The Solution: FlowOn Approach
Disrupting the Status Quo
FlowOn disrupts the traditional development model by empowering citizen developers to control the overall development activities and eliminating all intermediary activities that add overhead to system development.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ FLOWON DEVELOPMENT LIFECYCLE │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ CITIZEN DEVELOPER │ │
│ │ (Domain Expert) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ • Understands the business problem │ │
│ │ • Models requirements directly in FlowOn │ │
│ │ • No intermediaries, no translation │ │
│ └──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ │ Uses FlowOn Tools │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ FLOWON PLATFORM │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ FlowOn │ │ FlowOn │ │ FlowOn │ │ │
│ │ │ Logic │ │ BPM │ │ API │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ • Block │ │ • Processes │ │ • REST APIs │ │ │
│ │ │ • Flows │ │ • Stages │ │ • Queries │ │ │
│ │ │ • Recipes │ │ • KPIs/SLAs │ │ • Lookups │ │ │
│ │ │ • Events │ │ • Routing │ │ • Actions │ │ │
│ │ │ • Schedules │ │ • Tasks │ │ • Security │ │ │
│ │ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Output: FlowOn Language (FoL) Artifacts │ │
│ └──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ │ Commits to Source Control │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ AUTOMATED PIPELINE │ │
│ │ (FlowOn CI/CD Tools) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ • Export artifacts from Dev │ │
│ │ • Apply environment mappings │ │
│ │ • Deploy to target environments │ │
│ │ • Execute generated tests │ │
│ │ • Report results to citizen developer │ │
│ └──────────────────────────┬──────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │ │
│ │ Automatic │
│ ▼ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ PRODUCTION SYSTEM │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ Requirements = Documentation = Executable Code │ │
│ │ All in sync, all the time │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ TIME: Days instead of months │
│ ROLES: Citizen developer (domain expert) only │
│ OVERHEAD: Near zero - all effort adds features │
│ ═══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
Key Innovations
1. Domain-Specific Language (DSL)
FlowOn introduces a comprehensive domain-specific language to describe system functionalities, features, and behavior. Unlike previous attempts at formalizing requirements modeling (which were too technical and cumbersome), FlowOn's DSL is:
- Intuitive: Natural to business users
- Visual: Designed through graphical interfaces
- Complete: Expressive enough for complex problems
- Executable: Directly runs without translation
2. Formal Models Replace Living Documents
Using formal models eliminates the need to write living SRS documents that only add overhead. Furthermore:
- Machines can process them: Identify issues, understand intent
- AI can assist: Specialized agents help build models
- Tests are generated: Automation tests derived from models
- Deployment is simplified: Complexity abstracted away
3. Version Control Integration
Managing models in source control creates opportunities to leverage existing investments:
- Git workflows (branch, merge, review)
- Change history and audit trails
- Rollback capabilities
- Team collaboration
Before and After Comparison
| Aspect | Before FlowOn | After FlowOn |
|---|---|---|
| Requirements | Word documents, outdated | Living FoL artifacts |
| Implementation | Developers write C# | Citizen developers configure |
| Testing | Manual test writing | Auto-generated from requirements |
| Deployment | Manual, error-prone | Automated CI/CD |
| Changes | Weeks of effort | Hours to production |
| Traceability | Lost in translation | Complete, built-in |
| Documentation | Separate, outdated | Generated, always current |
| Knowledge | Tribal, in people's heads | Captured in version control |
Elevating Dynamics 365 CE
FlowOn for Dynamics 365 CE is a suite of products and tools that fills the gap in Dynamics 365 CE and delivers on the promise of a true no-code platform. It elevates Dynamics 365 CE from being a Low-Code to a No-Code platform.
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ DYNAMICS 365 CE TRANSFORMATION │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ │
│ BEFORE FLOWON │
│ ───────────── │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ DYNAMICS 365 CE │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────────────────────┐ ┌─────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ Low-Code Layer │ │ Code Required │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ • Entities │ │ • Complex rules │ │ │
│ │ │ • Forms │ │ • Validations │ │ │
│ │ │ • Views │ │ • Integrations │ │ │
│ │ │ • Simple workflows │ │ • Custom APIs │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ • BPM processes │ │ │
│ │ │ (30-40% of needs) │ │ (60-70% of needs) │ │ │
│ │ └─────────────────────┘ └─────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ ▲ ▲ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ Functional Consultant Developers Required │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
│ AFTER FLOWON │
│ ──────────── │
│ │
│ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │
│ │ DYNAMICS 365 CE │ │
│ │ │ │
│ │ ┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐ │ │
│ │ │ COMPLETE NO-CODE LAYER │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ Native D365 + FlowOn Suite │ │ │
│ │ │ ─────────── ──────────── │ │ │
│ │ │ • Entities • Complex rules │ │ │
│ │ │ • Forms • Validations │ │ │
│ │ │ • Views • Integrations │ │ │
│ │ │ • Simple workflows • Custom APIs │ │ │
│ │ │ • BPM processes │ │ │
│ │ │ • Event handling │ │ │
│ │ │ │ │ │
│ │ │ (95%+ of needs - no code) │ │ │
│ │ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │ │
│ │ ▲ │ │
│ │ │ │ │
│ │ Functional Consultant │ │
│ │ (Citizen Developer) │ │
│ │ │ │
│ └─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘ │
│ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
What FlowOn Brings to Dynamics 365 CE
| Capability | Native D365 CE | With FlowOn |
|---|---|---|
| Complex Business Rules | Requires C# plugins | Visual Logic Blocks |
| Multi-Entity Validations | Requires development | Declarative Validation Sets |
| Decision Logic | Hard-coded | Decision Tables & Trees |
| Business Process Automation | Limited BPF | Full BPM Engine |
| REST API Development | Backend development | Configuration-based generation |
| External Integrations | Custom code | Service Connections |
| Event-Driven Architecture | Plugin development | Visual Event Handlers |
| Scheduled Jobs | Azure Functions | Built-in Scheduler |
| Multi-Language Support | Manual | Localized Resources |
| CI/CD Pipelines | Manual scripting | FlowOn CI/CD Tools |
Next Steps
- Product Suite Overview - Learn about each FlowOn product
- FlowOn Language - The domain-specific language