When we say that a solution is no-code, what does that actually mean? How do these types of tools work? Why does SIGMA-HR use this model, and with what benefits? Insights from an HRIS implementation expert.
Choosing HR software is no longer just about ticking off fixed features. HR teams want to be able to evolve their tools easily, in order to stay agile in the face of changes in their environment. No-code HR tools respond precisely to this need.
To discuss this, Guillaume Lapierre, Director of Professional Services at SIGMA-HR, shares his expertise and hands-on perspective on integrating no-code into HRIS projects.
What is no-code?
No-code is a method that allows software and applications to be created, configured, and evolved without writing any computer code. Using no-code platforms removes the technical barrier.
With traditional software development, creating or modifying a feature requires developers to write lines of code.
With no-code, users assemble prebuilt components, define business rules, and configure processes directly through the tool’s interface, without touching the code. They rely on visual interfaces and intuitive configuration systems.
In an HR context, no-code allows business teams to adapt their talent management software, create new approval workflows, or modify the annual review process without relying on an external technical team. Changes can be made in a matter of hours or days rather than several weeks.
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Talk to an expertNo-code vs. low-code: what’s the difference?
Often confused, no-code and low-code are actually quite different.
No-code allows an application to be designed and evolved entirely without code. Business teams can take ownership of the tool and configure it themselves.
Low-code, on the other hand, requires occasional intervention from developers to customize advanced features or go beyond the limits of predesigned components. Most of the work in low-code is done through visual interfaces, but part of the development may still require writing code. Low-code is therefore mainly aimed at technical teams looking to accelerate development without rebuilding everything from scratch.
The key difference between no-code and low-code lies in the autonomy of business teams. No-code is accessible to non-technical profiles.
- With no-code, HR teams can evolve their tools and processes without constantly relying on development resources.
- Low-code, by contrast, maintains a dependency on technical teams for certain changes.
These approaches have concrete impacts on deployment speed and tool costs. They also influence HR professionals’ ability to adapt their tools to changing regulatory or organizational contexts.
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SIGMA-HR and no-code: what approach?
Developed and coded in a traditional way (“vanilla”), SIGMA-HR is HR software that is both ready to use and customizable. It allows Professional Services teams to tailor processes, workflows, and approval paths through configuration. “If certain specific needs don’t exist in the system, no-code makes it possible to add them,” explains Guillaume Lapierre, Director of Professional Services at SIGMA-HR. This model is particularly well suited to companies with 200 employees or more, as well as large enterprises.
“Entrusting this customization to implementation teams, and sometimes even to clients themselves, brings agility and speed. No-code makes it possible to enhance features so they closely match the reality of organizations.”
In practice, all organizations using SIGMA-HR rely on the same core version. They can then, if needed, use configuration to customize certain application features so they align with their business processes. Thanks to no-code, it is possible to configure:
- General settings and the software interface,
• Workflows and automations,
• Data management and forms,
• HR modules for recruitment, training, health, safety, and occupational risks,
• Employee self-service,
• And more.
As a result, users can adjust their HR software to their operational specifics in a consistent way, without impacting anything for other SIGMA-HR clients.
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Request a demoNo-code software: what are the benefits for HR?
Customization and agility: the key strengths of a no-code solution
Customization and agility: the key strengths of a no-code solution
Using a no-code solution offers several advantages for companies and their HR teams. Mid-sized and large organizations, for example, operate in environments where regulatory requirements and strategic priorities can change quickly:
- A legislative reform or a change in a collective agreement that requires workflows to be adapted within a few weeks,
- A company agreement that modifies working time management rules,
- A company merger that requires HR processes to be adjusted,
- And so on.
In this context, waiting several months for a vendor to develop a change becomes an operational constraint. With no-code, HR teams can react quickly without depending on external technical resources. Adjustments happen at the pace of business needs.
Better alignment with business needs
As Guillaume Lapierre explains:
“no-code also changes the way clients are supported, making it possible to be much more attentive to their real needs during the deployment phase, rather than focusing support on what the solution offers.”
Solution administrators on the client side are usually members of the HR team. They are autonomous when it comes to adding fields, setting up automations, changing approval flows, and more. This way of working saves time and is based on a deep understanding of business needs.
Scalability
No-code software also offers the ability to evolve over time. “Smaller organizations start with the ready-to-use solution, with minimal configuration, and after one or two years of use, they can enhance how they use the software through simple configuration,” notes Guillaume Lapierre.
The software gradually adapts to the company’s growth and to changes in its HR processes over time (following an acquisition or merger, for example). An organization can start by automating one process and then add others over time. This scalability is a major asset for growing mid-sized companies and large organizations undergoing transformation.
Cost control
This no-code-driven customization represents a lower cost compared to a model that would require custom developments for each client. According to Guillaume Lapierre, this approach brings greater flexibility and better cost control: “With a system that isn’t no-code, the client could be limited in what they can adjust themselves and end up paying more to fund custom developments.”
If certain features cannot be covered solely through configuration and require specific developments, SIGMA-HR’s developers take them on. These enhancements are then integrated into the product and made available to all clients through version updates, which are deployed several times a year.
Autonomy
The benefits of no-code don’t stop there. Clients are autonomous when it comes to configuring processes, modifying approval flows, managing security rules, and more. This approach reduces dependency on the software vendor and lowers long-term costs, since clients can adapt the system on their own.
HR teams take control to adapt no-code software features to the reality of their organization: adding a field to a form, hiding fields they don’t need, defining their own working time management rules, changing colors, choosing images displayed on the home screen, and more. “HR managers get quick access to the information that’s relevant to them,” notes Guillaume Lapierre.
In the event of legislative changes or updates to collective agreements, clients are autonomous but not left alone. With SIGMA-HR, administrators are trained by Professional Services during deployment. “Clients are exposed to the software very early on, so they quickly understand what they can – or cannot – do within the system. They are confronted with its possibilities and its limits,” points out Guillaume Lapierre.
Better adoption
Deploying a new HRIS can raise concerns. “Change management and project buy-in are easier when employees and managers use the same terminology as before, the same processes, the same fields. Everyone finds their bearings more quickly,” emphasizes Guillaume Lapierre.
This level of customization makes it possible to closely reflect the reality of the organization and even impact the employee experience. “Collaborator,” “staff member,” “employee,” “team member,” “they”… The expert adds that “none of these terms are neutral, and their choice is often important for organizations. Changing one term or another is much easier with no-code, which strengthens alignment between HR tools and real company practices.”