Legacy systems are outdated software or hardware that businesses continue to use, which poses several challenges for companies. These systems are not updated to address security risks, are often inefficient, do not integrate with new technologies, reduce employee satisfaction, and lack deep data insights. Despite the emergence of sophisticated automation tools and advanced app development platforms, many organizations still hold onto legacy software for fear of change or the difficulty of replacing it.

By leveraging low-code platforms, companies can bridge the gap between legacy systems and modernized apps, enhancing overall performance and achieving faster time to market. Low-code platforms are becoming increasingly popular in the software development industry due to their ability to streamline the development process and reduce the need for specialized coding skills. They allow businesses to leverage pre-built data models, conserve certain legacy app features, and save time, resulting in faster time to market.

Humans’ thirst for  bigger and better has directly accelerated the technological revolution. Today businesses can predict their positioning for the next ten years through innovative and powerful analytics. Thanks to sophisticated automation tools and advanced app development platforms. But despite the emergence of such innovations, many organizations are still hooked to their legacy software. That’s because they have used those systems for quite some time and have become accustomed to their operations. Since replacing with modern alternatives, is not quite straightforward, they fear the change.

Shifting from legacy systems to modern ones is a need for an hour for companies stuck with outdated ones. Legacy systems have got various challenges like poor network security, inability to add new features and integrate with the latest tools, etc., which are productivity guzzlers. As companies worldwide are working on the remote and hybrid workforce, they must incorporate the latest technology for seamless functioning.

Low-code platforms can do wonders when it comes to overcoming the challenges of legacy app migration. They make it easier to bridge the gap between legacy systems and modernized apps and help enhance overall performance.

In this blog, you will come across the challenges posed by legacy apps and how low-code platforms can help you dodge them.

What are legacy systems, and why are they known to be outdated?

A legacy system is outdated software/ hardware that is still used by a business. The system is still working for the same need it was initially designed for and didn’t allow new feature updates to be made. Whatever it was doing once is what it will keep doing throughout. It doesn’t integrate with newer systems, which becomes a big challenge for companies.

When new technology advancements are evolving, companies that are still stuck to outdated software tend to stay behind their competitors.

Five challenges of legacy systems

1. Vulnerable to security risksLegacy systems pose several security risks because they are too old and are no longer supported by vendors. In these cases, the software does not receive any updates or patches to address the security risks. So, you may compromise your company network because of tagging along with legacy software that is no longer supported.
2. Highly inefficientLegacy systems are not just insecure; they are often inefficient. They don’t help boost productivity as they follow the same old processes that are not applicable in the modern business era. You cannot predict their downtimes, as they no longer support updates for bug fixes and stability issues.
3. It doesn’t integrate with the emerging technologiesLegacy systems were invented at those times when there was no concept of integration with other systems. Though it could have worked the best for you once upon a time, it will be a huge setback for your organization if you continue to stick on to them. It can tamper with your flexibility and scalability by limiting the integrations you can perform. If you want to hold a competitive edge, you should be capable of integrating with the new technologies in the market.
4. Reduces employee satisfactionYour employees love to work with you only when you offer them tools that streamline their daily tasks. They wouldn’t be happy working with some old tool that is of no help. They would be well aware of the new technologies and tools used at various organizations and might feel frustrated that they aren’t provided with the same. If you are hiring new employees and introducing them to your old legacy systems, that would also affect their first impression of the organization. Finally, it drains their work satisfaction and leads to early resignations.
5. Lacks deep data insightsModern software uses emerging technologies like AI, machine learning, IoT, and much more to
   provide deep data insights that will help you make informed decisions. But legacy software
   can’t. They were built during those times when big data was still not a thing.

How a popular brand modernized its legacy software?

An established brand used Lotus Notes to piece together workflows. They found that it was lacking when it came to bringing those processes to the modern world.

The brand was modernizing its  operations. Lotus Notes was simply “not enough.” The interface was archaic, the technology was old, and it required a team of skilled IT professionals to pull off even a small change in the application. The teams struggled to link the database to the spreadsheet in Lotus Notes, and they had to resort to emails to handle processes which often led to a cluttered mess.

They needed a better workflow tool – something modern, intuitive, and self-managed. That’s when they found workflow automation software. Finally, they were able to transition many of its processes from Lotus Notesnincluding purchasing processes, RMAs, demo requests, and offering discounts. The ability to add attachments to any item, reassign tasks midstream, and modify data were the big selling points for the brand.

How to tackle this problem with low-code platforms

Legacy modernization can be done through multiple approaches and is considered to be an expensive digital transformation effort. If you are planning to replace or completely build an application from scratch, you will have to write new code. Low-code platforms reduce the amount of code and increase the speed of app development. Your company can encourage citizen developers and build business applications comparatively faster without much IT intervention.

• Supports reusable data models
  Low-code platforms help you to leverage the pre-built data models to migrate from your legacy apps. You can repurpose the already existing business logic in the database code. Now you can directly port the data which you wish to keep. This is a much-simplified software development approach, and you can build a low-code app with
  ease.
• Saves Time
  Modern businesses are actively looking for ways to save time and deliver their products and services promptly. Low code app development can be a great time saver; it can quickly transform your legacy apps into modern business apps. So you can achieve a faster time to market.
• Certain legacy apps features are conserved
  You are into legacy app migration to add new features, but there are certain features you need to preserve. A low-code platform will help you conserve these features. You can de instead of writing from scratch. It allows you to experiment and explore new functionalities.
• Intuitive app development
  While building your apps through a low-code platform, you can view your apps while developing them. You can build powerful and intuitive apps using drag-and-drop widgets, pre-built connectors, etc. Basically, what you see is how your app will look finally.
• Supports niche requests
  Using a low code platform, you can even accommodate requests from small user bases. It can adapt easily to narrow apps.
• Workflow automation
  Low code development platforms support workflow automation. You can use these platforms to build workflow software that can automate and streamlines tasks, reducing manual efforts.

By now, you should have understood the challenges of legacy systems and how they can affect your business. Leveraging a low-code development platform can help you save several man-hours and direct you to the pathway of innovation. Legacy application modernization through low code platforms can help businesses transform to newer and better platforms. It lowers the risk of disruption, reduces app development time, and becomes an economical choice.