Replay for Internal Tooling: Building Custom Dashboards from Training Videos

TL;DR: Replay lets you build functional internal tools and dashboards directly from screen recordings of training videos, accelerating development and ensuring accurate reflection of intended workflows.

Stop Building from Scratch: Replay Your Way to Internal Tools#

Building internal tools is often a necessary evil. You need them, but they rarely get the love and attention they deserve. This leads to clunky interfaces, outdated workflows, and a constant backlog of feature requests. What if you could build those tools faster, and more accurately, by leveraging existing training materials?

The problem is clear: manually translating training videos into functional code is time-consuming and error-prone. You’re essentially re-inventing the wheel every time. Screenshot-to-code tools offer a partial solution, but they miss the crucial element: understanding the intent behind the actions in the video. They see pixels, not processes.

Replay changes the game. By analyzing video, not just images, Replay understands user behavior and reconstructs fully functional UI components. This "Behavior-Driven Reconstruction" approach lets you build internal tools and dashboards directly from screen recordings of your training videos.

Why Replay is a Game Changer for Internal Tooling#

Imagine you have a training video showing a new employee how to manage customer data within your CRM. Instead of manually coding a dashboard to replicate that functionality, you simply upload the video to Replay. Replay analyzes the video, identifies the key interactions (button clicks, form submissions, data manipulations), and generates working code.

Here's why this is revolutionary:

• •Speed: Drastically reduce development time. Go from video to functional UI in minutes.
• •Accuracy: Capture the exact workflows demonstrated in your training materials.
• •Consistency: Ensure your tools reflect your intended processes, reducing errors and improving user adoption.
• •Collaboration: Bridge the gap between training and development teams.

Let's look at how Replay stacks up against traditional and screenshot-based approaches:

Building a Customer Management Dashboard from a Training Video#

Let's walk through a practical example: building a simplified customer management dashboard from a training video demonstrating how to update customer information in your existing CRM.

Step 1: Upload and Analyze the Video#

Upload the training video to Replay. Replay will automatically analyze the video, identifying UI elements, user actions, and data flows.

Step 2: Review and Refine the Reconstruction#

Replay provides a visual representation of the reconstructed UI and workflow. You can review this representation and make any necessary adjustments. This might involve correcting misidentified elements or refining the data mapping.

💡 Pro Tip: Clear and concise training videos produce the best results. Ensure your videos have good lighting, clear audio, and focus on specific tasks.

Step 3: Generate the Code#

Once you're satisfied with the reconstruction, generate the code. Replay supports various frameworks (React, Vue, etc.) and provides options for customizing the output.

Here's an example of the kind of code Replay can generate (React with TypeScript):

typescript
// Example component generated by Replay
import React, { useState, useEffect } from 'react';

interface Customer {
  id: number;
  name: string;
  email: string;
  phone: string;
}

const CustomerDashboard: React.FC = () => {
  const [customers, setCustomers] = useState<Customer[]>([]);
  const [selectedCustomer, setSelectedCustomer] = useState<Customer | null>(null);

  useEffect(() => {
    // Fetch customers from Supabase (example)
    const fetchCustomers = async () => {
      const { data, error } = await supabase
        .from('customers')
        .select('*');

      if (error) {
        console.error('Error fetching customers:', error);
      } else {
        setCustomers(data);
      }
    };

    fetchCustomers();
  }, []);

  const handleCustomerClick = (customer: Customer) => {
    setSelectedCustomer(customer);
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <h1>Customer Dashboard</h1>
      <ul>
        {customers.map(customer => (
          <li key={customer.id} onClick={() => handleCustomerClick(customer)}>
            {customer.name}
          </li>
        ))}
      </ul>

      {selectedCustomer && (
        <div>
          <h2>Customer Details</h2>
          <p>Name: {selectedCustomer.name}</p>
          <p>Email: {selectedCustomer.email}</p>
          <p>Phone: {selectedCustomer.phone}</p>
          {/* Add more details and editing functionality here */}
        </div>
      )}
    </div>
  );
};

export default CustomerDashboard;

This code provides a basic customer list and details view. You can then extend this generated code to add more features, such as editing capabilities, filtering, and searching.

Step 4: Integrate and Customize#

Integrate the generated code into your existing project and customize it to meet your specific needs. Replay's style injection feature allows you to seamlessly apply your existing design system to the generated UI.

📝 Note: Replay's Supabase integration simplifies data management. You can connect Replay to your Supabase database and automatically generate code that interacts with your data.

Advanced Features for Streamlined Development#

Replay offers several advanced features that further streamline the development process:

• •Multi-Page Generation: Reconstruct entire multi-page applications from a single video. This is invaluable for complex workflows spanning multiple screens.
• •Supabase Integration: Seamlessly integrate with Supabase for data storage and management. Replay automatically generates code that interacts with your Supabase database.
• •Style Injection: Apply your existing CSS or design system to the generated UI, ensuring a consistent look and feel.
• •Product Flow Maps: Visualize the user flow within the video, providing a clear understanding of the application's logic.

⚠️ Warning: While Replay significantly reduces development time, it's important to remember that it's not a magic bullet. You'll still need to review and refine the generated code to ensure it meets your specific requirements.

Real-World Use Cases for Internal Tooling#

Replay can be used to build a wide range of internal tools:

• •Data Entry Forms: Automate the creation of data entry forms from training videos demonstrating how to input data into your systems.
• •Reporting Dashboards: Build custom reporting dashboards based on videos showing how to generate reports from your data.
• •Workflow Automation Tools: Recreate complex workflows from videos demonstrating how to perform specific tasks within your organization.
• •Help Desk Applications: Create internal help desk applications based on videos showing how to troubleshoot common issues.
• •Onboarding Modules: Quickly generate interactive onboarding modules that mirror demonstrated processes in training videos.

Frequently Asked Questions#

Is Replay free to use?#

Replay offers a free tier with limited features. Paid plans are available for access to advanced features and higher usage limits. Check the Replay pricing page for the latest details.

How is Replay different from v0.dev?#

While both tools aim to generate code, Replay distinguishes itself by analyzing video input and understanding user behavior. v0.dev primarily works with text prompts and AI generation, which can sometimes lack the precision and context captured in a real-world video demonstration. Replay's behavior-driven reconstruction ensures a more accurate reflection of intended workflows.

What frameworks does Replay support?#

Replay currently supports React, Vue, and HTML/CSS. Support for other frameworks is planned for future releases.

How secure is Replay?#

Replay prioritizes data security. All video uploads are encrypted, and your data is stored securely on our servers. We comply with industry-standard security practices to protect your information.

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Ready to try behavior-driven code generation? Get started with Replay - transform any video into working code in seconds.