Selecting a Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) is a significant decision for any organisation. It affects how maintenance is planned, performed, and tracked, with knock-on impacts on uptime, safety, compliance, and cost control. But, amid the long list of features and specifications, one capability is often underestimated in its importance: user configurability.
In simple terms, no code configurability refers to the ability for end users without any coding knowledge, to adapt and customise the system to suit their organisation’s unique needs. This might include adjusting maintenance workflows, building reports, creating dashboards, setting alerts, or even integrating with other systems.
It’s a practical, user-centric approach that has real-world implications for both short-term efficiency and long-term value.
What Is User Configurability?
Traditionally, many CMMS software platforms required specialist developer input to make changes. Even relatively minor adjustments, such as modifying a form, generating a new report, or altering a workflow might involve submitting a support ticket, waiting in a queue, and paying additional fees.
Built-in configurability changes that dynamic. It puts configuration tools directly in the hands of trained users. These tools are typically accessible through visual interfaces and drag-and-drop builders, enabling day-to-day users to tailor the existing features of the system without external intervention.
For example, with CMMS software like PEMAC Assets, maintenance teams can adjust asset hierarchies, create scheduled maintenance routines, or set automated notifications based on trigger events, all within the system, with no coding required.
Why It Matters: The Business Case for ‘Easy Configuration’
While it may sound like a technical detail, no code configurability has wide-ranging implications for maintenance operations, IT resourcing, and business agility. Here’s why ‘no code’ should be a high priority r when evaluating a CMMS.
1. Faster Time to Value
Getting CMMS software up and running is only the beginning. True value comes when it’s embedded into daily operations and continuously optimised. With no code configurability, changes and improvements can happen in real-time, without long delays waiting for developer capacity.
For example, if a new piece of equipment requires a unique maintenance schedule, a technician or planner can create and assign that schedule in the system themselves, rather than escalating the request to IT or the software vendor. That ability to act quickly keeps momentum going and accelerates return on investment (or reduces time to value).
2. Lower Total Cost of Ownership
CMMS platforms that require frequent developer involvement tend to carry hidden long-term costs. Organisations may find themselves paying for customisations, changes, and updates over the life of the system, sometimes significantly inflating the total cost of ownership.
With a no code platform, many of these tasks can be handled in-house by trained users. This not only reduces dependency on vendors or third parties but also makes ongoing system evolution more sustainable and affordable.
3. Better System Adoption and Engagement
When a system is flexible and intuitive, people are more likely to use it. Engineers, planners, and managers who can shape CMMS software to reflect their actual workflows and priorities feel more ownership over it. That results in more consistent use, better data, and ultimately better decision-making.
For example, users might configure dashboards to show their department’s key metrics or create task views tailored to shift schedules. These kinds of customisations make the CMMS more relevant and useful day-to-day.
4. Scalability and Flexibility
Organisations change. Equipment gets updated, new regulations come into force, teams restructure, and processes evolve. A CMMS that’s difficult to adapt can quickly become a limiting factor.
A no code system ensures you’re not locked into a static setup. As operational requirements shift, your internal team can reconfigure the system to keep pace, without costly redevelopment or reimplementation projects.
5. Fewer Bottlenecks and Better Use of IT Resources
In many organisations, IT teams are already stretched. Requiring them to make every small system change often introduces delays and adds to their workload unnecessarily. No code configurability lightens that load by enabling users to take control of their own system needs.
It’s not about removing IT from the process entirely, but about using the expertise of IT where it’s most valuable, while day-to-day configuration tasks are handled within the department.
Final Thoughts: A Practical, Long-Term Advantage
User configurability is ultimately a practical capability that allows users with no software knowledge to configure their system to suit their needs.
It empowers maintenance teams to respond quickly to operational needs, fosters continuous improvement, reduces costs, and ensures the CMMS stays aligned with business goals. CMMS software, like PEMAC Assets has embraced this model, giving users more autonomy to drive efficiency and adapt as they go.
For any organisation investing in a CMMS, prioritising configurability isn’t just a nice-to-have, it’s a smart, forward-thinking choice that pays off in flexibility, performance, and long-term value.
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