure of success    

Glenn studied applied informatics and started working at Providit last April. He strongly endorses the OutSystems low-code platform. “Hand-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. It’s a visual way of working. You immediately see if an application works and it’s easy to make changes when it doesn’t”, he says. Besides low-code, Glenn also enjoys the nice work atmosphere and collegiality at Providit. Glenn: “We 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.” 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: “I 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.” Didier and Glenn’s proud stories show that pleasure is the measure of success at Providit.   Wanna know more about us? Check us out!   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 ‘Tim’s World Cup’. 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                      

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 ‘Tim’s World Cup’ in just eight hours?

Step 1: Requirements

Building a mobile app in a day starts with listing the app’s 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!

check out Tim’s World Cup below

    Want to know more about the OutSystems platform? Discover it here!

Do you also want to build and deliver apps faster using the OutSystems low-code platform? Contact Providit at info@providit.eu

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Good coding practices was the main topic of this meetup. Although OutSystems allows you to write code rather easily, there are still a lot of things to consider. Things that can really make a difference when it comes to the overall performance of your applications. In this session, we gave a lot of tips and tricks for a better OutSystems application.

As a starter, Arno gave some advise on how to improve the loading of images in an application. With some simple actions, loading can be a lot faster.

Want to know more about the OutSystems platform? Discover it here!

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On 19 April 2018, OutSystems organized its first Digital Transformation Roadshow in Belgium. Developers had the opportunity to get hands-on experience in building apps and to become more productive and better low-coders. IT leaders and architects followed a separate track where they got inspired by stories about how low-code accelerates business innovation. Being the largest OutSystems partner in Belgium, OutSystems invited us to this Digital Transformation Roadshow to share our insights on the most current objections to and opportunities for low-code.

Four business objections presented on the Digital Transformation Roadshow

1. No need for low-code

Organizations might think that they don’t need a low-code platform as they are on track with their digital transformation. This might be the case but maintaining the status quo is not an option on the long term, as the competition moves forward and applies new technologies to get a competitive advantage. You have to keep your eyes open.

2. Not ready for low-code

Some organizations are convinced that low-code is the future, but their current organization isn’t ready for it yet. Given the company structure and processes, they feel that they won’t be able to use the low-code platform to its full extend.

3. Too good to be true

Agreed, the sales talk sounds almost too good to be true. On the other hand, low-code platforms such as OutSystems, have been around since 2001 and they have fully matured by now. It’s also a misunderstanding that you can build applications on a low-code platform without any expertise. Low-code makes development easier, but not completely obvious. As of a certain moment, it does require IT expertise. But before that point, there’s a big area where even business people without prior IT education can get started building enterprise applications.

4. Expensive

Initially, a low-code platform costs more compared to conventional programming languages. But the good news is that it achieves better long-term results. It increases business productivity, resulting in cost savings. For example, low-code development shortens time-to-market and requires less maintenance.

Four developer/development objections 

1. No need for another technology

Starting with low-code indeed means introducing another technology at first. But with low-code, you build mobile and web applications with the same platform. So, in the long term, the web and mobile team can step away from their current technology and do everything with low-code.

2. Developers want to write code

There are developers that you will never convince of low-code. They see it as inferior to writing code. Other developers will be open to low-code as rapid application delivery is key to improve business results.

3. Managers don’t want developers to leave

IT managers are afraid that key developers will leave the organization if they implement a low-code platform. However, change is the only constant. But developers who want to leave, will apply for open positions anyway. On the positive side, developers that are tired of investing time in learning new versions of programming language often have the ideal profile to become low-code developers, thanks to their business acumen.

4. Lack of resources

Currently, we have lack of developers to fill all open job positions in the market. Low-code platforms provide organizations the possibility to solve this problem. Besides developers, business professionals are also able to develop low-code applications.

Three business opportunities presented on the Digital Transformation Roadshow

1. Faster time-to-market

An important business advantage of low-code is the fact that you can build and manage apps with higher speed. This helps organizations to respond faster to new business and market changes, resulting in better business results.

2. Reuse of IT resources

Low-code platforms help IT resources with a lack of in-depth traditional programming skills to build applications. Low-code increases the productivity and flexibility of IT resources in the organization.

3. Involvement of non-IT resources

The use of a low-code platform offers an interesting business alternative because a conventional coding background is not required. Business professionals can also develop low-code applications. They only need IT support for the more complex tasks. Want to know more about the OutSystems platform? Discover it here! Do you want to know more about the future of coding and improve your bottom line business results with low-code? Get in touch with Providit! Read more

This community meetup was all about mobile. Two topics were on the agenda of this community meetup. First, Adrian Birlogeanu explained in detail the mobile app for commuters he created. Very interesting explanation on both the business case as the technical aspect. Afterwards, it was time to actually built a mobile app. Both newcomers who never used OutSystems before as more experienced developers without mobile knowledge started building their first mobile app. With this session, we wanted to give a first taste on mobile development. I’m sure more in-depth sessions will follow.   Wanna know more about OutSystems technology? Discover it here!   Read more