DEV Community: NocoBase

Weekly Updates Improve AI employees' ability to parse uploaded documents

NocoBase — Thu, 23 Apr 2026 07:46:17 +0000

Originally published at https://www.nocobase.com/en/blog/weekly-updates-20260423

Summarize the weekly product update logs, and the latest releases can be checked on our blog.

NocoBase is currently updated with three branches: main , next and develop.

main：The most stable version to date, recommended for installation;
next：Beta version, contains upcoming new features and has been preliminarily tested. There might be some known or unknown issues. It's mainly for test users to collect feedback and optimize functions further. Ideal for test users who want to experience new features early and give feedback;
develop：Alpha version, contains the latest feature code, may be incomplete or unstable, mainly for internal dev and rapid iteration. Suited for tech users interested in product's cutting-edge, but with potential issues and incomplete functions. Not for production use.

main

🎉 New Features

[Auth: OIDC] mapping attribute support custom fields by chenzhizdt
[DingTalk] DingTalk: notifications, in-DingTalk auto login, and user sync. by chenzhizdt

🚀 Improvements

[ai] AI employee and knowledge base now support additional file types for upload (.xlsx, .xls, .csv, .md, .json) (#9172) by cgyrock
[undefined] Add Arabic translation for guide section and navigation (#9141) by saraTabbane

🐛 Bug Fixes

[data-source-manager] Fix for percentage fields being reset to numeric when resynchronizing external data sources (#9178) by jiannx
[client]
- Fixed the issue where default value will not take effect after creating record. (#9185) by gchust
- Fix the issue where the Add tab button is too close to the right edge (#9177) by zhangzhonghe
[Departments] Fixed an issue where repeated department synchronization could not update department sort order (#9173) by 2013xile
[Data source: Main] Fixed field sync from database for connected views when the collection name differs from the database view name (#9155) by 2013xile
[Workflow: JavaScript] Fix security issue of script executing in node:vm mode (#9084) by mytharcher
[AI: Knowledge base] Fix issue where vector database is not synced when deleting knowledge base documents. by cgyrock
[WeCom] Fixed missing department order when synchronizing departments from WeCom by 2013xile

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client] Fixed an issue where updating sub-table values through field assignment would result in data contamination. (#9163) by gchust
[data-source-manager] Fixed an issue where sequence fields could be changed to string after database synchronization (#9143) by 2013xile
[File manager] Return null when preview URL is missing (#9104) by gaston98765
[Workflow: JavaScript] Fix security issue of script executing in node:vm mode (#9084) by mytharcher
[Departments]
- Fixed department lists in department management not following the sort field order (#9150) by 2013xile
- Fixed missing or stale main department values after saving user departments (#9156) by 2013xile

🚀 Improvements

[Departments] Display the parentId foreign key field of department collection in the UI (#9130) by 2013xile

🐛 Bug Fixes

[data-source-manager] Fixed file collection field sync removing preview field (#9129) by 2013xile
[client]
- Fixed an issue where the association field component was incorrect in the field value settings. (#9063) by gchust
- Fix the oversized height and width of tabs in page configuration mode (#9144) by zhangzhonghe
[database] Fixed SQL injection risks in recursive tree eager loading and scoped sort initialization (#9133) by 2013xile
[Data visualization] Fixed chart block sorting to use aliased measures and dimensions in aggregated queries (#9131) by 2013xile
[Collection: SQL] Fixed missing SQL validation on SQL collection updates (#9134) by 2013xile

🎉 New Features

[AI employees] Improve AI employees' ability to parse uploaded documents (#9126) by cgyrock

🚀 Improvements

[logger] Add referer information to request logs (#9110) by 2013xile
[undefined] Sync translated environment-variable and cluster-mode docs with the latest Chinese updates. (#9115) by mytharcher
[AI employees] After AI employee block selection, fill form attachment into upload area (#9127) by cgyrock
[Workflow: Manual node] Use simplePagination on workflow tasks related collections for better list performance (#9117) by mytharcher
[Workflow: Approval] Use simplePagination on approvals and approvalRecords collection for better list performance by mytharcher

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client]
- Fixed the optional options of single-select fields in field rule configuration are empty (#9119) by jiannx
- Fixed incorrect default value settings for sub table in form. (#9087) by gchust
[Notification: In-app message] Fix the issue where receiver select component works not correctly (#9123) by mytharcher
[AI employees] Fix the issue where the baseURL settings of google-gen-ai's LLM service does not take effect (#9107) by cgyrock
[Email manager] Remove form closing prompt after email is sent successfully by jiannx

🎉 New Features

[Calendar] calendar block v2 (#9092) by jiannx
[AI employees] Improve AI employees' ability to parse uploaded documents (#9126) by cgyrock
[Block: Tree] Add tree filter block (#9016) by jiannx
[Email manager] gmail supports sending emails with aliases by jiannx

🚀 Improvements

[undefined]
- Add Arabic translation for guide section and navigation (#9141) by saraTabbane
- Sync translated environment-variable and cluster-mode docs with the latest Chinese updates. (#9115) by mytharcher
- Add Arabic translation for documentation homepage (#9043) by gaston98765
- Added TOC consistency across localized READMEs (#9038) by gaston98765
- Add Table of Contents to French README (#9037) by saraTabbane
- Docs: add Arabic translation for get-started introduction pages (#9044) by gaston98765
[logger] Add referer information to request logs (#9110) by 2013xile
[client] add form required verification switch (#9060) by jiannx
[database] Optimize repository count queries by only enabling distinct when includes are present. (#9094) by mytharcher
[Departments] Display the parentId foreign key field of department collection in the UI (#9130) by 2013xile
[AI employees] After AI employee block selection, fill form attachment into upload area (#9127) by cgyrock
[Workflow: Manual node] Use simplePagination on workflow tasks related collections for better list performance (#9117) by mytharcher
[Workflow: Approval] Use simplePagination on approvals and approvalRecords collection for better list performance by mytharcher

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client]
- Fixed an issue where updating sub-table values through field assignment would result in data contamination. (#9163) by gchust
- Fix the oversized height and width of tabs in page configuration mode (#9144) by zhangzhonghe
- Fixed an issue where the association field component was incorrect in the field value settings. (#9063) by gchust
- Fixed the optional options of single-select fields in field rule configuration are empty (#9119) by jiannx
- Fixed incorrect default value settings for sub table in form. (#9087) by gchust
- fix subtable adds many-to-many field error (#9070) by jiannx
- Fixed an issue where the record pickup popup from a sub-table’s selection button could not correctly resolve parent item variable values. (#8996) by gchust
[data-source-manager]
- Fixed an issue where sequence fields could be changed to string after database synchronization (#9143) by 2013xile
- Fixed file collection field sync removing preview field (#9129) by 2013xile
[database] Fixed SQL injection risks in recursive tree eager loading and scoped sort initialization (#9133) by 2013xile
[undefined] Fix render error in custom resource block when resource does not exist (#9095) by Molunerfinn
[utils] Add security control for server HTTP request sending, to avoid possible SSRF (#9079) by mytharcher

Reference: Environment variables
[flow-engine]
- Fixed the problem that many-to-one fields from external data sources cannot be added in the table block (#9068) by jiannx
- Fix the random observer error when page visibility changes (#9067) by zhangzhonghe
[Data source: Main] Fixed field sync from database for connected views when the collection name differs from the database view name (#9155) by 2013xile
[File manager] Return null when preview URL is missing (#9104) by gaston98765
[Departments]
- Fixed missing or stale main department values after saving user departments (#9156) by 2013xile
- Fixed department lists in department management not following the sort field order (#9150) by 2013xile
[Workflow: JavaScript] Fix security issue of script executing in node:vm mode (#9084) by mytharcher
[Collection: SQL] Fixed missing SQL validation on SQL collection updates (#9134) by 2013xile
[Data visualization] Fixed chart block sorting to use aliased measures and dimensions in aggregated queries (#9131) by 2013xile
[Notification: In-app message] Fix the issue where receiver select component works not correctly (#9123) by mytharcher
[AI employees] Fix the issue where the baseURL settings of google-gen-ai's LLM service does not take effect (#9107) by cgyrock
[Notification manager] Optimize in-app notification sending performance in workflow scenarios (#9066) by mytharcher
[Access control] Fixed an issue where clearing relation values with an empty array could fail under ACL (#9059) by 2013xile
[Collection field: Code] Correct the UI interface of the code fields (#9061) by 2013xile
[Email manager] Remove form closing prompt after email is sent successfully by jiannx

🎉 New Features

[Workflow] Add log field for jobs, in order to show log content of some node for debug (#9165) by mytharcher

🚀 Improvements

[undefined] Add Arabic translation for guide section and navigation (#9141) by saraTabbane
[cli] Improved generated API CLI help output and ACL command grouping (#9166) by 2013xile

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client] Fixed an issue where updating sub-table values through field assignment would result in data contamination. (#9163) by gchust
[data-source-manager] Fixed an issue where sequence fields could be changed to string after database synchronization (#9143) by 2013xile
[cli] Fixed CLI OAuth login failures on Windows caused by long authorization URLs (#9159) by 2013xile
[Departments] Fixed missing or stale main department values after saving user departments (#9156) by 2013xile
[Data source: Main] Fixed field sync from database for connected views when the collection name differs from the database view name (#9155) by 2013xile
[File manager] Return null when preview URL is missing (#9104) by gaston98765

🎉 New Features

[cli-v1] resolve storage path from env (#9147) by chenos
[Calendar] calendar block v2 (#9092) by jiannx

🚀 Improvements

[cli] Improved nb api help fallback and unified warning messages for runtime bootstrap failures (#9153) by 2013xile
[Departments] Display the parentId foreign key field of department collection in the UI (#9130) by 2013xile

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client] Fix the oversized height and width of tabs in page configuration mode (#9144) by zhangzhonghe
[database] Fixed SQL injection risks in recursive tree eager loading and scoped sort initialization (#9133) by 2013xile
[Workflow: JavaScript] Fix security issue of script executing in node:vm mode (#9084) by mytharcher
[IdP: OAuth] Fixed OAuth client registration and token refresh failures after service restart (#9139) by 2013xile
[Departments] Fixed department lists in department management not following the sort field order (#9150) by 2013xile
[Collection: SQL] Fixed missing SQL validation on SQL collection updates (#9134) by 2013xile
[Data visualization] Fixed chart block sorting to use aliased measures and dimensions in aggregated queries (#9131) by 2013xile

🐛 Bug Fixes

[data-source-manager] Fixed file collection field sync removing preview field (#9129) by 2013xile

🎉 New Features

[cli] refactor NocoBase CLI (#9122) by chenos
[AI employees] Improve AI employees' ability to parse uploaded documents (#9126) by cgyrock

🚀 Improvements

[undefined]
- Sync translated environment-variable and cluster-mode docs with the latest Chinese updates. (#9115) by mytharcher
- Docs: add Arabic translation for get-started introduction pages (#9044) by gaston98765
- Add Arabic translation for documentation homepage (#9043) by gaston98765
[logger] Add referer information to request logs (#9110) by 2013xile
[client] add form required verification switch (#9060) by jiannx
[Workflow: Manual node] Use simplePagination on workflow tasks related collections for better list performance (#9117) by mytharcher
[AI employees] After AI employee block selection, fill form attachment into upload area (#9127) by cgyrock
[Workflow: Approval] Use simplePagination on approvals and approvalRecords collection for better list performance by mytharcher

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client]
- Fixed the optional options of single-select fields in field rule configuration are empty (#9119) by jiannx
- Fixed an issue where the association field component was incorrect in the field value settings. (#9063) by gchust
- Fixed incorrect default value settings for sub table in form. (#9087) by gchust
[utils] Add security control for server HTTP request sending, to avoid possible SSRF (#9079) by mytharcher

Reference: Environment variables
[Workflow: Loop node] Fix validations of workflow nodes (#9111) by mytharcher
[Notification: In-app message] Fix the issue where receiver select component works not correctly (#9123) by mytharcher
[IdP: OAuth] Fixed OAuth access for regular API requests (#9120) by 2013xile
[AI employees]
- Fixed aggregate query sorting dropped by ACL (#9099) by 2013xile
- Fix the issue where the baseURL settings of google-gen-ai's LLM service does not take effect (#9107) by cgyrock
[Email manager] Remove form closing prompt after email is sent successfully by jiannx

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6 Best Open-Source Tools to Replace Custom Integration Middleware

NocoBase — Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:38:49 +0000

Originally published at https://www.nocobase.com/en/blog/6-open-source-integration-tools-to-replace-custom-middleware

As companies rely on more and more systems, integration gets harder. For software outsourcing firms and enterprise IT teams, the key concerns in system integration are long term maintenance costs, data ownership and control, and how much room the solution leaves for future expansion.

A similar situation was discussed on Reddit’s r/ITManagers: a mid sized to large enterprise was already running ERP, CRM, WMS, industry specific systems, and Excel based workflows at the same time. The team wanted to move ahead with system integration, but did not want to keep building custom APIs from scratch forever. They also had to think about cost, compatibility with existing systems, security, maintainability, and whether every future change would still require heavy development work.

This is a common situation for companies choosing an integration solution.

Building middleware in house offers flexibility, but it usually comes with high development and maintenance costs. Pure SaaS tools are easier to adopt at the start, but they can also create ongoing costs and platform dependence.

Open source integration tools offer another path. They can be self hosted, while still leaving room for future extension and custom development.

This article compares 6 common open source integration tools across four key dimensions: deployment, connectivity, extensibility, and long term cost.

💬 Hey, you're reading the NocoBase blog. NocoBase is the most extensible AI-powered no-code/low-code development platform for building enterprise applications, internal tools, and all kinds of systems. It’s fully self-hosted, plugin-based, and developer-friendly. → Explore NocoBase on GitHub

Comparison table

Here is a quick overview of the 6 tools covered in this article.

Tool	Integration approach	Data source support	Self hosted	Extensibility	Learning curve	Best fit
NocoBase	API + database	15+	✅ Yes	Plugin system	Medium	Integration scenarios that require stronger data control
n8n	Workflow automation	200+	✅ Yes	Custom nodes	Low	Fast business process automation
Apache NiFi	Data flow processing	100+	✅ Yes	Processor extensions	High	Complex data pipelines and high throughput workloads
Node-RED	Event driven	Custom	✅ Yes	Custom nodes	Medium	IoT and real time data processing
Airbyte	ELT pipelines	150+	✅ Yes	Custom connectors	Medium	Data warehouse sync
LogicMesh	API integration	50+	✅ Yes	Custom adapters	Medium	API heavy integration

6 open source tools that can replace in house integration middleware

1. NocoBase

Introduction: NocoBase is an open source AI no code/low code platform with built in support for multiple data sources, self hosted deployment, and a plugin architecture that can be extended continuously.

Core features:

Data sources and integration: It can connect to both primary databases and external data sources. Its commercial capability matrix covers MySQL, PostgreSQL, MariaDB, MSSQL, and REST APIs, while the enterprise edition adds support for Oracle, ClickHouse, Doris, and more

Workflow engine: Supports event triggers, scheduled tasks, conditions, loops, CRUD operations, HTTP requests, Webhooks, approvals, and more
Plugin system: Plugins can be used to extend data sources, interfaces, actions, and workflows

100% self hosted: Data stays fully under your control, with clear control over where it flows
AI capabilities: AI Employees can understand business context inside the system and directly take action. NocoBase also provides official Skills for Codex, Claude Code, and OpenCode, making it easier to use Agents for installation, data modeling, UI setup, and workflow configuration.

Advantages:

✅ Strongest data sovereignty (fully self hosted)
✅ Highly extensible (plugin system)
✅ No vendor lock in (Apache 2.0 license)
✅ Well suited for database heavy integration

Typical scenarios: A good fit for teams that need to integrate existing databases, APIs, and business data while also quickly building internal tools such as CRM, ticketing, approvals, and project management systems. Compared with tools that only handle connections, NocoBase is better suited for teams that want to keep integration and internal system building on the same platform and keep iterating over time.

Open source license: Apache 2.0 (commercial use allowed)

Official website: https://nocobase.com/

GitHub: https://github.com/nocobase/nocobase (22k+ stars)

2. n8n

Introduction: n8n is a workflow automation tool with 200+ integrations, built for connecting applications and automating business processes.

Core features:

200+ built in integrations: Covers a wide range of mainstream SaaS apps
Visual workflow editor: Build workflows with drag and drop
Self hosted deployment: Supports one click Docker deployment
Custom node development: Extensible with TypeScript

Advantages:

✅ Large integration library
✅ Easy for non developers to use
✅ Active community support

Typical scenarios: Best for automation between SaaS applications, such as lead sync, form capture, notifications, approval routing, and AI workflow orchestration. Its main strengths are the large number of ready made integrations and fast setup. That said, the official self hosted option also clearly notes that users need technical knowledge in servers, containers, security, and operations.

Open source license: Fair Code (commercial use allowed, with limitations)

Official website: https://n8n.io/

GitHub: https://github.com/n8n-io/n8n (50k+ stars)

3. Apache NiFi

Introduction: Apache NiFi is an automated data flow platform with a powerful visual interface for managing how data moves between systems.

Core features:

100+ processors: Supports a wide range of data sources and protocols
Visual data flow design: Build pipelines with drag and drop
Enterprise features: Built in monitoring, logging, and back pressure control
High availability: Supports cluster deployment

Advantages:

✅ Strong data transformation capabilities
✅ Enterprise grade reliability
✅ Well suited for high throughput scenarios
✅ Fine grained security controls

Typical scenarios: Best for high throughput, cross system data flow workloads, such as logs, event streams, observability data, and batch or continuous pipelines. It is also a strong fit for enterprise scenarios that need data provenance, clustering, and stable long term operation.

Open source license: Apache 2.0

Official website: https://nifi.apache.org/

GitHub: https://github.com/apache/nifi (4k+ stars)

4. Node-RED

Introduction: Node-RED is a browser based flow editor that was originally built for IoT and is now widely used for event driven integration.

Core features:

Event driven architecture: Designed for real time data handling
Node ecosystem: 3000+ community nodes
Lightweight deployment: Can run on embedded devices
Native JavaScript support: Flexible for custom logic

Advantages:

✅ Great for real time data streams
✅ Large community node library
✅ Easy to learn and use

Typical scenarios: Best for real time event streams, device side workflows, IoT, industrial control, edge scenarios, and lightweight API orchestration. Its official positioning has long focused on event driven low code, with an emphasis on collecting, transforming, and visualizing real time data across home automation and industrial control use cases.

Open source license: Apache 2.0

Official website: https://nodered.org/

GitHub: https://github.com/node-red/node-red (20k+ stars)

5. Airbyte

Introduction: Airbyte is a data integration platform focused on ELT (Extract, Load, Transform), mainly used for syncing data into data warehouses.

Core features:

150+ data source connectors: Supports databases, SaaS tools, and files
Standardized connector API: Makes it easier to build custom connectors
Incremental sync: Only syncs changed data
CDC support: Supports change data capture

💡Read more: 7 best data integration platforms

Advantages:

✅ Built for data warehouses
✅ Strong sync capabilities
✅ Active developer community

Typical scenarios: Best for syncing data from business systems into data warehouses, data lakes, and databases. Its core job is batch replication, incremental sync, and CDC, rather than complex business workflow orchestration. Airbyte’s homepage and pricing pages both focus heavily on data replication, batch processing, and CDC.

Open source license: ELv2 (commercial use allowed)

Official website: https://airbyte.com/

GitHub: https://github.com/airbytehq/airbyte (16k+ stars)

6. LogicMesh

Introduction: LogicMesh is a lightweight API integration platform focused on API aggregation and orchestration.

Core features:

API orchestration: Combines multiple API calls into one
Response aggregation: Merges responses from multiple APIs
Caching and rate limiting: Built in API management features
Low code configuration: Uses YAML files to define integration logic

Advantages:

✅ Lightweight deployment
✅ Focused on API integration
✅ Easy to configure

Best fit: API heavy integration scenarios

Open source license: MIT

GitHub: https://github.com/logicmesh/logicmesh (1k+ stars)

How to choose the right integration tool

Here is a quick decision framework based on different needs.

Scenario	Recommended tools	Why
Enterprises with data residency requirements	NocoBase, Apache NiFi	Fully self hosted, with no risk of external data transfer
Fast app to app integration	n8n, LogicMesh	Low learning curve and large connector libraries
Complex data pipelines (ETL/ELT)	Airbyte, Apache NiFi	Built for data warehouse and data flow scenarios
IoT and real time event processing	Node-RED	Event driven architecture optimized for real time use
Non technical business teams	n8n	No code and easy to start with
Replacing in house middleware	NocoBase	Plugin based extensibility makes it easier to build custom logic on one platform

Key questions to ask before choosing

Do you need database level integration, not just API integration?
1. If yes → Consider NocoBase or Airbyte
2. If API integration is enough → n8n or LogicMesh may be a better fit
Who will build and maintain the integrations?
1. Technical teams → Apache NiFi, NocoBase
2. Non technical users → n8n, Node-RED
Do you need to develop custom connectors?
1. If yes, look for tools with strong extensibility, such as NocoBase plugins or n8n custom nodes
What are your data volume and performance requirements?
1. High throughput → Apache NiFi
2. Mid sized workloads → NocoBase, n8n
3. Low frequency integration → Any of these tools can work

Cost comparison (illustrative 3 year total cost)

Take a mid sized integration project as an example: it needs to connect 5 systems, configure around 10 core integration flows, and continue to maintain, adjust, and expand them over 3 years. The estimates below are illustrative only. They include software costs, implementation effort, maintenance labor, and future adjustment costs, and do not represent official product pricing.

Option	Illustrative 3 year total cost	Cost profile	Summary
In house development	¥1.2M to ¥2.5M+	High upfront development cost, with ongoing maintenance and changes continuing to consume engineering resources	Most flexible, but usually the most expensive
Commercial iPaaS	¥600K to ¥1.5M+	Annual subscription plus implementation services, with costs rising as usage scales	Mature and reliable, but expensive over time
SaaS tools (Zapier)	¥50K to ¥200K+	Low upfront cost, but expenses rise clearly as task volume and usage increase	Cost effective for light use cases, but costs rise as operations grow
Open source tools (NocoBase)	¥80K to ¥300K	Some deployment and setup cost upfront, then relatively stable over time	Usually a better long term value

Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What is the difference between open source tools and commercial iPaaS platforms like MuleSoft?

Commercial iPaaS platforms usually offer more complete enterprise support, built in connectors, and SLA guarantees, but they are expensive, with annual fees often reaching six figures in USD. Open source tools require your team to deploy and maintain them, but licensing costs are zero and data remains fully under your control. For most mid sized companies, the total cost of ownership of open source tools is often only 1/3 to 1/5 of that of commercial alternatives.

Do I need development experience to use these tools?

n8n and Node-RED are relatively friendly to business analysts and other non technical users.

NocoBase and Apache NiFi require some technical background, including basic SQL and API knowledge.

AI has already lowered the barrier to getting started with NocoBase. NocoBase provides official Skills for Codex, Claude Code, and OpenCode, so Agents can help with installation, data modeling, UI setup, and workflow configuration. People can focus more on business decisions, reviewing the output, and final confirmation.

Which databases do these tools support?

NocoBase supports the widest range of database types, including PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, MongoDB, and more. Airbyte and Apache NiFi also provide strong database connectivity. n8n mainly connects to databases through APIs.

Can I use multiple tools together?

Yes. Many companies use a hybrid setup, but it is important not to make the overall architecture too complex.

For example, you can use NocoBase for database level integration, n8n for SaaS integration, and Airbyte for data warehouse sync.

Do the open source licenses allow commercial use?

Yes. All the tools covered in this article, including NocoBase, n8n, Apache NiFi, Node-RED, Airbyte, and LogicMesh, allow commercial use. NocoBase, Apache NiFi, and Node-RED use the Apache 2.0 license, which is one of the most permissive. Airbyte uses ELv2, and n8n uses Fair Code.

Related reading:

Replace Excel with NocoBase or Airtable? A Cost-by-Cost Comparison

NocoBase — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:20:51 +0000

Originally published at https://www.nocobase.com/en/blog/airtable-vs-nocobase-migration-cost-comparison

We previously published an Excel replacement guide that breaks down how companies can choose the right tool to replace Excel based on business complexity and actual usage needs.

For many teams, Airtable is a common next step. It is attractive for spreadsheet collaboration and lightweight management. But as business needs become more complex, teams often start paying more attention to system capabilities, modular expansion, and how much control they really have over the tools they use.

With that in mind, we have also explained how common Airtable workflows can be handled in NocoBase, giving teams that are exploring a more modular, system based, and self controlled approach another option to consider.

If you are still deciding whether to move from Excel to a new tool, the difference between Airtable and NocoBase is not just about features. It is also about the real cost of migration. Different goals lead to different workloads during migration, and they also result in very different long term cost structures.

In the rest of this article, we break that down from a migration cost perspective and look at what teams actually need to invest when moving from Excel to Airtable or NocoBase. Hopefully, this will give you a clearer reference point as you make your choice.

Want a quick summary first? Start with the table below to see which product is closer to your current needs.

If your situation is…	Better fit for Airtable	Better fit for NocoBase
You just want to move Excel online quickly	✓
Your main focus is spreadsheet collaboration and information organization	✓
You need complex workflows, approvals, and cross functional business coordination		✓
You need row level, field level, or data scope permissions		✓
Your team is likely to keep growing		✓
You care more about long term total cost		✓
You may later expand into a full internal system		✓
You want to keep early launch and deployment pressure low	✓

Airtable and NocoBase: A Migration Cost Comparison

NocoBase is an open source, self hosted, AI driven no code and low code platform. It is a good fit for teams that want to move beyond Excel and build internal systems such as CRM, approvals, ticketing, and project management.

Airtable is a low code platform built for collaborative applications. It is well suited to quickly turning spreadsheet based management, information organization, and lightweight workflows into an online system.

Related links

NocoBase website: www.nocobase.com

NocoBase documentation: https://docs.nocobase.com

Airtable website: www.airtable.com

Airtable documentation: https://support.airtable.com/

2.1 Data Cleanup and Structure Redesign Cost

NocoBase

NocoBase is built around a data model driven architecture, with pages separated from the underlying data structure. That makes it possible to move data cleanup, structure design, and interface building forward in parallel. The main data source can either create tables directly or sync existing database schemas. Later, whether you connect external data sources or add new business objects, you do not need to rebuild the foundation from scratch.

Its modeling and setup path is also relatively clear, and the official site and documentation provide enough guidance to support that process. With the help of Agent tools, users can quickly generate an initial system prototype through natural language, then review and refine it inside the product. This allows early cleanup, modeling, and initial setup to move forward continuously, with lower time cost overall.

Airtable

Airtable is better suited to an import first, organize later approach. Excel and CSV files can be imported directly into new or existing tables. During import, you can adjust fields, headers, and field types. If you want to add more data to an existing table, you can also merge it through Airtable's CSV import tools.

Its structure is more standardized. The main building blocks are bases, tables, fields, records, and views. Linked records can create relationships between tables, while views are useful for grouping and organizing information within a single table. This makes early stage organization efficient, but as business relationships become more complex, modeling still has to happen within the same framework, and adaptation costs tend to rise.

2.2 Workflow Setup Cost

NocoBase

When it comes to workflow setup, the core strength is NocoBase's workflow engine. It supports pre actions, post actions, custom actions, approvals, Webhooks, scheduled tasks, conditional branches, parallel branches, sub workflows, manual steps, and large language model nodes. Initial setup is heavier, but complex workflows can be handled directly inside the system, which lowers adaptation costs later on.

Its workflows are tied directly to business actions. Create, edit, submit, and approve actions can all be handled within the same workflow. This makes it a strong fit for more system oriented scenarios such as approvals, validation, blocking logic, and manual processing.

Airtable

Airtable's workflow setup is built around triggers + actions. It works well for notifications, syncing, writebacks, integrations, and script execution after events like record creation, field updates, or form submissions. The upfront setup cost is lower, and basic automation can be rolled out more quickly.

That said, its workflow logic still depends on the existing table structure and automation framework. Standard workflows are easy to implement, but once you need more detailed business rules, approval chains, or manual intervention, flexibility starts to narrow. Airtable's AI assistant Omni can help users create automation workflows directly, which lowers the setup barrier even further, but it does not change that overall limitation.

2.3 Permissions and Collaboration Cost

NocoBase

NocoBase's permission model is more aligned with business systems. Roles, data scope, and field permissions can all be handled within one framework, and the level of control can go all the way down to rows and fields.

This takes more time to configure up front, but once the boundaries are clearly defined, later additions such as new roles, pages, and workflows can all follow the same permission model. In complex collaboration scenarios, the initial setup cost is higher, but the long term adaptation cost is lower.

Airtable

Airtable's permission structure is more collaboration oriented. Viewing and editing boundaries across workspaces, bases, and interfaces are relatively clear, which makes it easier to quickly define who can see what, who can edit what, and who can access which interface.

That keeps the initial setup cost lower and helps teams start collaborating faster. But its permission model is still shaped by the platform's own hierarchy. As business needs become more detailed, later adjustments can only happen within that structure, so flexibility becomes more limited.

2.4 Deployment, Maintenance, and Pricing Cost

NocoBase

NocoBase's cost structure mainly has two parts: software licensing and self managed maintenance. The software itself is open source and available to use. Commercial licensing follows a one time payment model rather than charging by user count, app count, or data volume. The Standard edition is USD 800, and the Professional edition is USD 8,000, both as perpetual licenses. On the deployment side, teams manage setup themselves, usually through Docker container deployment. That creates some upfront cost around environment setup, version upgrades, and ongoing maintenance, but as the number of users grows, software licensing cost does not rise with each additional seat.

Airtable

Airtable has a simpler cost structure, centered on recurring subscriptions. Its self serve plans are priced by workspace, with the Team plan at USD 20 per user per month when billed annually and the Business plan at USD 45 per user per month when billed annually. Billing applies to collaborators with comment access or above. Teams do not need to manage deployment or infrastructure themselves, which reduces early launch and maintenance pressure. But as the team grows, software cost continues to rise with the number of seats.

2.5 Long Term Adjustment and Expansion Cost

NocoBase

NocoBase's long term scalability comes mainly from its plugin architecture. Pages, blocks, actions, interfaces, and data sources can all be extended through plugins. That means when you later add new business objects, new pages, or new capabilities, you do not have to keep rebuilding the original structure. For internal systems that will continue to evolve, this foundation is better suited to long term growth.

The cost of long term adjustment shows up more in repetitive daily work. NocoBase's AI Employees are already built into the system and can work with page structure, data rows, and table structure to support tasks such as querying, analysis, form completion, and business collaboration. Over time, this mainly helps reduce the effort spent on repeated organization, repeated data entry, and repeated configuration.

Airtable

Airtable's long term changes mainly happen within its existing bases and table structures. Fields, linked records, views, interfaces, and automation workflows can support most day to day updates, but the path for change still stays within the same original framework.

Its expansion model is built on that same structure as well. As business complexity rises, the setup effort saved in the beginning gradually turns into later costs in structural adaptation and rule changes. This becomes especially obvious once relationships multiply and workflows become deeper, because teams have to keep adjusting inside the same framework.

AI Can Reduce Part of the Setup Cost

Both tools can use AI to improve implementation efficiency, because both provide solid documentation and support resources. Many setup questions can be handled first by asking AI to find the right information and organize the steps. For teams that already like working with Agents, general purpose AI tools such as Claude Code can also be used to help build systems in NocoBase.

NocoBase is no longer limited to manual setup or only the built in AI features inside the product. Developers can use AI Agents to generate data models, page layouts, and an initial system prototype through natural language, then simply review and fine tune the results inside the system. This skips a lot of tedious early setup work and significantly reduces upfront operational cost.

In similar scenarios, Airtable's AI is used more to help users understand and carry out manual tasks such as turning a field into a linked relationship and then creating a new table.

FAQ

1. I only have one messy Excel file right now, and my goal is to get collaboration running first. Should I choose Airtable first or go straight to NocoBase?

If your current goal is to get online quickly, start collaborating, and organize the spreadsheet first, Airtable is the more direct option. But if you already know you will later need permissions, workflows, external data sources, and internal systems, NocoBase is the better choice if you want to start with a system mindset and avoid another round of structural rebuilding later.

2. We have 20 to 50 collaborators, but not everyone needs edit access. Will Airtable get more expensive over time?

Yes. Airtable mainly charges by editable collaborator seat. As long as someone has edit access to a base, that person counts toward the cost. If your team is likely to keep growing, NocoBase is the better fit: it does not charge by seat, commercial licensing is a one time payment, and long term total cost is easier to control.

3. We want sales to only see their own customers, finance to see amounts, and operations not to see amounts. Which one is a better fit?

NocoBase is the better fit. Its permission model supports row level, field level, and data scope control, which is much closer to real business needs.

4. Can I start with Airtable and move to NocoBase later when workflows become more complex?

Yes, but you need to be ready for the cost of a second migration. If you can already tell from the beginning that your needs will grow into more complex workflows and systems, it is usually better to start directly with NocoBase. Many of the capabilities Airtable offers can also be handled there.

5. I am still not familiar with the platform. Can I first use AI to understand the steps clearly, and then start building?

Yes.

Airtable's AI assistant Omni can help you build, edit, and search bases, and can also assist with automation setup. NocoBase's AI Employees are already involved in system building, data analysis, and business operations. For beginners, using AI first to understand the path can genuinely reduce the learning curve.

6. We do not want to keep paying by headcount and care more about long term total cost. Which one should we choose?

NocoBase is the better fit.

Airtable's cost keeps rising as the number of editable collaborators increases. NocoBase uses a one time licensing model. Self hosting does bring maintenance costs, but the software licensing itself is more stable and better suited to long term use.

Thank you for your interest in products like Airtable and NocoBase. If this was helpful, feel free to share it with others who are also comparing tools or planning a system migration.

Related reading:

Weekly Updates Add tree filter block

NocoBase — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 03:52:34 +0000

Originally published at https://www.nocobase.com/en/blog/weekly-updates-20260416

Summarize the weekly product update logs, and the latest releases can be checked on our blog.

NocoBase is currently updated with three branches: main , next and develop.

main：The most stable version to date, recommended for installation;
next：Beta version, contains upcoming new features and has been preliminarily tested. There might be some known or unknown issues. It's mainly for test users to collect feedback and optimize functions further. Ideal for test users who want to experience new features early and give feedback;
develop：Alpha version, contains the latest feature code, may be incomplete or unstable, mainly for internal dev and rapid iteration. Suited for tech users interested in product's cutting-edge, but with potential issues and incomplete functions. Not for production use.

main

v2.0.37

Release date: 2026-04-14

🚀 Improvements

[undefined]
- Add Table of Contents to French README (#9037) by @saraTabbane
- Added TOC consistency across localized READMEs (#9038) by @gaston98765
- Add Arabic translation for documentation homepage (#9043) by @gaston98765
- Docs: add Arabic translation for get-started introduction pages (#9044) by @gaston98765
[client] add form required verification switch (#9060) by @jiannx

🐛 Bug Fixes

[utils] Add security control for server HTTP request sending, to avoid possible SSRF (#9079) by @mytharcher Reference: Environment variables

v2.0.36

Release date: 2026-04-10

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client] fix subtable adds many-to-many field error (#9070) by @jiannx
[flow-engine] Fixed the problem that many-to-one fields from external data sources cannot be added in the table block (#9068) by @jiannx
[Notification manager] Optimize in-app notification sending performance in workflow scenarios (#9066) by @mytharcher

v2.0.35

Release date: 2026-04-09

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client] Fixed an issue where the record pickup popup from a sub-table’s selection button could not correctly resolve parent item variable values. (#8996) by @gchust
[Collection field: Code] Correct the UI interface of the code fields (#9061) by @2013xile

develop

v2.1.0-alpha.16

Release date: 2026-04-14

🚀 Improvements

[undefined]
- Added TOC consistency across localized READMEs (#9038) by @gaston98765
- Add Table of Contents to French README (#9037) by @saraTabbane
[server] Improved swagger API docs of plugin manager (#9080) by @2013xile

🐛 Bug Fixes

[AI employees] Fixed the issue where error messages were not displayed in the AI employee conversations (#9097) by @cgyrock
[Access control] update acl swagger for mcp server (#9096) by @Andrew1989Y

v2.1.0-alpha.15

Release date: 2026-04-10

🎉 New Features

[Block: Tree] Add tree filter block (#9016) by @jiannx
[Auth: API keys] add pm list and generate-api-key commands (#9076) by @chenos
[AI employees]
- Added a data query tool and business analysis report tool for AI employees (#9040) by @2013xile
- Add an LLIM-based web search tool for AI employees (#9032) by @cgyrock
[Migration manager] support migration command by @chenos
[Email manager] gmail supports sending emails with aliases by @jiannx

🐛 Bug Fixes

[flow-engine] Fixed the problem that many-to-one fields from external data sources cannot be added in the table block (#9068) by @jiannx
[client]
- fix subtable adds many-to-many field error (#9070) by @jiannx
- Fixed an issue where the record pickup popup from a sub-table’s selection button could not correctly resolve parent item variable values. (#8996) by @gchust
- Fixed an issue where an incorrect unsaved changes confirmation message would appear for bulk edit action (#9054) by @gchust
- Fixed an issue where an incorrect secondary confirmation popup would appear when submitting the form after creating a record via a popup subtable. (#9035) by @gchust
- Fixed the issue where ctx.request could not override the Authorization header. (#8850) by @gchust
[data-source-manager] Fixed an issue where some field types were not updated correctly after syncing fields from the database (#9046) by @2013xile
[Notification manager] Optimize in-app notification sending performance in workflow scenarios (#9066) by @mytharcher
[Collection field: Code] Correct the UI interface of the code fields (#9061) by @2013xile
[Workflow: HTTP request node] Sanitized workflow request node results to avoid exposing request config, defaulted new nodes to return response data only, and added debug logging for failed requests. (#9024) by @mytharcher
[AI employees]
- Fixed the issue where abort AI employees reasonning would cause the service to crash (#9031) by @cgyrock
- Fix AI employee document upload failure under subpath access with APP_PUBLIC_PATH configured. (#9034) by @cgyrock
- Fixed the issue when using Deepseek or MiniMax models on dashscope (#9033) by @cgyrock

About NocoBase

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How to Deliver a Complex OA System in 3 Months with NocoBase

NocoBase — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 08:10:17 +0000

Originally published at https://www.nocobase.com/en/blog/deliver-complex-oa-system-nocobase-3-months

Confidentiality Note

To protect the privacy and security of the organization and its clients, this case study is presented anonymously. All details are based on a real-world implementation.

Context & Constraints

The project was led by a team experienced in enterprise management systems and process-heavy industries such as petrochemicals. They were familiar with environments where requirements are complex, constantly evolving, and operational constraints are strict.

Historically, they relied on traditional custom development. A project of similar scope would normally take nearly a year from requirement analysis to delivery.

This time, the client introduced a set of non-negotiable constraints:

Network Isolation: The system had to run entirely within an internal network, physically disconnected from the internet
Data Sovereignty: All data must remain fully under the organization's control
Deployment Model: Only self-hosted / on-premise deployment was acceptable

At the same time, the system still needed to support complex workflows, large volumes of data, and integration with existing systems.

The team needed a foundation that could satisfy strict security requirements while still enabling fast delivery, continuous iteration, and long-term extensibility.

They chose NocoBase.

Solution & Implementation

1. Digitizing Administrative and Financial Workflows

The first phase focused on the most critical and frequently used scenarios: administrative and financial processes.

Previously, these processes relied heavily on paper forms and manual routing. The team gradually migrated them into a unified system.

They built nearly 60 modules covering daily administrative operations.

This was not a simple “form digitization” effort. Instead, the team restructured the workflows:

mapped dependencies between processes
converted implicit offline rules into explicit system logic
transformed manual decision-making into configurable business rules
clarified cross-department collaboration paths

Using NocoBase’s data modeling and workflow capabilities, these complex processes were turned into a stable, system-driven operation.

2. Embedding Budget Control into Workflows

Previously, budget management was handled in Excel, fragmented across departments and only reviewed after spending.

The team redesigned this by embedding budget logic directly into business processes such as travel, approvals, and reimbursements.

After implementation:

Executives gained real-time visibility into overall budget execution
Department heads could track usage dynamically
Employees could validate budget limits at the time of request submission

Budget management shifted from post-hoc reporting to:

pre-control
in-process enforcement
real-time validation

This was enabled by NocoBase’s ability to integrate business logic directly into workflows.

3.Automating Financial Integration with ERP

For reimbursement and financial processing, the team integrated the system with Yonyou ERP through custom plugins.

Using a built-in transformation engine, the system automatically converted business data (travel requests, loans, tax data, etc.) into financial records compatible with ERP requirements.

The engine handled complex accounting logic, including:

VAT splitting
employee debt offsetting
department-specific account mapping

Once processed, financial vouchers were automatically generated and pushed to the general ledger.

This replaced manual entry of approximately 1,400 financial records per month.

The main challenge was not API integration itself, but structuring business logic.

Using NocoBase’s data models and plugin architecture, the team transformed manual accounting rules into system-level logic, enabling stable end-to-end automation.

4. System Integration & Unified Identity

To support future system expansion, the team first established a unified identity system:

integrated with existing authentication services
used NocoBase as the centralized user management layer
ensured consistency of user data across systems

For communication, a private IM system was introduced:

approval and task notifications were pushed directly to IM
users could access tasks without repeatedly logging into the system
one-click navigation from message to approval page

This significantly reduced response time and improved operational efficiency.

5. Iteration in an Air-Gapped Environment

The project was deployed in a fully isolated environment.

To maintain development efficiency, the team adopted a hybrid approach:

development and testing were done externally
validated configurations were deployed into the internal network

Using NocoBase’s configuration migration mechanism, the system could be deployed as a whole without repeated redevelopment inside the isolated environment.

This enabled , weekly or even faster iteration cyclesdespite strict security constraints.

Delivery Timeline

The project progressed as follows:

Early September: Project kickoff
Mid October: Phase 1 requirements finalized
Mid November: First batch of administrative modules launched
Mid December: Full launch of administrative + financial systems

Given the complexity, integration scope, and deployment constraints, this delivery speed was significantly faster than typical enterprise projects.

Preparing for AI Integration

After the first phase, the client began exploring AI capabilities:

Invoice automation: OCR-based recognition and compliance validation
Knowledge retrieval: vectorizing internal documents and building a private knowledge base

The team is currently experimenting with integrating lightweight private models into NocoBase.

With NocoBase 2.0’s plugin architecture and AI capabilities, AI can be gradually embedded into existing workflows and data structures, making it practical in real business scenarios.

Outcome

From requirement confirmation to full rollout of administrative and financial systems, the entire project was completed in 3 months, representing a 75% reduction in delivery time.

This not only reduced development cost, but also enabled the team to handle multiple complex projects in parallel.

This case highlights a key point:

In complex enterprise environments, success depends not only on the platform, but also on the ability to:

structure complex workflows
integrate systems effectively
formalize business logic

NocoBase provides the foundation that makes this possible.

It allows experienced teams to deliver faster, adapt continuously, and evolve systems over time, even under strict constraints.

The team plans to join the NocoBase partner ecosystem and replicate this delivery model across more enterprise projects.

More Customer Stories:

20+ Best Self Hosted Tools for Enterprises with Full Data Control

NocoBase — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:22:30 +0000

Originally published at https://www.nocobase.com/en/blog/20-best-self-hosted-tools-for-enterprises

Recently, in a Reddit discussion about self hosted tools for enterprise use, one team clearly listed its selection criteria: support for Docker / K8s deployment, mature RBAC permissions, complete audit logs, integration with SSO / SAML / LDAP, and as little vendor lock in as possible.

These requirements are actually very typical.

For enterprises, the value of self hosting usually comes from having full control over the system as a whole, including the deployment environment, access control, audit records, system integration, backup and recovery, and the freedom to manage operations, maintenance, and upgrades on their own terms.

As we mentioned before, with AI entering the picture, the self hosted ecosystem is moving into a more practical stage. Combining AI with self hosting can genuinely help teams build business systems with intelligent capabilities faster, and this is also why more companies are starting to look again at the real value of self hosted solutions.

But when it comes to choosing a tool, AI is only one factor worth looking at. So this article focuses on 6 dimensions that are closer to real enterprise needs, to help you judge more systematically whether a tool is truly suitable for long term use in an enterprise business system environment.

Here are the 6 main dimensions we focused on in this evaluation of self hosted tools:

Infrastructure: where it runs, how upgrades work, and whether it supports Docker / K8s
Access control: RBAC, SSO, directory sync, and tenant isolation
Audit and compliance: audit logs, admin activity tracking, and compliance integration
Data security and recovery: backups, monitoring, logs, and disaster recovery
Maintainability over time: maintenance cost, upgrade complexity, plugin extensibility, and version compatibility
AI readiness: whether AI is built in and whether AI can be connected through APIs

We grouped the self hosted tools mentioned here into 5 categories based on common business scenarios, but these categories do not define hard product boundaries. Platforms like NocoBase are relatively easy to build with and highly flexible, so they are well suited to quickly supporting different business scenarios. That means they are not only internal business system platforms, but can also extend into CRM, ticketing, project management, and many other use cases. The table below gives a quick overview of the general scope of each category.

Business scenario	Main use	Representative tools
Internal apps and business systems	Used to build forms, approvals, ledgers, portals, ticketing systems, internal workflows, and more	NocoBase, Appsmith, ToolJet, Budibase
CRM / ERP / operations management	Used for customer management, sales, inventory, finance, HR, projects, and other clearly defined business modules	Odoo, ERPNext, Twenty, Dolibarr, NocoBase
Project management / ticketing / service workflows	Used for project execution, task collaboration, issue routing, after sales support, and service desk management	Plane, OpenProject, Redmine, Zammad, NocoBase
Knowledge base / docs / Wiki	Used to store SOPs, policy documents, training materials, project knowledge, and team know how	AppFlowy, Outline, Wiki.js, BookStack, NocoBase
Dashboards / BI / data analytics	Used for reporting, data visualization, metric tracking, logs, and business data display	Grafana, Metabase, Apache Superset, Lightdash, NocoBase

1. Internal apps and business systems

NocoBase

Official website: https://www.nocobase.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/nocobase/nocobase
GitHub Stars: 22.1k
Official docs: https://docs.nocobase.com/

Overview: A self hosted AI no code / low code platform for enterprise apps, internal tools, and many kinds of business systems. It can be used to build CRM, ERP, project management tools, approval systems, ticketing systems, ledgers, portals, and more. It is especially suitable for enterprise IT teams, digital teams, and implementation teams that need to keep expanding data models, permissions, and workflows over time.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Supports private deployment and can connect to MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, REST API, GraphQL, and many other data sources. It also supports Docker, Kubernetes, and multi cloud deployment, making it a good fit for enterprise infrastructure environments.

Access control: Permissions are very granular. It supports not only role based access, but also record level, field level, and action level control, which makes it well suited to complex business scenarios involving multiple departments and roles.
Audit and compliance: Supports audit logs, making it suitable for enterprise environments that require admin activity tracking and traceability.
Data security and recovery: Data stays on the company’s own servers. The code is open source and auditable. It also supports encrypted database transmission and storage, making it easier to fit into existing enterprise security and recovery frameworks.
Maintainability over time: It uses a data model driven architecture, separating data structure from page presentation, and extends fields, blocks, workflows, permissions, and integrations through plugins. This makes it a good fit for business systems that will keep evolving.

AI readiness: It comes with native AI employees. These do more than help with setup. During actual use, they can understand context based on the current page, data, and schema, and directly perform actions such as querying the database, filling in forms, and updating records. This makes it easier to bring AI into real business workflows.

Appsmith

Official website: https://www.appsmith.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith
GitHub Stars: 39.6k
Official docs: https://docs.appsmith.com/

Overview: A developer friendly platform for building internal tools. It is suitable for quickly creating admin panels, approval tools, database front ends, customer support tools, and dashboards. It is a strong fit for technical teams that want to ship internal apps quickly while still keeping code level control.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Supports self hosting and air gapped deployment. Its deployment, upgrade, and migration docs are comprehensive, making it easy to fit into an enterprise infrastructure setup.
Access control: Supports SAML, OIDC, SCIM, and fine grained permissions across apps, workspaces, queries, and other resources.
Audit and compliance: Supports audit logs and can track important actions such as app creation, editing, login, permission changes, and data source updates.
Data security and recovery: Backup and recovery paths are clear. appsmithctl can be used for instance backup, database backup, and recovery. Audit logs can also be exported for monitoring and analysis.
Maintainability over time: Supports Git version control, environment branches, and app migration, making it suitable for continuous iteration and collaborative maintenance.
AI readiness: Includes Appsmith AI and also supports models such as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google AI, making it suitable for bringing AI queries and automation into internal applications.

ToolJet

Official website: https://www.tooljet.ai/
GitHub: https://github.com/tooljet/tooljet
GitHub Stars: 37.7k
Official docs: https://docs.tooljet.com/

Overview: A self hosted platform for building internal tools, business apps, and workflows. It is suitable for admin panels, approval tools, data apps, and automation workflows, especially for technical teams that want to combine internal app development with AI workflows.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Can be self hosted and supports Docker, Kubernetes, and environments such as AWS, GCP, and Azure. Deployment flexibility is high.
Access control: Provides SSO, RBAC, and fine grained access control, making it suitable for multi user, multi role organizational scenarios.
Audit and compliance: Provides audit logs and can integrate well with centralized security systems such as SIEM, which is helpful for enterprises that need strong traceability and operational visibility.
Data security and recovery: Data source credentials can be encrypted, and the platform can be integrated more easily into an enterprise’s existing database, logging, and operations setup.
Maintainability over time: Can connect to databases, APIs, SaaS apps, and object storage, leaving plenty of room for expansion as internal tools and business apps evolve.
AI readiness: Can be used for app generation, query building, debugging, and AI agent scenarios, making it suitable for teams that want to bring AI into internal app development and workflow automation.

Budibase

Official website: https://www.budibase.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/Budibase/budibase
GitHub Stars: 27.8k
Official docs: https://docs.budibase.com/

Overview: A self hosted internal tool platform suitable for operations, workflow, and lightweight business system scenarios. It is a good fit for teams that want to combine apps, automation, and AI with a relatively low barrier to entry.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Can be deployed on Docker, Kubernetes, and DigitalOcean. The overall setup path is relatively straightforward.
Access control: Supports SSO, OIDC, enforced SSO, and user and group management, making it suitable for organization wide use.
Audit and compliance: Provides audit logs and can track key events during installation, as well as triggered users and source apps.
Data security and recovery: Supports backup and recovery, and automatically creates backups when apps are published, which makes everyday protection and rollback easier.
Maintainability over time: Can connect to both built in databases and external data sources, REST APIs, and automation flows, making it suitable for continuous expansion as business needs grow.
AI readiness: AI can be used in automation steps, text classification, summarization, translation, document extraction, and prompt processing.

2. CRM / ERP / operations management

If a company wants more flexible control over fields, permissions, and workflows around its own business processes, it can also use a business system platform to build a CRM, inventory and operations system, or another customized business application.

⭐CRM 2.0 Sales Management System - NocoBase

How to Build a CRM with Budibase

Odoo

Official website: https://www.odoo.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/odoo/odoo
GitHub Stars: 50k
Official docs: https://www.odoo.com/documentation/19.0/

Overview: A very full featured business suite that covers CRM, sales, e commerce, inventory, finance, HR, projects, and many other scenarios. It is a strong fit for companies that want one system to support multiple business modules.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Supports on premises deployment. Installation, production deployment, and upgrade paths are mature, making it suitable for teams with operations capability that want to run core business systems long term.
Access control: The permission system is quite complete. API calls also respect access permissions, record rules, and field level controls, making it suitable for multi role business collaboration.
Audit and compliance: Provides admin activity logs, device login records, and other management and operations features that help with operational traceability.
Data security and recovery: Backup and upgrade processes are clear. In cloud environments, it also provides daily backups and downloadable backups, making it easier to fit into enterprise data protection processes.
Maintainability over time: Highly modular. You can use it one module at a time or connect multiple modules together. But if there is a lot of customization, cross version upgrades and compatibility planning become more important.
AI readiness: Already includes native AI apps and Ask AI. It can be configured with models such as OpenAI and Gemini, and can use AI for Q and A, content optimization, field generation, and more.

ERPNext

Official website: https://erpnext.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/frappe/erpnext
GitHub Stars: 32.8k
Official docs: https://docs.erpnext.com/

Overview: An open source ERP for core operational modules such as finance, inventory, procurement, sales, projects, and HR. It is especially suitable for small and medium sized businesses or teams that want to keep customizing on top of an open source framework.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Can be self hosted and has a mature production deployment path. In official recommendations, production environments lean toward Docker based deployment.
Access control: Supports role permissions, user permissions, page permissions, and report permissions, and can also connect to identity systems such as OAuth and LDAP.
Audit and compliance: Includes access logs, activity logs, error logs, scheduled task logs, and other runtime records, which are useful for troubleshooting and traceability.
Data security and recovery: Logs, backup, recovery, and snapshot mechanisms are all clearly defined, making it suitable for long term use in business environments.
Maintainability over time: Built on Frappe Framework, with strong support for further development and for extending forms and workflows, making it a good fit for teams that expect to keep evolving their systems.
AI readiness: Better suited as a business data foundation and integration target for AI. Its REST APIs can directly expose data and methods, making it easy to connect external AI, automation, or intelligent workflows.

Twenty

Official website: https://twenty.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/twentyhq/twenty
GitHub Stars: 43.7k
Official docs: https://docs.twenty.com/

Overview: A modern open source CRM for sales leads, customer relationships, workflow automation, and customizable CRM use cases. It is a good fit for teams that want to self host a modern CRM while also valuing user experience and future extensibility.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: The self hosted path is straightforward. It supports Docker Compose deployment and both single workspace and multi workspace modes.
Access control: Includes a role based permission system and supports SSO options such as SAML, Google Workspace, and Microsoft Entra ID, making it suitable for organization wide use.
Audit and compliance: Permissions, SSO integration, and workspace management are already fairly clear, but it is better understood as a modern CRM with strong organizational access control rather than a compliance focused platform.
Data security and recovery: The self hosted docs include guidance for backup, recovery, and automated daily backups, and key settings can be centrally managed through environment variables.
Maintainability over time: In addition to the CRM itself, it offers an Apps extension layer that can support custom objects, fields, logic functions, front end components, and AI skills, giving it strong room for expansion.
AI readiness: Already includes AI workflows, AI actions, and AI agents for enrichment, classification, summarization, and multistep task execution. AI Chatbot is also on the roadmap.

Dolibarr

Official website: https://www.dolibarr.org/
GitHub: https://github.com/Dolibarr/dolibarr
GitHub Stars: 7.1k
Official docs: https://wiki.dolibarr.org/

Overview: A more traditional all in one ERP + CRM suite, suitable for small and medium sized businesses with limited budgets that want a direct way to manage contacts, quotes, orders, invoices, inventory, and similar business modules.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Can be self hosted. The Docker path is clear, and installation and upgrade docs are fairly complete, making it suitable for teams that want to control their own deployment environment.
Access control: Supports users, user groups, and permissions as core features, and can also connect to LDAP, OAuth, HTTP authentication, and other identity methods for basic organizational access management.
Audit and compliance: More basic in this area, mainly focused on user permissions, logs, and some archival modules. If a company has stricter compliance and traceability needs, it will usually need additional tooling.
Data security and recovery: Backup, recovery, and migration steps are described in detail, and database and document files can be handled separately, making it suitable for basic data protection.
Maintainability over time: Its modular design is clear, and it also supports REST API, Webhook, and external system integration. Overall, though, it still follows a more traditional ERP / CRM maintenance model.
AI readiness: Native AI is not its main focus, but it already includes an AI Suite module and can also connect AI, automation platforms, or external workflows through its built in REST API.

3. Project management / ticketing / service workflows

If a team wants to quickly put project collaboration, issue routing, or service support in place, it can directly adopt a mature project management or ticketing system. If it also needs approvals, customer information, asset ledgers, or cross department workflow coordination, it can build the corresponding ticketing or project management system on top of a business system platform.

⭐Comprehensive R&D project management solution - NocoBase

⭐AI driven intelligent ticketing system - NocoBase

How to Build a Trouble Ticketing System | Budibase

Plane

Official website: https://plane.so/
GitHub: https://github.com/makeplane/plane
GitHub Stars: 47.5k
Official docs: https://docs.plane.so/

Overview: A modern project management and collaboration platform for product teams, engineering teams, project execution, knowledge collaboration, and task routing. It is well suited to teams that want a strong project management experience together with self hosting and future automation potential.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Can be self hosted and supports Docker, Kubernetes, and air gapped scenarios. It also includes a CLI for upgrades, monitoring, and routine administration.
Access control: Supports SSO, RBAC, SCIM, LDAP, and other organizational features, making it suitable for multi team and multi workspace setups.
Audit and compliance: Provides audit logs, encryption, and security documentation. The enterprise edition is more complete for governance and compliance requirements.
Data security and recovery: Offers clear backup and recovery documentation and also allows backup, monitoring, and log viewing through the CLI, giving it a relatively clear operations path.
Maintainability over time: In addition to projects and docs, it also includes automation, approval flows, and developer documentation, which makes it suitable for continuously evolving internal project management systems.
AI readiness: AI is already built into projects, pages, and workflows. It can help structure tasks, generate content, answer questions based on real time data, and let agents work together in context.

OpenProject

Official website: https://www.openproject.org/
GitHub: https://github.com/opf/openproject
GitHub Stars: 14.8k
Official docs: https://www.openproject.org/docs/

Overview: An open source platform built around mature project management methods. It fits classic, agile, and hybrid project management scenarios, and is especially suitable for organizations that need Gantt charts, task collaboration, time tracking, and cost management.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Can be deployed on local servers or in Docker environments, with complete docs for installation, upgrades, and production operation.
Access control: Its role and permission system is mature, with clear boundaries for admin, project, and organizational permissions.
Audit and compliance: It is more of a stable enterprise collaboration platform. Documentation already covers log viewing, GDPR, virus scanning, external file storage, and other management capabilities.
Data security and recovery: Backup guidance is detailed. Databases, configuration files, attachments, and code repositories are all included in the recommended backup scope, and backups can also be run directly from the admin interface.
Maintainability over time: Version updates are stable, and the distinction between the community and enterprise editions is clear, making it suitable for long term use as project management infrastructure.
AI readiness: It is better suited to connecting AI into the project environment through MCP and APIs. At the moment, AI related features are mainly focused on integration and assistance.

Redmine

Official website: https://www.redmine.org/
GitHub: https://github.com/redmine/redmine
GitHub Stars: 5.9k
Official docs: https://www.redmine.org/projects/redmine/wiki

Overview: A long established and stable project management and issue tracking tool with a rich plugin ecosystem. It is suitable for engineering collaboration, issue handling, time tracking, and traditional project management, especially for technical teams that value stability and customization.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Cross platform and cross database, with a relatively traditional deployment style. It is a good fit for teams that already have Ruby on Rails maintenance experience.
Access control: The role and permission system is one of its core strengths, and workflows can also make fields read only or required.
Audit and compliance: It focuses more on role and workflow control within project management itself. If strong enterprise grade audit trails are required, plugins or external systems are usually needed to strengthen it. This judgment is based on the fact that the official materials focus mainly on roles, workflows, and plugin extensibility rather than built in enterprise auditing.
Data security and recovery: Backup and recovery paths are clear, mainly covering the database, attachment directory, and configuration files. Backups are also explicitly recommended before upgrades.
Maintainability over time: Its long term advantage comes mainly from its mature community and plugin ecosystem. It works well for teams that want to shape it gradually around their own processes, though upgrades and plugin compatibility need to be managed carefully.
AI readiness: Native AI is not a main direction. It is better suited to bringing AI into existing workflows through REST APIs, plugins, or external automation tools.

Zammad

Official website: https://zammad.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/zammad/zammad
GitHub Stars: 5.5k
Official docs: https://docs.zammad.org/

Overview: An open source customer support and ticketing platform for after sales support, customer service, multichannel ticket routing, and service desk scenarios. It is especially suitable for teams that want to bring email, chat, phone, and knowledge base functions together in one system.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Can be self hosted, with deployment options including Docker, Helm Chart, and package installation, giving it a full range of deployment choices.
Access control: The systems for roles, group permissions, and user permissions are clear, and it can also connect to single sign on methods such as Kerberos, making it suitable for layered management in customer support organizations.
Audit and compliance: Focuses more on role management, session data, logs, and data retention settings in customer support workflows, making it suitable for traceability and governance in service operations.
Data security and recovery: Backup and recovery docs are very complete. Package installation and Docker installation each have separate instructions, and migration to a new host is also clearly documented.
Maintainability over time: In addition to core ticketing features, it also provides documentation for REST API, knowledge base, integrations, and environment variable settings, making it suitable for continuous operation of a support system.
AI readiness: AI features are already available for summarization, sentiment detection, auto routing, writing assistance, and AI agents. It also gives users considerable freedom in model choice.

4. Knowledge base / docs / Wiki

AppFlowy

Official website: https://appflowy.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/AppFlowy-IO/AppFlowy
GitHub Stars: 69.4k
Official docs: https://appflowy.com/docs/

Overview: An open source docs and knowledge platform built around a collaborative workspace model. It can support projects, tasks, Wiki, and team collaboration, and is especially suitable for teams that value data control, local deployment, and local AI.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Can be self hosted and supports local deployment, cloud self hosting, AWS EC2, Coolify, and other rollout paths, making it suitable for teams that want full control over the environment.
Access control: Team collaboration and external authentication are already supported, and there is also a separate setup path for SAML login. But if highly granular enterprise access control is your top priority, this is not the product in this group that emphasizes it most.
Audit and compliance: Focuses more on data ownership and private control. Its compliance story is mainly built around self hosting, localized data, and authentication integration.
Data security and recovery: The self hosted model emphasizes that teams retain control of their own data. Both local deployment and private cloud deployment paths are clear, making it easy to fit into an existing data protection framework.
Maintainability over time: It is open source, customizable, and able to run long term in your own infrastructure, making it a good fit as a workspace for accumulating knowledge and collaboration content over time.
AI readiness: Built in AI is a clear part of the product. It can connect to local AI and support file Q and A, RAG retrieval, content generation, and chat within a private workspace.

Outline

Official website: https://www.getoutline.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/outline/outline
GitHub Stars: 38k
Official docs: https://docs.getoutline.com/

Overview: A modern team knowledge base and Wiki platform for internal docs, SOPs, project materials, and shared team knowledge. It is especially suitable for teams that care about writing experience, collaboration speed, and a clean interface.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Can be self hosted and includes complete installation and configuration docs. It can run on GNU/Linux, AWS, and other environments.
Access control: Permission boundaries are mainly based on collections, documents, users, and groups. It also supports authentication methods such as OIDC and SAML, making it suitable for team level knowledge management.
Audit and compliance: Document version history and access control are both clear, providing a good record of content changes. Stronger audit logging and SSO support are more complete in higher tier versions.
Data security and recovery: Export, migration, and cross instance transfer paths are clear. Both collections and entire workspaces can be exported, and JSON exports also support migration.
Maintainability over time: Its APIs, integrations, and self hosted documentation are all mature, making it suitable for long term use as a knowledge and collaboration system.
AI readiness: AI Answers is already available, and responses strictly follow the current user’s permissions, making it suitable for secure internal knowledge Q and A.

Wiki.js

Official website: https://js.wiki/
GitHub: https://github.com/requarks/wiki
GitHub Stars: 28.1k
Official docs: https://docs.requarks.io/

Overview: An open source Wiki for technical documentation and organizational knowledge management. It is suitable for policy docs, technical docs, team knowledge bases, and internal sites, and works especially well for teams that value flexible deployment and traditional Wiki functionality.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Can run on Linux, macOS, and Windows, and also supports Docker, Kubernetes, and Heroku, making deployment quite flexible.
Access control: Supports many authentication modules, including LDAP / AD, Keycloak OIDC, SAML 2.0, and CAS, and can also enable 2FA, making it suitable for enterprise login management.
Audit and compliance: Focuses more on permissions and authentication than on built in compliance tooling. If strong enterprise grade audit trails are required, it usually works best alongside an external logging system. This is based on the fact that the official materials emphasize authentication, storage, and configuration more than built in compliance features.
Data security and recovery: In addition to standard database based storage, content can also be synced to a Git repository, which is useful for combining versioning, backup, and external storage management.
Maintainability over time: Configuration options, deployment docs, and upgrade steps are all clear, and it also supports high availability scenarios, making it suitable for long term operation.
AI readiness: Native AI is not a core focus. It is better suited to connecting AI through APIs, search, or external automation tools within an existing Wiki setup. This is based on the fact that current official materials do not highlight native AI functionality.

BookStack

Official website: https://www.bookstackapp.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/BookStackApp/BookStack
GitHub Stars: 18.6k
Official docs: https://www.bookstackapp.com/docs/

Overview: A simple, intuitive, and easy to use self hosted docs / Wiki platform for SOPs, policy docs, training manuals, and internal knowledge. It is especially suitable for teams that want to get started quickly without introducing too much structural complexity.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Provides manual installation, Docker, Ubuntu scripts, and high availability deployment paths, with a relatively approachable setup experience overall.
Access control: Supports role based permissions and can connect to LDAP, OIDC, SAML, third party OAuth, and MFA, making it suitable for basic to moderately complex organizational access needs.
Audit and compliance: Focuses more on account security and permission management, which is suitable for general knowledge base governance. If you need finer grained auditing and stricter compliance workflows, additional surrounding tools are usually needed.
Data security and recovery: Backup and recovery docs are straightforward, but they mainly rely on command line handling for databases and files, rather than offering a built in one click recovery workflow.
Maintainability over time: Its purpose is very clear: do documentation well. The upgrade path is stable and the maintenance model is relatively simple, which makes it a good long term option for a lightweight knowledge base.
AI readiness: Native AI is not a core feature. It is better suited to connecting AI through APIs, external automation workflows, or third party models. At present, BookStack is positioned more clearly as a simple documentation platform.

5. Dashboards / BI / data analytics

Grafana

Official website: https://grafana.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/grafana/grafana
GitHub Stars: 73.1k
Official docs: https://grafana.com/docs/grafana/latest/

Overview: A platform for monitoring, logs, tracing, and technical metric visualization. It is suitable for operations dashboards, observability analysis, alerts, and unified views across multiple data sources, especially for technical teams and platform teams.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Can be self hosted either as a local Grafana instance or through mature Kubernetes management paths, making it easy to fit into an enterprise infrastructure environment.
Access control: Its permission system is clear and covers server level, organization level, dashboard level, and folder level access, making it suitable for multi team collaboration.
Audit and compliance: Focuses more on operational governance and access control. The enterprise edition provides more complete security features. If pure business auditing is the priority, this is not the strongest option in that area within this group.
Data security and recovery: The backup path is very clear. Configuration files, plugin data, and the Grafana database are all included in the official backup recommendations.
Maintainability over time: Its plugin ecosystem and APIs are both mature, and dashboards and resources can also be managed continuously through Git Sync, Operator, and as code approaches.
AI readiness: Native AI is currently more associated with Grafana Assistant in Grafana Cloud. In self hosted environments, it is generally better suited to integration through HTTP APIs, plugins, or external intelligent operations workflows.

Metabase

Official website: https://www.metabase.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/metabase/metabase
GitHub Stars: 46.8k
Official docs: https://www.metabase.com/docs/latest/

Overview: An easy to use BI and embedded analytics platform for operational reporting, self service analytics, dashboards, and embedded data access. It is especially suitable for teams that want more non technical users to work directly with data.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: The self hosted path is mature, and it can be deployed independently with clear production and upgrade guidance.
Access control: Its permission system is fairly complete, covering both collection permissions and data permissions. Row and column level security is also available, though more often in Pro / Enterprise scenarios.
Audit and compliance: Focuses more on data governance and permission boundaries, especially for embedded analytics and multitenant data isolation.
Data security and recovery: The backup logic is straightforward, with the main priority being backup of the application database. There is also clear recovery and operations guidance around upgrades.
Maintainability over time: APIs, embedded analytics, and versioned documentation are all mature, making it a solid long term entry point for data analysis.
AI readiness: It already offers an Agent API that can be used to build headless agentic BI applications on top of Metabase’s semantic layer. It can also connect to external AI through APIs and embedding.

💡 Read more: 6 best open source AI dashboard tools

Apache Superset

Official website: https://superset.apache.org/
GitHub: https://github.com/apache/superset
GitHub Stars: 72.3k
Official docs: https://superset.apache.org/docs/intro

Overview: A modern BI platform for data teams, suitable for multi source analysis, complex charts, SQL exploration, and large scale visualization. It is especially suitable for teams with analytics engineering or data platform capabilities.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Has a clear cloud native orientation. Docker Compose is one of the most common official ways to run it, and the platform is designed with scalability in mind.
Access control: Has a strong authentication and permission system, with fine grained role and access options, making it suitable for multiple teams and complex data access environments.
Audit and compliance: Leans more toward enterprise security configuration and access governance. Documentation for admin roles, permission boundaries, and security settings is relatively complete.
Data security and recovery: Relies more on the database layer and operations tooling for backup and recovery. Official guidance clearly recommends managing the metadata database and related infrastructure through mature database services or existing backup strategies.
Maintainability over time: SQL Lab, the semantic layer, the extension framework, and the APIs are all mature, making it suitable for long term use as a data exploration and visualization platform.
AI readiness: It can already connect to AI assistants through MCP, allowing users to explore data, build charts, create dashboards, and run SQL in natural language. Its AI capability can also be extended further through existing extension points.

Lightdash

Official website: https://www.lightdash.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/lightdash/lightdash
GitHub Stars: 5.7k
Official docs: https://docs.lightdash.com/

Overview: A dbt based self service analytics platform for unified metric definitions, semantic layer governance, and business friendly self service analytics. It is especially suitable for modern data teams already using dbt.

Key highlights:

Infrastructure: Can be self hosted. Local setup is straightforward, and there is also a Kubernetes guide for production. Object storage is an important part of self hosted deployment.
Access control: Space permissions, roles, SSO, SCIM, and user attributes are clearly defined, and user attributes can also be used for row level filtering.
Audit and compliance: Focuses more on metric governance, permission boundaries, and organizational access control, making it suitable for teams that care about consistent metric definitions and controlled business visibility.
Data security and recovery: In self hosted deployments, result files and export files are stored in S3 compatible object storage, which makes it easier to fit into existing enterprise storage and operations frameworks.
Maintainability over time: It is deeply integrated with dbt. Metrics, dimensions, and business logic can all be maintained directly in the dbt project, and the platform can continue evolving through the CLI, GitHub integration, and APIs.
AI readiness: AI is already part of the core product flow. It can support Q and A, data exploration, semantic layer building, and AI agents working on top of a trusted metric framework.

FAQ

If I just want a CRM, is choosing a CRM product directly enough?

If your needs are clear and mainly focused on customer management and sales workflows, then choosing a CRM product directly is usually the simpler option.

But if you expect to expand later into approvals, ticketing, portals, or cross department workflows, it may be worth considering a more flexible platform early on.

If the development team is strong, is a platform for building systems a better fit?

Usually yes. The stronger the development team, the more value it can get from a platform’s strengths in data models, permissions, workflows, and integrations.

If you plan to keep evolving internal systems over time, a more flexible platform like NocoBase is often worth prioritizing.

If the team’s technical capability is average, which type of product should be considered first?

In most cases, it makes more sense to start with mature off the shelf systems such as CRM, ERP, ticketing, Wiki, or BI. These products are usually faster to launch, easier to understand, and better for solving one specific problem first.

What level of access control is considered suitable for enterprise use?

For enterprises, access control is not just about account login. You also need to look at role permissions, department permissions, record level permissions, field level permissions, and whether single sign on is supported.

If the system will handle customer data, approvals, finance, or cross department collaboration, the more granular the permissions, the better. Platforms like NocoBase can support permissions at the record level, field level, and action level, which makes them better suited to complex scenarios such as customers, approvals, finance, and cross department collaboration.

Are audit logs and compliance features only something large enterprises need to think about?

No. As soon as a system starts handling customer data, approval records, or multi user collaboration content, auditing and traceability already matter.

Many products provide system logs, activity history, or content history, which are enough for basic troubleshooting. Platforms like NocoBase, however, provide full operational audit logs, which are better suited to enterprise environments that need admin accountability, clear responsibility boundaries, and compliance support.

How should AI capability be evaluated? Does having AI automatically make a product more worth choosing?

Not necessarily. What matters is whether AI can actually be integrated into real business scenarios and work with data, permissions, page context, and workflows in a meaningful way.

We already have ERP / CRM. Do we still need an internal app platform?

In many cases, yes. ERP and CRM are better suited to standardized business modules, but companies often still have gaps in approvals, portals, ledgers, and cross system workflows.

These needs are often better handled by internal app platforms such as NocoBase and Appsmith.

I hope this article helps you sort through the options and gives you some practical reference. If people around you are also looking at tools like these, feel free to share it with them.

Related reading:

Weekly Updates Add an LLIM-based web search tool for AI employees

NocoBase — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 08:31:14 +0000

Originally published at https://www.nocobase.com/cn/blog/weekly-updates-20260409

Summarize the weekly product update logs, and the latest releases can be checked on our blog.

NocoBase is currently updated with three branches: main , next and develop.

main：The most stable version to date, recommended for installation;
next：Beta version, contains upcoming new features and has been preliminarily tested. There might be some known or unknown issues. It's mainly for test users to collect feedback and optimize functions further. Ideal for test users who want to experience new features early and give feedback;
develop：Alpha version, contains the latest feature code, may be incomplete or unstable, mainly for internal dev and rapid iteration. Suited for tech users interested in product's cutting-edge, but with potential issues and incomplete functions. Not for production use.

main

v2.0.34

Release date:2026-04-09

🎉 New Features

[Migration manager] support migration command by chenos

v2.0.33

Release date:2026-04-08

🎉 New Features

[AI employees] Add an LLIM-based web search tool for AI employees (#9032) by cgyrock

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client]
- Fixed an issue where an incorrect unsaved changes confirmation message would appear for bulk edit action (#9054) by gchust
- Fixed an issue where an incorrect secondary confirmation popup would appear when submitting the form after creating a record via a popup subtable. (#9035) by gchust
[data-source-manager] Fixed an issue where some field types were not updated correctly after syncing fields from the database (#9046) by 2013xile
[AI employees] Fix AI employee document upload failure under subpath access with APP_PUBLIC_PATH configured. (#9034) by cgyrock

v2.0.32

Release date:2026-04-04

🚀 Improvements

[undefined] Add table of contents to README (#8878) by gaston98765

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client]
- subform relationship field failed to save (#9004) by jiannx
- the subforms of the fields do not display data (#9008) by jiannx
- Fixed the issue where ctx.request could not override the Authorization header. (#8850) by gchust
[server] Add serving check to avoid app status updated by non-serving instance (#8959) by mytharcher
[AI employees]
- Fixed the issue when using deepseek or minmax models on dashscope (#9033) by cgyrock
- Fixed the issue where abort AI employees reasonning would cause the service to crash (#9031) by cgyrock
[Workflow: HTTP request node] Sanitized workflow request node results to avoid exposing request config, defaulted new nodes to return response data only, and added debug logging for failed requests. (#9024) by mytharcher
[Collection field: Sort] fix(field-sort): prevent crash when scopeKey attribute is undefined (#9019) by gaston98765
[Block: GridCard] Fixed the problem that the button is not refreshed when the grid card is refreshed (#9021) by jiannx
[Workflow: Approval]
- Add fault-tolerant on workflow deleted, to avoid load error in tasks list by mytharcher
- Add fault-tolerant for no latestRound by mytharcher

v2.1.0-beta.13

Release date:2026-04-09

🎉 New Features

[Migration manager] support migration command by chenos

v2.1.0-beta.12

Release date:2026-04-08

🎉 New Features

[client]
- add js variables to event flow (#8938) by jiannx
- add JS item action (#8911) by jiannx
[AI employees] Add an LLIM-based web search tool for AI employees (#9032) by cgyrock

🚀 Improvements

[undefined]
- Add table of contents to README (#8878) by gaston98765
- Reduced log noise during server startup by silencing unzip commands for LibreOffice and Oracle Instant Client (#8984) by Rishabh1925
[client]
- support setting field styles through runjs (#8933) by jiannx
- Optimize the horizontal layout of form actions (#8869) by jiannx
[Workflow: JavaScript] Add isolated-vm as default JavaScript execute engine for JavaScript node (#8973) by mytharcher

Reference: JavaScript Node
[Workflow]
- Change enabled switch size to small (#9010) by mytharcher
- Add variable for page size parameter (#8951) by mytharcher
[AI employees] Optimize prompts for deepseek when handling unsupported file types (#9003) by cgyrock
[Action: Custom request] add action models for custom request (#8890) by jiannx
[Collection field: administrative divisions of China] field-china-region 2.0 (#8831) by jiannx
[Workflow: Subflow] Add defensive logic to avoid workflow hangs when exception occurs by mytharcher
[Workflow: Approval] Fix JSON field caused performance issue when loading approval records list by mytharcher

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client]
- Fixed an issue where an incorrect unsaved changes confirmation message would appear for bulk edit action (#9054) by gchust
- Fixed an issue where an incorrect secondary confirmation popup would appear when submitting the form after creating a record via a popup subtable. (#9035) by gchust
- Fixed the issue where ctx.request could not override the Authorization header. (#8850) by gchust
- subform relationship field failed to save (#9004) by jiannx
- the subforms of the fields do not display data (#9008) by jiannx
- Fixed the issue where the copy of the associated fields in the table was not displayed correctly in the first rendering. (#9007) by jiannx
- Fixed incorrect secondary confirmation message when closing multi-level popup after modifying form data. (#8944) by gchust
- Fix the issue where space in variable expression cause label not display (#8988) by mytharcher
- Fixed the exception when adding child nodes to the tree table in the pop-up window (#8872) by jiannx
[data-source-manager] Fixed an issue where some field types were not updated correctly after syncing fields from the database (#9046) by 2013xile
[server]
- Add serving check to avoid app status updated by non-serving instance (#8959) by mytharcher
- Avoid to handle sync-message after app stopped (#8940) by mytharcher
- Change close timing of Pub-Sub to beforeStop, to avoid message sent or handled after database closed (#8934) by mytharcher
[flow-engine]
- Fix clipped settings menus in popup (#9005) by gchust
- Fixed an issue where menu items could not be selected when the UI component width in the configuration state was too small. (#8954) by gchust
- Add js snippets for setting form item and details item (#8974) by jiannx
- Synchronize status to field configuration when form field is deleted (#8857) by jiannx
[database] Use warning instead of error when any of appends parameters invalid (#8923) by mytharcher
[resourcer] Fix an issue where external data sources fail to load correctly. (#8929) by 2013xile
[AI employees]
- Fix AI employee document upload failure under subpath access with APP_PUBLIC_PATH configured. (#9034) by cgyrock
- Fixed the issue when using deepseek or minmax models on dashscope (#9033) by cgyrock
- Fixed the issue where abort AI employees reasonning would cause the service to crash (#9031) by cgyrock
- Fixed the issue of abnormal web search behavior when using the Qwen LLM (#9012) by cgyrock
- Add ownership verification to the AI conversation API (#8993) by cgyrock
- Adjust the gap between the tool card components in the AI Conversation (#8965) by cgyrock
[Workflow: HTTP request node] Sanitized workflow request node results to avoid exposing request config, defaulted new nodes to return response data only, and added debug logging for failed requests. (#9024) by mytharcher
[Collection field: Sort] fix(field-sort): prevent crash when scopeKey attribute is undefined (#9019) by gaston98765
[Block: GridCard] Fixed the problem that the button is not refreshed when the grid card is refreshed (#9021) by jiannx
[Notification: In-app message] Fix action whitelist for in-app message updates to prevent unauthorized updates by non-owners. (#9001) by mytharcher
[Workflow: SQL node] Fix security issue in SQL node (#8989) by mytharcher
[Data visualization]
- When using variable-based filters, charts fail to resolve variable values correctly on the initial render (#8964) by 2013xile
- fixed the abnormal data statistics of the root role chart after enabling the space plugin (#8969) by jiannx
[Action: Import records] fixed the problem of import failure after opening plugin-space (#8968) by jiannx
[Workflow: JavaScript] Fix security issues (#8967) by mytharcher
[Action: Export records] Limit import and export configuration of multi-layer related fields (#8893) by jiannx
[Custom variables] skip auth notify (#8942) by chenos
[Localization] prevent localizationTexts:missing request on permission denial (#8903) by chenos
[Authentication] fix acl to support custom state filtering parameters (#8918) by jiannx
[Flow engine] Remove legacy event copied from uiSchema repository to avoid error thrown when triggering (#8957) by mytharcher
[Action: Import records Pro]
- limit import and export configuration of multi-layer related fields by jiannx
- Fix the issue where option of "Trigger workflow" not works when not checked by mytharcher
[Data source: External Oracle] Fix an error that occurs when loading the Oracle external data source by 2013xile
[Workflow: Approval]
- Fix version limit of legacy migrations to avoid error thrown when start in latest version deployment by mytharcher
- Add fault-tolerant on workflow deleted, to avoid load error in tasks list by mytharcher
- Fix translation, node selection, and return target issues in the v2 approval form return button by zhangzhonghe
- Add fault-tolerant for no latestRound by mytharcher
[Email manager]
- Fixed signature being overwritten when using templates by jiannx
- no closing confirmation is displayed after the email is sent by jiannx

develop

v2.1.0-alpha.14

Release date:2026-04-07

🎉 New Features

[AI employees] Add the ability to invoke sub agents for AI employees (#8935) by cgyrock
[AI: MCP server] Provides a generic data collection query API, callable via MCP (#8985) by 2013xile

🚀 Improvements

[undefined]
- Add table of contents to README (#8878) by gaston98765
- Reduced log noise during server startup by silencing unzip commands for LibreOffice and Oracle Instant Client (#8984) by Rishabh1925
[Flow engine] Add new apis for ui building. (#8992) by gchust
[Workflow] Change enabled switch size to small (#9010) by mytharcher
[AI employees] Optimize prompts for deepseek when handling unsupported file types (#9003) by cgyrock
[Action: Custom request] add action models for custom request (#8890) by jiannx
[Workflow: JavaScript] Add isolated-vm as default JavaScript execute engine for JavaScript node (#8973) by mytharcher

Reference: JavaScript Node

🐛 Bug Fixes

[server]
- Add serving check to avoid app status updated by non-serving instance (#8959) by mytharcher
- Support getting the target application by hostname (#8978) by 2013xile
[client]
- subform relationship field failed to save (#9004) by jiannx
- the subforms of the fields do not display data (#9008) by jiannx
- Fixed the issue where the copy of the associated fields in the table was not displayed correctly in the first rendering. (#9007) by jiannx
- Fixed incorrect secondary confirmation message when closing multi-level popup after modifying form data. (#8944) by gchust
- Fix the issue where space in variable expression cause label not display (#8988) by mytharcher
[flow-engine]
- Fix clipped settings menus in popup (#9005) by gchust
- Fixed an issue where menu items could not be selected when the UI component width in the configuration state was too small. (#8954) by gchust
- Add js snippets for setting form item and details item (#8974) by jiannx
[Workflow: mailer node] Fix validation for variable fields (#9047) by mytharcher
[Collection field: Sort] fix(field-sort): prevent crash when scopeKey attribute is undefined (#9019) by gaston98765
[AI employees]
- Fix the issue where AI employees were unable to use skills (#9023) by cgyrock
- Fix the issue where the LLM still attempts to load skills after the getSkill tool is disabled (#9013) by cgyrock
- Fixed the issue of abnormal web search behavior when using the Qwen LLM (#9012) by cgyrock
- Add ownership verification to the AI conversation API (#8993) by cgyrock
[Block: GridCard] Fixed the problem that the button is not refreshed when the grid card is refreshed (#9021) by jiannx
[Workflow]
- Fix incorrect validation rule of condition instruction (#9017) by mytharcher
- Fix the issue where mode of collection trigger can not be set to "create or update" (#8980) by mytharcher
[Notification: In-app message] Fix action whitelist for in-app message updates to prevent unauthorized updates by non-owners. (#9001) by mytharcher
[Data source manager] Optimized MCP tool naming and reduce redundant API responses to avoid excessive consumption of AI conversation context (#9000) by 2013xile
[Workflow: SQL node] Fix security issue in SQL node (#8989) by mytharcher
[Data visualization] When using variable-based filters, charts fail to resolve variable values correctly on the initial render (#8964) by 2013xile
[Workflow: Approval]
- Add fault-tolerant on workflow deleted, to avoid load error in tasks list by mytharcher
- Add fault-tolerant for no latestRound by mytharcher
- Fix version limit of legacy migrations to avoid error thrown when start in latest version deployment by mytharcher
[Email manager] no closing confirmation is displayed after the email is sent by jiannx

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4 Ways to Quickly Build Web Apps from Excel Data

NocoBase — Fri, 03 Apr 2026 13:13:27 +0000

Originally published at https://www.nocobase.com/en/blog/excel-to-web-app-4-methods

Many companies do not start with formal systems for their internal processes.

As we recently reviewed customer cases, we noticed a very common pattern. In the early stages of a business, or before internal systems are fully in place, many companies rely on Excel to manage customers, track orders, follow projects, handle approvals, and maintain inventory records.

But as more and more business data and workflow logic are pushed into spreadsheets, Excel’s limitations gradually become harder to ignore. Many spreadsheets that were originally used only for recordkeeping eventually begin to take on part of the role of CRM, ERP, ticketing, or project management tools.

That is exactly why turning Excel-based workflows into web applications has become a practical need for more and more companies. Still, different approaches fit different business stages, involve different levels of implementation effort, and offer different levels of long-term flexibility. In the following sections, we will walk through several common approaches and look at which one may fit your current stage best.

💡Featured case: From Paper to Digital: How This Medical Manufacturer Chose NocoBase

Before we get into the details, the table below gives a quick overview of the 4 approaches covered in this article.

Dimension	Method 1: No-code platform	Method 2: Online data platform	Method 3: AI generation tools	Method 4: Online spreadsheets
Core focus	Business system	Data structure	App prototypes / pages	Spreadsheet file
Main goal	Turn Excel into a formal system	Move data online and structure it first, then gradually build apps	Quickly create demos, prototypes, or lightweight apps	Support online collaborative editing
Typical capabilities	Data modeling, page building, permissions, workflows, plugin extensions	Related tables, views, forms, lightweight automation	Natural language page generation, front-end and back-end scaffolding, rapid iteration	Sharing, collaboration, comments, basic filtering
Representative tools	NocoBase, Appsmith, Budibase, ToolJet	Airtable, Feishu Bitable, Baserow	Lovable, Bolt, v0	Excel for the web, Google Sheets, WPS Online Sheets
Best for	Formal business scenarios such as CRM, ERP, ticketing, and project management	The transition stage from Excel to a more structured system	Prototype validation, internal demos, rapid experimentation	Lightweight collaboration and short-term sharing
Strengths	Highly extensible and well suited for long-term use	Faster to start with and useful for organizing data first	Fastest to launch and lowest cost for testing ideas	Easy to learn and the lightest switch from Excel
Limits	Requires some upfront work to sort out data structure and processes	Good for transition, but not always suitable for complex business operations	Not always suitable for complex permissions or long-term maintenance	Still a spreadsheet at its core, not a formal application

Method 1: Use an extensible no-code platform to turn Excel into a formal business system

Core idea

The core of this approach is to upgrade the business data already stored in Excel into a real web application, instead of continuing to rely on spreadsheets as the main way to run the business.

Typical tools for this approach include no-code or low-code platforms that support app building, data modeling, permission settings, and workflow extensions, such as NocoBase, Appsmith, Budibase, and ToolJet.

This article uses NocoBase as the main example because it is designed for building enterprise applications, internal tools, and many kinds of business systems. It also supports private deployment, plugin-based extensions, and long-term system growth.

Unlike many tools that generate pages directly from spreadsheets, NocoBase is built around a data model driven approach. Data structure and page presentation are separated. You define the data model first, then decide how the pages should appear. The advantage is that as the business continues to grow, the team does not have to stay tied to Excel. Whether you need to optimize your database structure, add table relationships, or connect to other data sources such as MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, REST API, or GraphQL, the system can keep expanding.

If this type of platform also includes native AI capabilities, it becomes even more useful for later business upgrades. NocoBase’s AI employee is not just a chat interface. It can understand context based on the current page, data, and table structure, and then perform real actions such as querying data, filling in forms, and updating records. This can be especially valuable for operations, customer service, data analysis, or repetitive workflow tasks.

Related links

NocoBase official website: https://www.nocobase.com/

NocoBase documentation: https://docs.nocobase.com/

Suitable teams

Already using Excel to manage customers, orders, projects, tickets, or approval workflows
Want to upgrade gradually based on existing spreadsheets instead of rebuilding everything from scratch
Expect to add permissions, workflows, automation, or cross-team collaboration later
Have requirements around data security, private deployment, or long-term scalability
Have basic implementation capability, or are willing to sort out the business structure first

Implementation approach

1. Start by creating tables and fields Break the customer, order, project, ticket, approval, and other data in Excel into separate tables, then define field types and relationships between the tables.

2. Then import the Excel data into those tables Once the table structure is ready, import the existing Excel data so the records that were scattered across spreadsheets are placed into properly structured tables and fields.

3. Configure list, form, and detail pages After the data is in the system, set up list pages, form pages, and detail pages so the records can be viewed, added, edited, and maintained.

4. Configure roles and permissions Once the pages are usable, define menu access, action permissions, and data scope by role, so different users can see different content and handle different data.

5. Add workflows and extension capabilities Then add status flows, automatic reminders, process handling, notifications, and any APIs, databases, or AI capabilities you may want to connect later, so the system can truly begin supporting day-to-day business operations.

Usage limits

It usually requires more upfront work, since you need to sort out the data structure and business processes first
It does not require heavy coding, but someone still needs to understand data models, page structure, and permission logic
It is better suited to medium and long-term use, not to quickly building a temporary page
The software itself may not be the biggest cost. In many cases, the real cost comes from implementation, process design, migration, and ongoing maintenance

🎉 NocoBase 2.0 Tutorial is now available. Using a ticketing system as an example, it shows how to build a complete business system from zero.

Method 2: Move data into an online data platform first, then gradually build applications

Core idea

The idea behind this approach is to first move data scattered across spreadsheets into an online, structured platform, and then build views, collaboration features, and lightweight workflows around that data. It works as a transition layer between Excel and a more complete business system. You start by organizing the data clearly, then decide whether to keep evolving it into a fuller application later.

Suitable tools for this approach usually include online data platforms that support spreadsheet-style management, field settings, multiple views, and basic automation, such as Airtable, Baserow, Coda, and Smartsheet.
💡Read more: NocoBase vs Airtable: A Flexible and Customizable Open-Source Alternative

For many teams already using online collaboration tools, Airtable is often an easy place to start. On one side, it retains a spreadsheet-style experience, so the learning curve is relatively low. On the other, it also offers fields, views, linked records, and lightweight automation, which makes it a good fit for many lighter business scenarios that were previously handled in Excel.

It can be used to organize and maintain customer information, project progress, campaign schedules, content management, lead follow-up, simple ticketing, operational records, and similar data. It also supports different views, forms, comments, and basic automation on top of that. For organizations that are not yet ready to build complex systems, but already want to make Excel data more structured and collaborative online, tools like this are often sufficient.

Related links

Airtable official website: https://www.airtable.com/

Airtable documentation: https://support.airtable.com/

Suitable teams

Already using Excel to manage customers, orders, projects, or operational data, but mainly struggling with sharing and maintenance
Want to move data online and structure it first, then gradually add pages or workflows
Need clearer field management, filtered views, and collaboration methods than Excel can offer
Want to validate a business structure at low cost before deciding whether to move toward a more systematic solution
Currently care more about speed of adoption and collaboration efficiency than building a complete system all at once

Implementation approach

1. First import Excel data into Airtable
Move your existing customer, order, project, ticket, or operational data into Airtable, so information that was previously scattered across local files becomes shared online tables that multiple people can maintain together.

2. Then organize fields, views, and table relationships

After importing, you will usually need to clean up field names, data types, and basic relationships first, then configure views such as Grid, Kanban, Calendar, Gallery, or Form for different users or use cases. This helps the data move beyond a spreadsheet file and become a structure better suited to online collaboration.

3. Add collaboration and lightweight workflows as needed
Once the data structure is relatively stable, you can continue adding comments, reminders, simple automations, lightweight approvals, or Interface pages, allowing the platform to gradually support more collaboration and daily operations.

Usage limits

Better suited to the transition stage of putting data online and structuring it, but not always suitable for complex business operations
As permissions, workflows, and cross-table relationships become more complex, the limits of the platform itself become more visible
Useful for bringing data together first, but not always enough to support the ongoing operation of a complete system
If you later need to connect more complex databases, APIs, business modules, or finer-grained permission controls, another upgrade step is often still needed

Method 3: Use AI tools to generate applications or pages directly

Core idea

This approach does not begin by fully sorting out data structures, permissions, and workflows. Instead, it uses natural language to quickly generate pages, prototypes, or simple applications, making it easier to validate ideas and experiment at a lower initial cost.

Typical tools in this category include Lovable, Bolt, and v0. These are better suited to quickly turning an idea into a page or application that can be viewed, clicked, and revised. Lovable, for example, is a representative tool in this category. It is particularly useful for quickly generating web app prototypes, pages, and lightweight tools through natural language. Based on text descriptions, it can generate front-end interfaces, and it can also work with back-end, database, and authentication features to help create a first version of the application and support later changes and publishing.

Suitable teams

Need to quickly create a demo, prototype, or internal presentation version
Are still exploring requirements, and many features or workflows are not fully defined yet
Want to validate page structure, interaction design, or product direction first
Care more about speed than building a complete system architecture from the beginning
Have room for experimentation and can accept later rebuilding or migration

Implementation approach

1. Use natural language to generate the first version of the page or app framework Start by clearly describing the need in natural language, such as a customer management page, a project tracking dashboard, or a simple internal tool, and generate the first version directly.

2. Then continue refining fields, interactions, and logic Once the first version is generated, keep adding forms, buttons, page structure, and basic interactions step by step so it gets closer to the real scenario you want to validate or present.

3. Finally use it for validation, demos, or short-term trials If the goal is only prototype validation, project proposals, lightweight pages, or a short-term online version, this is often enough. In many cases, the real value of these tools is that they help teams move into discussion and testing much faster.

Usage limits

Better suited to prototypes, demos, and rapid experimentation, but not always to complex production use
Page generation is very fast, but data structures, permission systems, and workflow logic often still need substantial follow-up work
It is easy to create the interface and interaction first, but that does not mean the underlying structure is ready for long-term operation
If the product later needs to support complex permissions, cross-table relationships, database design, or long-term maintenance, it usually still needs to be redesigned

For many organizations, this approach is better suited to early exploration and validation than to serving directly as the final system form

Related links

Lovable official website: https://lovable.dev/

Lovable documentation: https://docs.lovable.dev/

Method 4: Use online spreadsheets for sharing and collaboration

Core idea

The purpose of this approach is not to turn Excel into an application or system, but to move spreadsheets online and continue using them for sharing, editing, and collaboration.

Typical tools in this category include Microsoft Excel for the web, Google Sheets, and WPS Online Sheets. These are essentially online spreadsheets. The work still revolves around the spreadsheet file itself, but it happens in an online environment rather than a local one.

This article uses Google Sheets as the example. It is better suited to scenarios that do not yet require full system-level transformation, but already need better support for shared access and online collaboration. For teams that are already used to Excel, this approach requires almost no relearning and very little structural redesign, so the switching cost is lower.

It can support online co-editing, shared links, comments, simple filtering, and basic access control. It is also a practical option for moving routine maintenance spreadsheets online so teams can continue collaborating more easily.

Suitable teams

Mainly need multiple people to share and edit the same spreadsheet at the same time
Are mostly facing problems such as files being passed around, version confusion, and inconsistent updates
Do not yet have a clear need for formal system building
Have relatively simple business logic focused on recording, summarizing, and maintenance
Care more about low barriers and immediate usability than long-term extensibility or system capability

Implementation approach

1. Import local Excel files into an online environment Move the Excel files that were originally stored locally or on a shared drive into an online workspace, so the team can access and maintain them from one shared entry point.

2. Use sharing, permissions, and comments to collaborate Replace email attachments and repeated version updates with online sharing, multi-person editing, comment discussions, and real-time syncing, so the most immediate collaboration issues are addressed first.

3. Add basic management methods as needed From there, you can further organize the spreadsheet through worksheets, simple permission settings, filtering, and views, making it easier for multiple people to maintain together.

Usage limits

It is still a spreadsheet at its core, not a formal web application
Better suited to lightweight collaboration and online sharing than to handling complex business processes
It can solve version control and collaboration issues first, but may not solve deeper problems related to permissions, workflows, or system structure
For many organizations, this is the lightest first step, but it is usually not the final destination in the move from Excel to systems

Related links

Google Sheets official website: https://workspace.google.com/products/sheets/

Google Sheets documentation: https://support.google.com/docs/?hl=en

FAQ

1. Excel permissions are not detailed enough. What should we switch to?

If you already need to define who can view, edit, or approve, then it may be time to upgrade directly and use a platform like NocoBase to build CRM, ticketing, approval, or internal management systems.

2. Are AI app generation tools suitable for formal business systems?

They are better suited to prototypes, demos, MVPs, or early experimentation, and not ideal as the final solution for complex business systems. If you simply want to create a first version quickly, tools like Lovable can work well.

3. If multiple Excel sheets need to maintain relationships with each other, which method is more suitable?

If your data has already been split into customer tables, order tables, project tables, and ticket tables, and those relationships need to be maintained continuously, then ordinary spreadsheets are usually no longer enough. In that case, a data model driven platform like NocoBase is a better fit for structured system-level management.

4. At what point should Excel users start considering a move to a real system?

Once Excel starts handling multi-person collaboration, permission control, status changes, and cross-table relationships, it is usually a sign that an upgrade is worth considering. If the workflow is already close to CRM, ERP, ticketing, or project management scenarios, then an extensible no-code platform such as NocoBase may be a suitable next step.

5. If the requirements are still unclear, which tool is the safest place to start?

If the current goal is simply to organize data online and sort out the structure first, then Airtable or Feishu Bitable would usually be a better starting point.

Excel is still an effective tool for many teams in everyday work. But as business needs continue to grow, spreadsheets alone often become less able to support the full workflow. In that situation, introducing more suitable tools or systems is usually the more practical choice. We hope this article gives you a useful reference, and feel free to share it with others who are thinking about the same issue.

Related reading:

Weekly Updates Add JS variables to event flow

NocoBase — Thu, 02 Apr 2026 06:41:50 +0000

Originally published at https://www.nocobase.com/en/blog/weekly-updates-20260402

Summarize the weekly product update logs, and the latest releases can be checked on our blog.

NocoBase is currently updated with three branches: main , next and develop.

main：The most stable version to date, recommended for installation;
next：Beta version, contains upcoming new features and has been preliminarily tested. There might be some known or unknown issues. It's mainly for test users to collect feedback and optimize functions further. Ideal for test users who want to experience new features early and give feedback;
develop：Alpha version, contains the latest feature code, may be incomplete or unstable, mainly for internal dev and rapid iteration. Suited for tech users interested in product's cutting-edge, but with potential issues and incomplete functions. Not for production use.

main

v2.0.31

Release date: 2026-04-01

🚀 Improvements

[AI employees] Optimize prompts for deepseek when handling unsupported file types (#9003) by @cgyrock
[Workflow] Change enabled switch size to small (#9010) by @mytharcher

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client] Fixed the issue where the copy of the associated fields in the table was not displayed correctly in the first rendering. (#9007) by @jiannx
[flow-engine] Fix clipped settings menus in popup (#9005) by @gchust
[Notification: In-app message] Fix action whitelist for in-app message updates to prevent unauthorized updates by non-owners. (#9001) by @mytharcher
[AI employees] Fixed the issue of abnormal web search behavior when using the Qwen LLM (#9012) by @cgyrock

v2.0.30

Release date: 2026-03-30

🚀 Improvements

[Workflow: JavaScript] Add isolated-vm as default JavaScript execute engine for JavaScript node (#8973) by @mytharcher Reference: JavaScript Node

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client] Fixed incorrect secondary confirmation message when closing multi-level popup after modifying form data. (#8944) by @gchust
[Workflow: SQL node] Fix security issue in SQL node (#8989) by @mytharcher
[AI employees] Add ownership verification to the AI conversation API (#8993) by @cgyrock
[Workflow: Approval] Fix version limit of legacy migrations to avoid error thrown when start in latest version deployment by @mytharcher

v2.0.29

Release date: 2026-03-30

🚀 Improvements

[undefined] Reduced log noise during server startup by silencing unzip commands for LibreOffice and Oracle Instant Client (#8984) by @Rishabh1925

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client] Fix the issue where space in variable expression cause label not display (#8988) by @mytharcher
[flow-engine] Fixed an issue where menu items could not be selected when the UI component width in the configuration state was too small. (#8954) by @gchust
[Data visualization] When using variable-based filters, charts fail to resolve variable values correctly on the initial render (#8964) by @2013xile

v2.0.28

Release date: 2026-03-27

🐛 Bug Fixes

[Action: Import records] fixed the problem of import failure after opening plugin-space (#8968) by @jiannx
[Data visualization] fixed the abnormal data statistics of the root role chart after enabling the space plugin (#8969) by @jiannx
[Workflow: JavaScript] Fix security issues (#8967) by @mytharcher
[AI employees] Adjust the gap between the tool card components in the AI Conversation (#8965) by @cgyrock
[Action: Export records] Limit import and export configuration of multi-layer related fields (#8893) by @jiannx
[Action: Import records Pro] limit import and export configuration of multi-layer related fields by @jiannx

v2.0.27

Release date: 2026-03-26

🚀 Improvements

[Workflow] Add variable for page size parameter (#8951) by @mytharcher
[Workflow: Subflow] Add defensive logic to avoid workflow hangs when exception occurs by @mytharcher

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client] Fixed the exception when adding child nodes to the tree table in the pop-up window (#8872) by @jiannx
[server] Avoid to handle sync-message after app stopped (#8940) by @mytharcher
[Flow engine] Remove legacy event copied from uiSchema repository to avoid error thrown when triggering (#8957) by @mytharcher
[Authentication] fix acl to support custom state filtering parameters (#8918) by @jiannx
[Email manager] Fixed signature being overwritten when using templates by @jiannx

develop

v2.1.0-alpha.13

Release date: 2026-03-27

🎉 New Features

[client] Add JS variables to event flow (#8938) by @jiannx

🚀 Improvements

[client] support setting field styles through runjs (#8933) by @jiannx
[flow-engine] Improve schema validation for ui building api. (#8881) by @gchust
[Workflow: Pre-action event] Add validation rules for triggers and nodes (#8971) by @mytharcher
[Workflow] Add variable for page size parameter (#8951) by @mytharcher
[Workflow: Webhook] Add validation for creating trigger / node API by @mytharcher
[Workflow: Subflow]
- Add validation for creating node API by @mytharcher
- Add defensive logic to avoid workflow hangs when exception occurs by @mytharcher
[Workflow: Approval] Add validation for trigger / node API by @mytharcher

🐛 Bug Fixes

[client] Fixed the exception when adding child nodes to the tree table in the pop-up window (#8872) by @jiannx
[server] Avoid to handle sync-message after app stopped (#8940) by @mytharcher
[Action: Export records] Limit import and export configuration of multi-layer related fields (#8893) by @jiannx
[Data visualization] fixed the abnormal data statistics of the root role chart after enabling the space plugin (#8969) by @jiannx
[Action: Import records] fixed the problem of import failure after opening plugin-space (#8968) by @jiannx
[Workflow: JavaScript] Fix security issues (#8967) by @mytharcher
[AI employees] Adjust the gap between the tool card components in the AI Conversation (#8965) by @cgyrock
[Flow engine] Remove legacy event copied from uiSchema repository to avoid error thrown when triggering (#8957) by @mytharcher
[Authentication] fix acl to support custom state filtering parameters (#8918) by @jiannx
[Action: Import records Pro] limit import and export configuration of multi-layer related fields by @jiannx
[Email manager] Fixed signature being overwritten when using templates by @jiannx

About NocoBase

Discover NocoBase in 3 Minutes!

👇 Get NocoBase

Case Study: Digitizing Medical Manufacturing Workflows with NocoBase

NocoBase — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 12:12:18 +0000

Originally published at https://www.nocobase.com/en/blog/medical-device-manufacturer-builds-self-hosted-management-system-with-nocobase

Confidentiality Note: To protect the privacy and security of the organization, this study is shared anonymously. The workflows and outcomes described below accurately reflect a real-world implementation in the medical device sector.

In medical device manufacturing, internal processes require more than just basic management—they demand long-term data retention, rigorous traceability, and audit-ready verification.

Despite these requirements, many organizations still rely on paper logs and fragmented spreadsheets. A leading medical manufacturer recently moved away from high-cost custom development and rigid SaaS vendors, choosing NocoBase as a flexible foundation to build their own internal management systems.

Context & Problem

The IT department at this manufacturing firm faced a common dilemma. They needed to modernize three core operational areas: Equipment Management, IT Asset Tracking, and Validation Records.

Their constraints were specific:

Regulatory Compliance: Data must be traceable and retrievable for long-term audits.
Security & Sovereignty: Due to industry regulations, the systems had to be self-hosted on a private intranet.
Development Cost: Building from scratch was too resource-intensive, while off-the-shelf SaaS products lacked the necessary local deployment options and flexibility to match their specific business logic.

The Solution: An Open-Source, Self-Hosted Foundation

The team chose NocoBase to balance the control of custom software with the speed of a platform. By opting for an open-source, extensible architecture, they achieved:

Data Sovereignty: Full control over their database and application environment on-premise.
Iterative Development: Instead of a "big bang" implementation, they built and deployed systems incrementally as business needs evolved.
Extensibility: The ability to adjust data models and workflows without being locked into a vendor's roadmap.

Key Implementation Details

1. Equipment Management & Knowledge Base

Previously, maintenance logs and acceptance documents were scattered across Excel files and physical folders.

System Design: The team built a centralized equipment ledger using NocoBase’s Data sources and Collection features.
Workflow: Every piece of hardware now has a digital twin containing its status, technical manuals, and historical maintenance records.
Knowledge Retention: They implemented a "Maintenance Wiki" within the system to document common faults and spare-part lifespans, transforming individual technician "know-how" into a searchable corporate asset.

2. IT Asset Lifecycle Tracking

Managing hardware like computers and networking gear through paper trails led to frequent discrepancies during audits.

Data Model: A lifecycle-based model was implemented to track assets from procurement (inbound) to assignment (transfer) and retirement.
Auditability: By using NocoBase's built-in logging, the IT team can now perform digital inventories and verify the chain of custody for any asset in real-time.

3. Validation Record Management (V&V)

Verification and Validation (V&V) records for equipment and processes are critical in medical manufacturing.

Traceability: This module focuses on document collection and versioning. By structuring these records in a unified database, the firm replaced fragmented document storage with a relational system.
Permissions (RBAC): Using NocoBase’s Role-Based Access Control, they ensured that sensitive validation data is only accessible to authorized QA and technical personnel, meeting internal compliance standards.

Outcome & Impact

By moving from manual processes to a structured digital environment, the manufacturer has established a "single source of truth" for their operations.

"In the medical industry, our systems must operate within a private network. By using NocoBase to build our own tools, we ensured operational efficiency while keeping our business data entirely under our own control." — IT Director

Final Thoughts

This case reflects a common pattern in traditional industries:

Start by structuring core operational data and workflows, especially those still dependent on manual processes. Once the foundation is stable, systems become queryable, traceable, and extensible by design.

For enterprise applications, reliability at the data and system level remains the prerequisite. Only after that foundation is in place can more advanced capabilities, such as AI-driven automation, deliver meaningful impact.

More Customer Stories:

Not Just PostgreSQL: Comparing 5 No-Code/Low-Code Platforms with External Database Support

NocoBase — Mon, 30 Mar 2026 17:34:06 +0000

Originally published at https://www.nocobase.com/en/blog/5-no-code-low-code-platforms-supporting-external-databases-mysql-mongodb-api

Key Takeaways

If you need to build a full business system on top of your existing database, such as CRM, ERP, approval workflows, or ticketing, NocoBase is the best fit. It supports multi source data management, cross source relationships, and deep business modeling. If you simply want to build internal tools or admin interfaces quickly, Retool, Appsmith, and ToolJet are easier to adopt. If your main focus is workflow driven applications such as approvals and ticketing, Budibase is a better choice.

Before We Begin

As business needs become more diverse, many teams want to quickly add an application layer on top of their existing data and systems to build internal operating systems such as CRM, ERP, approvals, and ticketing. In this context, no code and low code platforms that can connect flexibly to existing data sources without changing the underlying system have become a priority for many companies.

We have previously published two types of content around PostgreSQL. One is a practical guide, How to Build a Usable CRM Based on PostgreSQL. The other focuses on tool selection, 6 No Code Tools That Support PostgreSQL, comparing how different platforms support PostgreSQL across areas such as native integration, relationship modeling, and self hosted deployment.

PostgreSQL is only one common option. Many teams may already be working with MySQL, MariaDB, or MongoDB. In some cases, data is not stored directly in a database at all, but exposed through REST APIs or GraphQL interfaces.

In this article, we compare several mainstream no code and low code platforms across four key dimensions: support for external data sources and depth of integration, handling of complex business relationships, workflows and permissions, efficiency in building business systems, and long term extensibility.

Note: Sources used in this article

The product capabilities, data source support, and related information covered here are mainly compiled from each product’s official website, official documentation, GitHub repository, and other public materials.

For this article, we selected five low code and no code platforms that are drawing strong attention right now:

NocoBase

An open source AI no code and low code platform built around a data model driven architecture. It brings complex data relationships, permissions, workflows, and plugin extensions into one unified system foundation, making it well suited for continuously building enterprise applications, internal tools, and complex business systems on top of existing data.

Official website: https://www.nocobase.com/

GitHub: https://github.com/nocobase/nocobase

Data source documentation: https://docs.nocobase.com/data-sources/data-source-manager/

Retool

An internal tool and operations platform designed for teams. It can quickly combine databases, APIs, workflows, and front end components into usable internal software, making it a good fit for admin panels, operations dashboards, and data tools.

Official website: https://retool.com/

GitHub: https://github.com/retool

Data source documentation: https://docs.retool.com/data-sources/

Appsmith

A developer friendly low code front end layer that helps engineering teams build CRUD apps, admin pages, and custom internal tools faster on top of existing databases, APIs, and scripts, while keeping strong control over JavaScript and Git workflows.

Official website: https://www.appsmith.com/

GitHub: https://github.com/appsmithorg/appsmith

Data source documentation: https://docs.appsmith.com/connect-data/overview

Budibase

Best known for form based, approval based, request based, and workflow driven applications. Its product focus is clearly closer to internal process automation, so it is especially suitable for service requests, ticket routing, approval handling, and data collection.

Official website: https://budibase.com/

GitHub: https://github.com/Budibase/budibase

Data source documentation: https://docs.budibase.com/docs/data-sources

ToolJet

A platform focused on multi source connectivity and rapid internal tool building. It supports databases, APIs, SaaS tools, and cloud services, making it a strong choice for teams that need to bring multiple existing systems into one unified interface quickly.

Official website: https://www.tooljet.com/

GitHub: https://github.com/ToolJet/ToolJet

Data source documentation: https://docs.tooljet.com/docs/data-sources/overview/

1. External Data Source Support and Integration Depth

Platform	Supported Data Source Types	Typical Data Sources	Integration Depth
NocoBase	Relational databases, NoSQL, APIs, file based sources	MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, MSSQL, Oracle, KingbaseES, REST API	More than simple data connection and read or write access. It also supports unified multi source management, cross source relationships, and continued modeling on top of existing data
Retool	Relational databases, NoSQL, data warehouses, APIs	PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Snowflake, BigQuery, REST API, GraphQL, Google Sheets	More focused on bringing existing data sources into one interface, then using queries, components, and workflows for reading, updating, and orchestration
Appsmith	Relational databases, NoSQL, search engines, APIs	PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, Redis, Snowflake, GraphQL	More focused on configuring queries, pages, and interaction logic on top of existing databases and APIs to quickly form an application front end
Budibase	Relational databases, NoSQL, cache, APIs, object storage	PostgreSQL, MySQL / MariaDB, MongoDB, MS SQL Server, Oracle, Redis, S3, Google Sheets	Supports both external data source connections and app building through queries, forms, and workflow configuration, though it still centers mainly on data driven pages and workflows
ToolJet	Relational databases, NoSQL, data warehouses, APIs, SaaS data sources	PostgreSQL, MySQL, MongoDB, MS SQL Server, Snowflake, BigQuery, REST API, GraphQL	More focused on connecting many kinds of data sources for reading, updating, and unified operations, with support for both SQL and visual query building

Highlights

Retool, Appsmith, and ToolJet are best suited to quickly adding an operations layer or tool layer on top of existing databases and APIs, so teams can connect, query, and update data more easily
Budibase goes a step further toward workflow driven applications
NocoBase is positioned closer to building systems on top of existing data, with stronger extensibility in multi source management, cross source relationships, and continued modeling

2. Complex Business Relationships, Workflows, and Permissions

Platform	Handling Complex Relationships	Workflows / Automation	Permission Granularity	Suitable Business Complexity
NocoBase	Strong, well suited for multi table relationships and complex business objects	Built in workflows, supports data driven processes	Role, action, data, and field level permissions	Medium to high complexity business systems
Retool	Moderately strong, more focused on internal tool orchestration	Mature workflows, suitable for multi step tasks	Role permissions, permission groups, and object level control	Medium complexity internal software
Appsmith	Moderate, with relationship handling relying more on developer configuration	Supports workflow orchestration through queries, scripts, and events	Fine grained control at the app, page, and query level	Medium complexity custom applications
Budibase	Moderate, more focused on forms and workflow relationships	Well suited for approvals, requests, and status transitions	Role, dataset, and field level control	Medium complexity workflow driven applications
ToolJet	Moderate, more focused on tool layer integration	Supports workflows, conditional logic, and notifications	Role, workspace, and custom group permissions	Low to medium complexity tools

Highlights

If your business is complex and you want to continue building complete business systems such as CRM, ERP, approvals, or ticketing on top of your existing database, NocoBase is the better fit.
If your needs are lighter and your priority is to quickly build an internal tool, operations backend, or workflow app, platforms like Retool are easier to adopt.

3. Efficiency in Building Business Pages

Platform	Page Support	Build Method	Code Involvement	Suitable Scenarios
NocoBase	Tables, forms, detail views, kanban boards, charts, action pages	Block configuration + JS block extension + action configuration + AI employee assisted generation	Low, with scripts or plugins available for more complex needs	Data driven business pages and complex backends
Retool	Tables, forms, charts, panels, admin backends	Canvas + drag and drop components + code	Medium, with common scenarios often combining SQL and JS	Operations consoles, data tools, and internal backends
Appsmith	Tables, forms, charts, dashboards, CRUD pages	Drag and drop components + JS customization	Medium to high, better suited for developer involvement	Custom internal apps and developer led pages
Budibase	Forms, tables, approval pages, request pages, backend pages	Low code configuration + form workflows	Low to medium, with extra configuration added for complex logic	Form driven and workflow driven pages
ToolJet	Tables, forms, charts, dashboards, internal tool pages	Drag and drop front end builder	Medium, with complex tool pages usually requiring query and event setup	Multi source tool pages and operations backends

Highlights

Retool, Appsmith, and ToolJet are a better fit for teams with engineering resources that want to keep room for customization and logic control.
Budibase is better for teams with a lower technical barrier that want to build pages and workflows quickly through configuration.

NocoBase is more flexible. It supports visual configuration while also lowering the setup barrier further through JS blocks and AI employees.

4. Long Term Extensibility

Platform	Extension Method	Openness	Long Term Maintainability	Typical Fit Scenarios
NocoBase	Plugin extensions and extending pages, blocks, actions, and APIs around the data model	High, with a microkernel and fully plugin based architecture	Strong, suitable for gradual module expansion and long term development	Complex business systems, workflow driven applications, and enterprise apps under continuous iteration
Retool	Module reuse, custom components, code extensions, version control	High, with reusable components and queries and support for custom React components	Strong, suitable for continuous internal software iteration by multiple team members	Internal software, operations tools, data applications, and continuously evolving projects
Appsmith	JavaScript customization, custom components, Git workflows, package version management	High, with room for deep developer involvement	Strong, but relies more on continued support from the development team	Custom internal apps, developer led projects, and continuously evolving backend systems
Budibase	Automation, custom plugins, custom data sources, self hosted extensions	Medium to high, with more flexibility for plugin and data source extension in self hosted environments	Moderately strong, suitable for gradually expanding workflows and applications	Workflow driven applications, approval and request systems, and internal operations apps
ToolJet	Component configuration, query logic, workflow extensions, custom components	Medium to high, supports extension but remains more focused on expanding the tool layer	Medium, suitable for continuing to add pages and integrate more data sources	Tool based apps, multi system integration, internal backends, and operations tools

Highlights

NocoBase has a particularly strong plugin mechanism, making it more suitable for teams that need a high degree of control and deep customization. It also offers more room for ongoing maintenance and continued expansion.
Appsmith also allows developers to take deeper control of page and logic behavior, and it performs well in long term iteration and customization.

5. AI Capabilities

Platform	Current AI Capabilities	How AI Connects with Business Data / Workflows	Future AI Integration Potential
NocoBase	Built in AI employees, with support for defining AI roles and capabilities in the system based on business needs	Can understand business context through the current page, data, and table structure, and can directly perform real business actions such as querying databases, filling forms, and updating data	Strong, well suited for connecting AI directly into existing business systems and workflows
Retool	Supports AI generated apps, AI generated workflows, and Retool Agents	Agents can connect to external systems, workflows, and data sources, and can also be called directly from apps or workflows	Strong, suitable for bringing AI into internal software, workflows, and operational layers
Appsmith	Provides Appsmith AI query capabilities	More focused on using AI at the application layer to add text generation, classification, analysis, and similar functions	Medium to high, suitable for adding AI interaction to existing apps
Budibase	Already offers Agents, Agent Chat, and AI automation	Agents can connect to automation flows and also work with data and tools inside the workspace	Strong, suitable for bringing AI into approvals, request handling, and workflow driven applications
ToolJet	Supports generating apps, queries, and workflows with natural language, and also offers an OpenAI plugin	Can use AI to generate applications and then continue building logic with workflows and data sources	Medium to high, suitable for using AI as a build accelerator and support capability in the tool layer

Highlights

Retool, ToolJet, and Appsmith focus their AI capabilities more on app generation, query generation, or development efficiency.

Budibase is better suited for putting AI directly into business pages and workflows.

NocoBase can use AI both during setup to lower the configuration barrier and later inside business pages and workflows.

Conclusion

NocoBase is centered on a data model and plugin architecture. It supports a wide range of external data sources and is especially well suited for continuing to build more complete business systems such as CRM, ERP, approvals, and ticketing on top of existing databases. It is also positioned to bring AI into the system over time. If you have a technical team and want deeper control and customization on top of your existing data, NocoBase is the stronger choice.

Retool is a strong option for quickly connecting databases, APIs, and workflows into an internal operations layer. Its main advantage is the delivery speed of internal software, operations backends, and data tools. If your priority is to build a usable internal system quickly and your team already has some development capability, Retool will likely feel more efficient. Its official website also emphasizes connecting data, systems, and rules to build internal software, with support for databases, APIs, workflows, and version control.

Appsmith is more of a developer friendly low code front end layer, making it a good fit for quickly building custom internal apps on top of existing databases and APIs. If your team wants to keep strong control over JavaScript, custom components, and Git workflows, Appsmith is more suitable. Its official positioning is also that of an open source low code application platform that enables developers to build custom applications on top of existing systems.

Budibase is a better fit for forms, approvals, request handling, and workflow driven applications. Its strength lies in helping teams organize internal applications more quickly around data and workflows. If your technical threshold is lower and your focus is on approvals, ticketing, and operational workflows, Budibase will feel more natural. Its official website also places internal tools, workflows, and business process automation at the center.

ToolJet can connect databases, APIs, and third party systems into a unified tool layer interface. Its key advantage lies in building enterprise internal tools across multiple data sources. If your needs focus more on multi system integration, operations backends, or tool based apps, ToolJet is a more direct option. Its official website positions it as a platform for quickly building enterprise applications.

FAQ

If we care more about complex business relationships, not just simple CRUD, which platform should we focus on?

NocoBase. If your business involves many multi table relationships, related objects, role differences, and business actions, NocoBase is better suited for continuing to build the system around the data model.

If we have more than one data source, with databases and APIs mixed together, what should we pay most attention to when choosing?

Whether the platform supports multiple data sources at the same time, whether it can connect both databases and APIs together, whether pages and workflows become harder to maintain as more data sources are added, and whether it stays easy to connect new sources later.

If our database will continue to add fields, add tables, or even change relationships later, what should we look at when choosing a platform?

The key is whether the platform’s data layer and page layer are tightly bound together. In this kind of scenario, a data model driven platform is usually more suitable, such as NocoBase. When the data structure changes, pages, workflows, and permissions are easier to adjust and carry forward.

If we only want to build an admin backend or internal tool first, and then gradually add approvals, ticketing, and more modules later, how should we choose?

Retool is better suited for first turning an existing database into a tool layer or operations interface, so you can quickly build admin backends, data tools, and internal apps. NocoBase is more suitable if you want to keep adding workflows, permissions, and modules over time. If you already know the project will eventually grow into a more complete business system, then a platform like NocoBase that is better at supporting business structure is the more recommended choice.

If my needs are mainly workflow driven applications such as approvals, request handling, and ticket routing, what should I choose?

Budibase. In this kind of application, the database is more of a foundational data source. What really shapes the user experience is usually the platform’s support for forms, status transitions, workflow automation, and permission settings.

My team already knows JavaScript, and we also want developers to lead page and logic control. What kind of platform is suitable?

If your team already has front end or JavaScript capability and wants developers to stay in control of pages, queries, and interaction logic, then platforms like Appsmith and Retool are a better fit. These products are usually more suitable for developer led internal tools, operations consoles, and custom pages built on top of existing databases and APIs.

You can use the official websites, documentation, and data source links collected in this article to further review how each platform supports your current data sources. Once you confirm that your data sources can be connected smoothly, you can then choose the platform that best fits your business workflows, page requirements, and future expansion plans.

Related reading:

NocoBase 2.0 Beginner Tutorial - Chapter 7: Dashboard

NocoBase — Sat, 28 Mar 2026 16:23:32 +0000

Originally published at https://docs.nocobase.com/tutorials/v2/07-dashboard

Chapter 7: Dashboard — The Big Picture at a Glance

In the last chapter, we used workflows to make the system send notifications and record timestamps automatically. The system is getting smarter, but we're still missing one thing — a bird's-eye view.

How many tickets are there? How many have been resolved? Which category has the most issues? How many new tickets come in each day? You can't answer these questions by scrolling through a list. In this chapter, we'll use chart blocks (pie, line, bar charts) and Markdown blocks to build a data dashboard that turns raw data into something you can understand at a glance.

7.1 Adding a Dashboard Page

First, let's add a new menu item to the top navigation bar.

Enter configuration mode, click "Add menu item" (+ icon) on the top menu bar, select "Modern page (v2)", and name it "Dashboard."

This page is dedicated to charts — it's our dashboard home base.

7.2 Pie Chart: Ticket Status Distribution

For our first chart, we'll use a pie chart to show how many tickets are "Pending," "In Progress," and "Completed."

On the Dashboard page, click Add block → Chart.

After adding it, click the Configure button in the top-right corner of the block. A chart configuration panel will open on the right side.

Configuring the Data Query

Collection: Select "Tickets"
Measures: Select any unique field (e.g., ID), set the aggregation to Count
Dimensions: Select the "Status" field

Click Run query to preview the returned data below.

Configuring Chart Options

Chart type: Select Pie
Field mapping: Set Category to "Status" and Value to the count value
Labels: Turn on the toggle

A nice-looking pie chart should now appear on the page. Each slice represents a status, showing the exact count and percentage by default.

Click Save — your first chart is done.

7.3 Line Chart: Daily New Ticket Trend

The pie chart shows "how things are distributed right now." A line chart shows "how things change over time."

Add another chart block to the page with the following configuration:

Data Query

Collection: Select "Tickets"
Measures: ID, Count
Dimensions: Select the "Created at" field, set the format to YYYY-MM-DD (group by day)

Tip: The date dimension format matters. Choosing YYYY-MM-DD groups by day; choosing YYYY-MM groups by month. Pick the right granularity based on your data volume.

Chart Options

Chart type: Select Line
Field mapping: Set xField to "Created at" and yField to the count value

After saving, you'll see how ticket volume changes over time. If there's a sudden spike on a particular day, something happened worth looking into.

7.4 Bar Chart: Tickets by Category

For our third chart, let's see which category has the most tickets. We'll use a horizontal bar chart instead of a vertical column chart — when there are many categories, vertical X-axis labels tend to overlap and get hidden, so horizontal display is much clearer.

Add a third chart block:

Data Query

Collection: Select "Tickets"
Measures: ID Count
Dimensions: Select the "Category" relation field (choose the category's Name field)

Chart Options

Chart type: Select Bar
Field mapping: Set xField to the count value (ID Count) and yField to "Category Name"

After saving, it's immediately clear which category has the most issues. If the "Network Failure" bar stretches far beyond the rest, maybe it's time to upgrade the network equipment.

7.5 Table Block: Unresolved Tickets

Charts give a summary view, but admins usually need to see specific details too. Let's add an Unresolved Tickets table that shows all tickets that haven't been completed yet.

Add a Table block to the page, selecting the "Tickets" collection.

Configure Filter Conditions

Click the table block's settings and find Set data scope. Add a filter condition:

Status is not equal to Completed

This way the table only shows unfinished tickets — once a ticket is completed, it automatically disappears from the list.

Configure Fields

Select the columns to display: Title, Status, Priority, Assignee, Created at.

Tip: You can also add a default sort (by Created at, descending) so the newest tickets appear at the top.

7.6 Markdown Block: System Announcements

Beyond charts, we can also put some text information on the dashboard.

Add a Markdown block and write a system announcement or usage instructions:

## IT HelpDesk System

Welcome! If you run into any issues, please submit a ticket and the tech team will handle it ASAP.

**For urgent issues**, call the IT hotline directly: 8888

Place the Markdown block at the top of the dashboard — it works as both a welcome message and a bulletin board. The content can be updated anytime, making it very flexible.

7.7 JS Block: Personalized Welcome Banner

Markdown has a fairly fixed format — what if you want richer effects? NocoBase provides a JS Block (JavaScript Block) that lets you freely customize display content with code.

We'll use it to create a business-style welcome banner that shows a personalized greeting based on the current user and time of day.

Add a JS block to the page (Add block → Other blocks → JS block).

In the JS block, you can use ctx.getVar("ctx.user.username") to get the current user's username. Here's a clean, business-style welcome banner:

const uname = await ctx.getVar("ctx.user.username")
const name = uname || 'User';
const hour = new Date().getHours();
const hi = hour < 12 ? 'Good morning' : hour < 18 ? 'Good afternoon' : 'Good evening';

const d = new Date();
const date = `${d.getFullYear()}-${String(d.getMonth()+1).padStart(2,'0')}-${String(d.getDate()).padStart(2,'0')}`;
const weekDay = d.toLocaleDateString('en-US', { weekday: 'long' });

ctx.render(`
<div style="padding: 24px 32px; background: #f7f8fa; border-radius: 8px;">
  <div style="display: flex; justify-content: space-between; align-items: flex-end;">
    <div>
      <div style="font-size: 22px; font-weight: 600; color: #1d2129;">${hi}, ${name}</div>
      <div style="font-size: 14px; color: #86909c; margin-top: 4px;">Welcome back to IT HelpDesk</div>
    </div>
    <div style="font-size: 14px; color: #86909c;">${date}　${weekDay}</div>
  </div>
</div>`);

The result is a light gray card with the greeting on the left and date on the right. Clean, practical, and unobtrusive.

Tip: ctx.getVar("ctx.user.xxx") is how you access current user info in JS blocks. Common fields include nickname, username, and email. JS blocks can also call APIs to query data — you can use them for much more custom content later.

7.8 Action Panel: Quick Links + Popup Reuse

A dashboard isn't just for viewing data — it should also be a starting point for actions. Let's add an Action Panel so users can submit tickets and jump to the ticket list directly from the homepage.

Add an Action Panel block (Add block → Other blocks → Action Panel), then add two actions inside it:

Link: Go to ticket list — Add a "Link" action and configure the URL to point to the ticket list page (e.g., /admin/camcwbox2uc)

Button: Add Ticket — Add a "Popup" action button and change the title to "Add Ticket"

But clicking "Add Ticket" opens an empty popup — we need to configure its content. Rebuilding the entire new ticket form from scratch would be tedious. This is where a very handy feature comes in: Popup Reuse.

Saving a Popup Template

Note: Popup templates are different from the "block templates" we covered in Chapter 4. Block templates save a single form block's fields and layout, while popup templates save the entire popup — including all blocks, fields, and action buttons inside it.

Go to the Tickets list page and find the "Add Ticket" button
Click the button's settings and find "Save as template" — save the current popup
Give the template a name (e.g., "New Ticket Popup")

Reusing the Popup on the Dashboard

Go back to the Dashboard page and click the "Add Ticket" button's settings in the action panel
Find "Popup settings" and select the "New Ticket Popup" template you just saved
After saving, clicking the button will open the exact same new ticket form popup as on the ticket list page

Click Title to Open Detail Popup

Using the same approach, we can make ticket titles in the unresolved tickets table clickable to open the detail view directly:

First, go to the Tickets list page, find the "View" button's settings, and similarly "Save as template" (e.g., "Ticket Detail Popup")

Go back to the Dashboard page. In the unresolved tickets table, click the "Title" field's settings
Turn on the "Enable click to open" toggle — a "Popup settings" option will appear
In the popup settings, select the "Ticket Detail Popup" template you just saved

Now users can click a ticket title on the dashboard to view its details instantly, without navigating to the ticket list page. The whole dashboard becomes more compact and efficient.

Benefits of popup reuse: The same popup template can be used across multiple pages. When you modify the template, all references update automatically. This is similar to the "Reference" mode from Chapter 4 — maintain in one place, apply everywhere.

7.9 Adjusting the Layout

We now have 6 blocks on the page (JS welcome banner + Action panel + 3 charts + tickets table). Let's adjust the layout to make it look better.

In configuration mode, you can drag and drop to reposition and resize each block. Suggested layout:

Row 1: JS welcome banner (left) + Action panel (right)
Row 2: Pie chart (left) + Tickets table (right)
Row 3: Line chart (left) + Bar chart (right)

Note: you may find that block heights don't align. You can manually adjust this in Block settings → Block height — for example, set both blocks in row 2 to 500px.

Drag the edges to adjust block widths so the two charts each take up half the row. Try a few arrangements until you find what looks best.

Summary

In this chapter, we built a rich and practical data dashboard with 6 blocks:

JS welcome banner: Personalized greeting based on current user and time
Action panel: Quick link to ticket list + one-click ticket creation (popup reuse)
Pie chart: See the ticket status distribution at a glance
Line chart: Track how ticket volume changes over time
Bar chart: Compare ticket counts across categories horizontally — no label overlap even with many categories
Unresolved tickets table: All pending tickets at a glance, click title to view details (popup reuse)

We also learned an important technique — Popup Reuse: save a popup from one page as a template and reference it on other pages, avoiding repetitive configuration.

Data visualization is a built-in NocoBase plugin — no additional installation needed. Configuring it is just as simple as building a page: pick your data, choose a chart type, map the fields — three steps and you're done.

What's Next

At this point, our ticket system is quite feature-complete: data modeling, page building, form entry, access control, automated workflows, and a data dashboard — we've got it all. We're planning an AI Agent version of this tutorial — using AI Agents to build the system locally and automatically. Stay tuned.

Related Resources

Data Visualization — Chart configuration guide
Markdown Block — Markdown block usage
Block Layout — Page layout and block configuration

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