WTH (What the heck) is IFTTT: How codeless customisation tools work

In this article we’re going to get all nerdy so we can explain exactly how codeless customisation tools work. But we promise to stick to plain English, so stay with us!  

What is IFTTT?  

IFTTT (If This Then That) is a tech principle that’s used in many different software applications to automate tasks and generate new functionality. It’s a very simple process, which makes it incredibly accessible to users without any programming knowledge.  

It operates on the principle of conditional statements, where a trigger event (This) leads to a specific action (That).  

Some examples of IFTTT in action 

Using the IFTTT concept in business is clearer with examples, so here’s a few… 

• If orders are due to be dispatched today, then highlight in green.  
• If a customer account is new, then automatically go on credit hold until their credit worthiness has been evaluated. 
• If a purchase order exceeds pre-defined authorisation limits, then an authorisation request is sent.  
• If the contract terms have been exceeded then an automatic alert is issued, e.g. purchase value exceeded  
• If a purchase order is changed then the changed lines are highlighted when issuing to the vendor.  
• If goods are damaged or not available, then automatically trigger a stock take ticket for the bin location  
• If final approval is given to a quote, then the quotation is generated automatically and sent to the customer via email.  
• If stock received is of unacceptable quality or damaged, then it’s booked onto the system in a quarantine non-allocatable location and purchasing automatically notified so that they can make a decision on replenishment and if the goods need to be returned to the supplier.  
• If suggested planned orders are accepted then the system can automatically create purchase order/ requisition, grouping items from the same supplier together into a single order.  
• If a customer breaches its credit limit/terms, then the account automatically goes on hold and the rep/manager/ customer is informed via email/ SMS.  

• If an account balance is on hold, then specify whether the system should prevent the order from being taken or allow the order to be taken but prevents it from being picked and shipped. 

Excited by the simplicity of this tool and want to start using it? 

If you want to start creating your own automation rules using an IFTTT tool, check out the codeless customisation add-on module we have within our Intact iQ platform. Nexus uses this simple approach to help you automate the processes that are unique to your company.   

Find out more by checking out our Nexus brochure.