If you caught the Elevating Your Quickbase Governance session at EmpowerPro, you’ve already had a sneak peek at the exciting new tools we’ve rolled out. But if not, no worries—we’ve got you covered! Quickbase has been hard at work developing features that make governance easier and way less stressful.
We get it, governance may not seem like the most exciting thing. But it’s essential for keeping your workflows smooth, your data secure, and your processes compliant. We’ve all been there: juggling passwords, digging through logs, or holding our breath every time something gets pushed to production. Luckily, service accounts, ALM tools, and audit log upgrades are here to change all that.
Our goal? To help you say goodbye to Gray Work and give you tools that make managing apps feel like real progress—not a headache. Whether you’re wrangling regulatory challenges or drowning in spreadsheets, Quickbase has the solutions you need to simplify complexity.
Now, let’s dive into what’s new, how these new tools can help, and why they’re game-changers for your team.
Service Accounts: No More Password Sharing
How many times have you shared a password with a coworker just to keep things moving? We’ve all been there. But now, with Quickbase’s service accounts, you’ll never have to again! These accounts allow multiple people to access apps securely without shared passwords. That means even if someone is out of the office or leaves the team, your critical workflows keep running without a hitch.
Why You’ll Love Service Accounts:
- SAML Authentication for Security: No more juggling passwords—just seamless, secure logins.
- Smooth Collaboration: Builders can jump in and manage apps or pipelines using service accounts, ensuring uninterrupted workflows.
- API-Ready: Service accounts work like a charm with Quickbase APIs, so your automation keeps humming along.
Audit Trails: No More Wild Goose Chases
Ever spent hours digging through logs trying to figure out who changed what? Thankfully, those days are behind us! Now with Quickbase’s more robust audit trail, every action is easy to track and connect back to the right user—without the hassle. Here’s what’s new:
- Session Info Tracking: Each session now has a unique ID, so you know exactly who did what (and when!).
- Switch Event Logs: When users switch to service accounts, it’s recorded. So nothing slips through the cracks.
- Clickable Links: Investigating? Just click on the event, and it’ll take you straight to the relevant app or report.
- Tracking Key Configuration Changes: Admins can now see changes to user settings, app branding, and field properties—all in the audit trail.
These updates make sure you have the full story—the who, what, when, and where—without needing to dig through endless logs.
Admin Console Enhancements: More Visibility, More Control
Governance is all about knowing what’s happening in your systems—and Quickbase’s latest Admin Console updates help you do just that. We’ve added connected tables to the mix, so admins can track user tokens, pipelines, and other key data points in one place.
To help admins actually make sense of all this data (because who has time to stare at tables all day), we created three interconnected apps that make governance easy.
- Admin Console Sync Hub: Think of this as mission control. This app pulls everything from the admin console connected tables into one central location. If it’s in your data, you’ll find it here.
- Realm Insights App: Need a big-picture view? This app lets admins slice and dice their realm data, helping them understand the health of their environment and make smarter decisions.
- Realm Logger: This one’s for the detail-oriented. It uses pipelines to track everything, from user activity to app changes, with flexibility and precision. You can monitor key events based on your needs and even set up alerts for things like new pipelines or access granted to external users.
Our new Admin Console apps take the guesswork out of governance.
ALM Made Easy with Solution Lifecycle Manager (SLM)
Managing multiple environments—like development, testing, and production—can get messy fast. That’s where Quickbase’s new Solution Lifecycle Manager (SLM) app comes in. It gives you a simple, structured way to track changes between environments without the usual chaos. Here's how SLM Works:
- Isolated Environments: Keep your production environment safe by building and testing in separate environments.
- Approval Workflows: Deploy changes only when they’ve been reviewed and approved—no surprises!
- Continuous Deployment: Push updates from development to production with just a few clicks.
APIs + GitHub: Automation, Meet Traceability
Governance isn’t just about control; it’s also about working smarter. With Quickbase’s Solution APIs and Quickbase Object (QBO) language, you can export, create, and update solutions quickly without touching your production environment until everything’s ready to go. And thanks to our GitHub integration, you’ll have complete traceability over every change.
What’s Possible with APIs and GitHub Integration:
- Text-Based Schema with QBO: Describe your Quickbase schema in text and deploy it instantly.
- Parallel Development: Create temporary environments for feature development and tear them down when done.
- Version Control with GitHub: Every change is tracked with pull requests, so you know who made what change and when—perfect for compliance needs like SOX.
As Principal Engineer Drew Ditto mentioned during the EmpowerPro demo, “With APIs and source control tools like GitHub, you get the best of both worlds—agility and governance.”
What’s Next: Governance That Grows with You
Quickbase isn’t just building tools for today’s needs—we’re thinking ahead. From sandbox alternatives to extended API trials, we’re committed to giving you the flexibility to manage governance your way. Here’s a sneak peek of what’s coming:
- Sandbox Evolved: SLM offers a more flexible approach to sandboxes, allowing multiple apps and pipelines across environments.
- More API Trials: Due to popular demand, our Solution APIs trial will likely be extended beyond December 31, giving more customers a chance to try them out.
- Support for Large App Exports: We’re testing export features for large and complex apps to ensure smooth deployments, even for legacy configurations.
Wrapping It Up: Governance You Can Count On
With service accounts, audit log upgrades, SLM, APIs, and GitHub integration, Quickbase gives you everything you need to manage governance without stress. These tools help you stay in control, keep your processes secure, and maintain business continuity—all while making your life easier.
Governance doesn’t have to be a headache. With Quickbase, it’s more like a superpower that keeps your apps running smoothly and helps your team work smarter.
Ready to take control? Start exploring these features today and see how they can transform your governance game.
