What is Glide?
Glide is a platform that allows you to create your own mobile applications without needing any advanced programming knowledge. Using data from Excel, Google Sheets, Airtable, BigQuery or their own database, Glide allows you to develop functional and pretty good looking mobile apps for any device.
Use Cases for Accountants
- Approvals: Building an approval app can help streamline the accounting process for payables, invoice creation or modification, expense claims, etc.
- Transaction Feedback: This refers to creating an application for managing customer feedback on various transactions in Xero or QBO. For instance, if a customer finds an error in their invoice, they can easily report it via the app. They can also be prompted to code certain items, review certain accounts or ask questions about transactions (sort of like Uncat or Keeper, but more bespoke)
- Expense Reports: Employees can use it to quickly submit receipts, log miles traveled, and note any other work-related expenses. These entries can then be reviewed and approved by the relevant personnel, and then sent to Xero, QBO or any other accounting platform with an API.
- Inventory: Glide can be used to develop an inventory management application. It can aid in tracking stock levels in real-time, monitor incoming and outgoing inventory, and provide notifications when restocking is needed, preventing shortages and overstocking. You could make this as simple or complex as you like, but keeping it simple is probably a better idea given the more complex stuff is probably better just buying it anyway.
Key Features of Glide
- Customizable: Glide provides various templates that you can customize to meet your organization's specific needs. Make it look and act however you want, as long as it uses the functions available in the platform.
- Data Driven: Glide connects directly to Google Sheets, Airtable, Excel, BigQuery and their own Tables dataset, meaning your data can be easily uploaded, managed, and updated. Any changes you make in your underlying data (ie. google sheets) will be instantly reflected in your Glide app and vice versa. There might be some nuances here on timing, but all in-all, it’s quick.
- No Coding Required: Glide uses a visual, drag-and-drop system to build apps, meaning you don’t need any coding knowledge to use it. This allows anyone, regardless of their technical background, to build a functional and professional-looking app.
- User Management: Glide provides a way to manage user access, so you can control who can see and edit your app. This is useful for creating different access levels for various users, such as employees, supervisors, and administrators (or the public)
- Real-Time Updates: Changes made in your Glide app or in the linked Google Sheets are automatically updated in real-time. This ensures everyone is always working with the most up-to-date information.
Presentation Example: Confirming Tracking Categories & Classes
Problem: