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Quickbase Platform

Three Ways to Add Collaboration and Agility to Your Tech Stack

Written By: Matt Lieberson
June 24, 2021
4 min read

In today’s constantly evolving technology landscape, adaptability is becoming one of the most valuable assets for businesses across industries. Operational agility reflects a company’s ability to adapt in the moment to an ever-fluctuating business world. Operationally agile companies are resilient and adaptable to change; they make tough decisions in the face of adversity on the spot, leverage and expand on technological investments, and remain flexible in their application of various digital solutions.

This principle is the bread and butter of Quickbase Pipelines, which utilizes an intuitive visual interface optimized for ease of user experience, ultimately allowing for a smoother collaboration between citizen developers and IT teams. Here are three key areas in which Pipelines can enhance collaboration and add operational agility to your tech stack.

Document and File Management

Cloud-based file management tools like Box and Dropbox make it easy to store files in bulk as well as share and collaborate on documents within an organization. But file management always corresponds to other work that needs to be done. For example, documents need to be signed, and parties need to be notified about timely updates as soon as they occur. And because these functions aren’t supported by file management tools alone, a sound strategy is necessary for integrating Box or Dropbox with other digital solutions.

“A common approach while designing and rolling out a document and file management strategy, is to keep and manage files and data separately in storage,” said Stanislava Markovska, product owner of Quickbase Pipelines. “[But] being successful at implementing this strategy, building a culture around it, maintaining consistency, and yet being flexible to adapt to an ever changing environment, would benefit if not require a certain level of automation.”

Pipelines provides the automation necessary for partnering file management tools with other digital solutions. For example, many HR hiring processes will require the use of digital contract software like Docusign, as well as collaborative tools such as Microsoft Teams. Creating an automated pipeline between the three platforms allows for them to work together seamlessly.

Take, for example, a new hire. That contract is immediately stored in Box or Dropbox, and a notification is sent through Teams, at which point HR can initiate a routine background check. Most notably, Quickbase doesn’t come with the steep learning curves associated with IT-focused automation platforms, making it easy for anyone on your team to set up Pipelines related to specific objectives.

Automated Workflow Creation

Pipelines has a range of uses with creating automated workflows. Beyond optimizing document and file management processes, workflows established through Pipelines can greatly enhance collaboration, whether related to in-house or third-party communications.

One major functionality is integrating opposing communication platforms into one single source of truth, instead of navigating multiple SaaS tools such as Slack, Gmail, and OneDrive to communicate effectively with vendors. When Pipelines are created, an action in one platform will trigger a corresponding action in the next. Pipelines can span as many tools and include as many steps needed to complete various tasks, and they can be creatively customized to suit any business’s unique objectives.

CRM Optimization

CRM platforms like Salesforce make it easier for growing companies to increase production, scout prospects, boost marketing efforts and maintain valuable client relations. However, through growth, workflows can become more complex with more integrations.

Before partnering with Quickbase, this was a real concern for Ryan Passe, Executive Vice President of Sands Investment Group (SIG). In a QuickTake on CRM optimization, Ryan shared how the functionality of Salesforce became a hindrance once SIG started to observe significant growth.

While the spreadsheet-based format of certain Salesforce tools is familiar and intuitive, Passe found that the process of adding fields to workflows became too technically demanding for his team to manage effectively. He encountered what is often described as the “waterfall effect,” when an entire workflow becomes more complicated with the addition of each new step.

SIG leveraged Pipelines to simplify the aspects of Salesforce that were useful for his team, and safely phase out the ones that led to undesired complications. “We really liked the flexibility of the tools Quickbase had to offer,” Passe said. “We found that it gave us the opportunity to basically replicate a lot of our current processes that were built on the back of spreadsheets and forms, and replace it with something that had a similar look and feel, but had much better functionality.”

Matt Lieberson
Written By: Matt Lieberson

Matt Lieberson is a Content Marketing Manager at Quickbase.

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