Tech words, in plain English: 12 terms you'll hear when you get an app built

When someone builds software for your business, the conversation fills up with words that sound more complicated than they are. Here are twelve of the most common, each in one plain sentence. Save it for the next time someone says "sync" at you.

• Offline mode The app keeps working with no signal, and sends everything the moment signal is back.
• Sync Change something on one screen and everyone else's screen shows it a moment later.
• The cloud Your information is kept on secure computers online, not on one laptop in the office.
• Integration Two programs passing information to each other, so nobody types the same thing twice.
• Dashboard One screen that shows how things stand right now, without phoning anyone to ask.
• User roles Each person sees only what their job needs.

Six more

• Database One organised place where every record lives, so you can find any job in seconds.
• Automation The app does the boring next step by itself. A job gets finished; the paperwork just happens.
• Notifications A short message on your phone the moment something needs you, so nobody has to keep checking.
• Backup A copy of everything, made every night, so a mistake can be undone.
• Audit trail A record of who changed what, and when. Nobody has to remember.
• Export Your information out as a spreadsheet or PDF, whenever you want it. It's yours.

You don't need to know any of these to get a system built. Tell us how your work runs, in your own words, and we'll do the translating.