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I'm continually impressed by the AppSheet Community and the many members who go above and beyond to help and inspire others. One such member is John Baer (@WillowMobileSys)!
Read on to learn more about John, including why he contributes to the Community, one of his favorite AppSheet creations (hint: ๐ค robots are involved), and several pieces of valuable advice for app creators.
Have additional questions for John? Add a comment on this post!
1. Where do you reside in the world?
I live in the Northeast United States, splitting my time between New Hampshire and Maine. Man is it cold in Maine right now! It was -19 degrees F this morning.
2. What is your job and how does it tie into AppSheet?
I am the owner and operator of Willow Mobile Systems, building custom business systems exclusively on the AppSheet platform. I also provide Coaching/Consulting for those who need a little extra help with their AppSheet apps or just need some one-on-one help.
3. What is your experience with the Community?
I discovered the Community about 1 year after I first started building AppSheet appsโฆ which was about 5 years ago. It was in Google Groups back then and has gone through a couple of iterations since.
I first started posting as an App Creator and was immediately impressed by the rapid responses and willingness of others to help. That spirit has continued to this day and is important for a healthy and successful Community environment. I now spend most of my time in the Community helping others, staying up-to-date on new developments, and occasionally, if I need help or have a question of my own to ask.
4. What do you get out of the Community? What compels you to contribute?
I do love helping others, which is what really keeps me coming back to the forum. But also, this Community, I believe, is a key ingredient to the success of the AppSheet platform.
By helping others easily create their apps, the AppSheet platform gets the recognition it deserves to help it thrive. That not only helps my business but more importantly, helps my clients and others like them to be able to build a software system in a better way than the traditional approach.
5. How does the Community help you on a day-to-day basis?
I am still learning about the capabilities within AppSheet. I am frequently impressed by the ways others have used the AppSheet platform in their apps and have been able to use many of those ideas in my own apps.
Community, keep the ideas and new ways of implementing our apps coming. It helps us all!
6. What advice do you have for new Community members?
Be humble and open-minded. The AppSheet platform is a bit different than any other development platform. Almost any traditional implementation can be accomplished within AppSheet - albeit in a different way and sometimes with compromise. Some proposed solutions, even seemingly simple ones, may not be what you expect - more of a low-code approach rather than a no-code approach. You may not get the solution you wanted in the beginning, but usually you will get you the results you need.
Secondly, spend time looking at some of the Feature Requests (now called Feature Ideas). Vote on those you like or would help your apps. This is the best way we, the Community, have of influencing the AppSheet development plan to incorporate features we all can really use right now. The more people who contribute, the more profound that influence will become and the more likely our ideas will be implemented.
7. How did you start using AppSheet and what did you use it for?
I was turned on to AppSheet through a Udemy training course on how to start a software business. Right up my alley! The course was using AppSheet to build the apps. After being exposed to AppSheet, I researched other no-code platforms. I immediately recognized the power and potential AppSheet provided over many of those other platforms. A good portion of that training course showed how to build a work order app in AppSheet. I started my current business on a modified version of that app and have now expanded into several types of custom apps.
8. Can you share your favorite thing you've created with AppSheet?
I volunteered as a mentor on a FIRST Robotics team and built a scouting app used to collect match information in near real-time during competitions. The data was collected, sent to a second Google Sheet and analyzed into a set of charts comparing all the robots helping our robot drive team make decisions and strategize about upcoming matches. The app was well received by the team and we all had loads of fun tapping buttons and clicking save to capture the competition data!
If you are curious what FRIST Robotics is - check out this video (our team #1729) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJEvj0LxMM4
9. What advice, or tips and tricks do you have for app creators using AppSheet?
For any solution, you need to have a target desired end result that is well formulated - even if it's only in your mind. That end result is usually visual, such as some view, but it may also be an end data result. If you are unclear on what that end result is, spend time deciding that first BEFORE attempting to implement it or asking for help. Once you have that nailed down, the path to get there becomes much easier! When you get stuck and need help, you can describe your desired end result better, making it much easier to ask for help and the viewers of your post to understand your need!
10. What's a fun fact about you?
I grew up on an 80 acre farm in Southeast Kansas with cattle, horses, chickens and fields of wheat! (Now Iโm freezing my butt off in Maine!)
11. Anything else you'd like to share?
AppSheet is a great tool and can help accomplish many software needs quickly and easily. But, it also has a lot of integrations or the ability to integrate with other cloud-based services. Donโt be afraid to explore these other vendors and their options. You will find that you can greatly expand the AppSheet feature set and create even more amazing apps!
