Build, Automate, & Act: Bring Analytics And Operations Together With Data Apps

Data apps are the future of analytics—but not all data apps are created equal.

Some data apps are just dashboards—clunky, bolted onto rigid BI tools, or requiring engineering-heavy development cycles. Others feel like they were built for another era—lacking interactivity, governance, or the ability to take action directly on data.

At Sigma, we believe data apps should be fast to build, flexible to use, and powerful enough to scale with your business. A true data app is a purpose-built solution that combines real-time data, user inputs, and workflows—all in one seamless experience, directly on live cloud data.

That’s why we’re introducing our vision for data apps—with new components, new capabilities, and an entire conference dedicated to helping builders create the next generation of data apps. Built by builders, for builders.

Experience the future of BI, today

At Sigma’s Data Apps Conference, industry leaders showcased how they’re using data apps to unify their stack, streamline workflows, and turn insights into action. Now, you can too.

Built directly on your cloud data warehouse (CDW), data apps combine everything teams need to act on insights instantly. This isn’t just a better dashboard. It’s a fundamentally new way to work with data—without barriers, bottlenecks, or code.

The core of Sigma’s data apps

• Writeback: Collect structured user input and writeback directly to your CDW
• Application layouts: Build intuitive, interactive workflows—no coding required.
• Actions: Automate updates, trigger notifications, and streamline decisions
• Enterprise-grade security – Run live on governed, secure data at scale

The technology behind data apps

Writeback: A single source of truth for data and decisions

Sigma’s writeback capability makes data apps powerful—allowing teams to input, adjust, and enrich data directly within their CDW. No more static reports. No more disconnected spreadsheets. Just real-time data that stays in sync across your organization. With writeback, teams can:

• Collect structured input through forms, dropdowns, and validation rules
• Update existing data instantly—no manual exports or offline changes
• Capture approvals, comments, and adjustments with full audit trails

Teams can input structured data directly into their cloud data warehouse with input tables and forms, keeping everything in one place instead of siloed in a proprietary database. Data stays secure, governed, and always in sync, maintaining a single source of truth across the organization. Writeback ensures insights and actions stay connected, eliminating manual reconciliation and keeping everything up-to-date.

Sales teams use writeback to update forecasts, finance teams track budget variances, and marketing teams adjust campaign budgets based on performance. It all flows back to the same CDW that powers analytics, so data stays current, accurate, and actionable without extra steps or delays.

Application layouts: Build intuitive interfaces without code

Sigma’s application layouts bring modern UI components—pop-ups, dropdowns, buttons, and more—into your data workflows.

With drag-and-drop tools, teams can:

• Create familiar interfaces with modals, tabs, and sections
• Design guided workflows that walk users through complex processes
• Build personalized, interactive experiences using overlay containers for contextual information

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The best part? You don’t need to write a single line of code. Sigma’s drag-and-drop interface makes it easy to build professional-looking applications without developer resources.

Actions: Automate workflows, accelerate decisions

Actions power the automation in data apps, connecting user inputs to meaningful outcomes based on business logic. With Actions, you can:

• Trigger notifications when thresholds or conditions are met
• Update related data automatically when values change
• Navigate between different views based on user selections
• Schedule automated exports to share insights with stakeholders

The real power comes when combining multiple actions into workflows. For example, when a regional sales manager changes a sales forecast, the system can automatically update relevant tables, notify the finance team, and generate a confirmation email—all without leaving Sigma.

Actions can be configured with point-and-click simplicity, making it possible for business users to design sophisticated business logic without coding experience. The Actions capability eliminates the delays of manual processes, ensuring that the right decisions happen faster, with live, trusted data.

Why data apps change the game

Business teams rely on a patchwork of spreadsheets, SaaS tools, and custom-built software to get their work done. But these tools create silos, are expensive, can require extensive IT maintenance, and don’t scale. The results? Slow decisions, wasted time, and ballooning software expenses.

Sigma’s data apps removes these barriers by allowing teams to build tailored applications on top of the CDW—all without code.

The beauty of data apps is they combine the familiarity of spreadsheets, the power of your data warehouse, and the flexibility of low-code development.  Instead of waiting on IT, BI, or Data to build a solution, teams can now create interactive and intuitive data apps themselves—bringing analysis, collaboration, and action into a single, governed platform.

Real-world use cases

Because Sigma allows teams to build live, interactive applications on their cloud data warehouse, they don’t need to know complex code or rely on IT-dependent processes. Here are just a few examples of how teams are already using data apps:

• Finance & FP&A → Build scenario modeling, forecasting, and budget planning apps that replace spreadsheets and rigid planning software.
  
  
• Sales & Revenue Operations → Create deal review, pipeline health, and revenue forecasting tools that sync with real-time CRM and business data.
  
  
• Operations & Logistics → Develop inventory tracking, capacity planning, and workflow automation apps using live operational data.

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Get started with data apps

We’re making it easy to begin building your first data app with:

• 55+ new Apps in the Sigma Library. Pre-built apps, including technical build walkthroughs, for common use cases across sales, finance, and operations.
• Data App ‘Recipe’ Quickstart Guides. Step-by-step directions for creating app functionality such as approval flows and reconciliation.
• Data Apps Documentation. A single hub for builder technical and non-technical resources.
  

See data apps in action

Ready to see how Sigma’s data apps can streamline workflows, cut costs, and bring your teams together? Watch sessions from The Data Apps Conference and discover how others are transforming the way their business works.

Your data isn’t just for reporting. It’s for action. Build your first data app today.