Structured APP, how and where to start, any advice

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1

Hi everyone,

I’m working on an app idea and would love some advice from this community.

My Ask :folded_hands:

I’m fairly new to building structured apps like this. I would deeply appreciate:

  • Advice on which no-code tools (especially no-code tools like Glide, Adalo, or similar).) might handle this flow best.
  • Guidance on setting up dynamic dropdowns (categories → subcategories → templates).
  • How to structure data (Google Sheets, Airtable, etc.) so the app can pull and send this information cleanly.
  • Any tips on handling confirmations back into the app (like an inbox or status tracker).

I want to keep the experience soft, supportive, and user-friendly. If anyone has tips, templates, or examples of similar apps, I’d be very grateful.

Thanks so much in advance for your time and help!

The vision is for a guided, step-by-step app that helps users complete a process smoothly. It’s designed to be gentle, clear, and supportive.

:compass: Navigation

  • Users move step by step through screens, with Next and Back buttons.
  • A hamburger menu on the top-left allows jumping to any section at any time.
  • A progress bar/indicator shows where you are in the journey.

:open_file_folder: App Structure & Flow

Step 1 – Welcome & Overview

  • Soft welcome message: “We’re here to guide you gently through this process.”
  • Progress indicator: “Step 1 of 7”
  • Large button: “Begin”
  • :light_bulb: Pop-up Example: “Would you like a short guide video explaining this process?” potential video material

Step 2 – Primary Person’s Information

Fields:

  • Full Name
  • Date of Birth

Features:

  • Optional auto-fill from integrated databases (if user consents).
  • Confirmation pop-up when data is pulled in.

Step 3 – Responsible Person’s Information

Fields:

  • Full Name
  • Contact Info
  • Upload Section: Official Document (e.g., appointment letter or proof).

Features:

  • Auto-verification possible via connected database.
  • Pop-up Example: “We’ve verified this with the official records.”

Step 4 – Linked Digital Records

Explanation: “We can fetch relevant registered data for you.”

  • Toggle: Import Data Automatically / Enter Manually
  • Shows a summary of connected records (accounts, obligations, assets).

Step 5 – Assets & Liabilities Overview

Sections:

  • Bank Accounts
  • Property / Real Estate
  • Vehicles
  • Digital Accounts (optional)

Features:

  • Expandable cards for each category.
  • Import option via integrations (e.g., financial APIs).
  • :light_bulb: Pop-up Example: “We detected a loan, would you like to add this automatically?”

Step 6 – Subscriptions

  • Instead of “beneficiaries,” this step focuses on subscriptions across categories (e.g., utilities, streaming, memberships).
  • User chooses a category → sub-category via dropdowns.
  • When selected, the app shows a template with key fields (auto-filled or manual).
  • From the app, the user can send this template requests.
  • All sent requests are date-stamped.
  • The receiving party can reply/confirm directly to the app’s inbox.

Step 6b – Third-Party Services (New Step)

  • Users are shown a menu of optional external services.
  • Categories → Sub-categories (similar dropdown structure).
  • Could include things like professional help, specialized agencies, or partner services.

Step 7 – Final Review & Export

  • Summary screen showing all data entered.
  • Buttons: Download PDF, Submit/Share, etc.
  • Completion message: “You’ve completed the process. Thank you.”
  • Optional: Send a digital copy to relevant parties.

:bookmark_tabs: Hamburger Menu (Accessible Anytime)

  • Home / Welcome
  • Primary Person Info
  • Responsible Person Info
  • Linked Records
  • Assets & Liabilities
  • Subscriptions
  • Third-Party Services
  • Final Summary
  • Help & Support

:bell: Extra Features

  • Save Progress Reminder: “Do you want to save before leaving?”
  • Validation Alerts: highlights missing/incorrect data.
  • Encouragement Messages: “You’re halfway there—take a moment to breathe.”
2

hey @Prachand_Sewnarain , we’d say glide is the better choice for an app like this as it’s very easy to build and if you use glide’s native tables, you’ll be able to easily use the table API to sync data and add new rows from external sources

as for your some of your points:

  1. Step 1 – Welcome & Overview: can be easily achieved with overlay screens, a progress bar and a video component
  2. Step 2 – Primary Person’s Information: can be easily recorded using form containers
  3. Step 4 – Linked Digital Records: you can use glide’s call api function to import records from another platform
  4. Step 7 – Final Review & Export: is also easily possible in glide using the csv export feature

we’d recommend giving glide a go and posting anything here when you get stuck..

apart from the API integrations, your app seems pretty straightforward and something that can be built in days :slight_smile:

3

hey @Swift_Struck_24 - thank you so much for your quick reply and already valuable info components on how or what to use, will get started and again appreciate your quick reply and insights. Would love to spar with you some more as i progress :innocent:

1 Like
4

Anytime :slight_smile:

5

You might want to check on this. What “integrated databases” are you referring to here? If it’s some kind like an OAuth from another service, it will be very complex to build. I would suggest just doing the entry fields directly.

Same question as above.

Same question as above.

6

Hi @ThinhDinh, thank you for your reply, i can see that “i” also wrote some things like :Optional auto-fill from integrated databases (if user consents), and Auto-verification possible via connected database. Which i actually didnt so dont know if this was an automatic answer to what you wrote because i didnt write this.

To come back to your question : there is a database that can be queried via an API and based on data from that database i want to offer additional services. This database has of course sensitive data and also uses and APP. My thinking was that when users use this initial APP, my app can be promoted as an additional service within that app and if they accept to use my app, that the user will automatically give consent to me of using their data. Does this makes sense.

The general question is actually how do you get data pulled via an API through to my app or how do we get from the initial app to my app once the user opts for this

7

Not sure what platform you used for your original app, but the general answer for this is if it provides an API to query data over, you can use an API call to get the data from your original app, and then construct mutations to add rows to your Glide Table, or use Glide API v2 to batch add rows into a Big Table.

8

@ThinhDinh thank you for this explanation, it sounds straight forward but maybe easier said than done. I will definitely educate me on the process as you explained and appreciate you taking the time to share this knowledge, so big thanks :smiley:

9

Here’s Glide API v1.

Here’s API v2 for Big Tables if you want to check it.

10

Your app idea is very possible with no-code tools. Glide or Adalo can handle your step-by-step flow, progress bars, and confirmations. For dynamic dropdowns, you can use relations and choice components; for data, Airtable works best for flexibility, while Google Sheets is simpler. Confirmations and inbox-style flows are doable with Glide’s user-specific data and actions.

I’d be glad to help you set this up so the app works exactly as you envision.

11

Hi @Theo_Phyl thank you for the inspiration and apologies for my late reponse, I would gladly accept your help setting this up, that would be amazing and so great. How can we work on this together :innocent: