A Glossary of Key No-Code/Low-Code Concepts for HR Professionals
In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, HR professionals are increasingly tasked with doing more with less, streamlining operations, and delivering exceptional employee and candidate experiences. No-code and low-code technologies are emerging as powerful allies, enabling HR teams to build sophisticated automations and applications without extensive programming knowledge. This glossary provides a foundational understanding of critical terms that every HR and recruiting professional needs to know to navigate and leverage these transformative tools effectively.
No-Code
No-code refers to a development approach that allows individuals to create software applications and automations without writing any traditional programming code. Instead, users build solutions using visual drag-and-drop interfaces, pre-built templates, and configuration settings. For HR professionals, no-code platforms democratize technology, enabling them to quickly design custom onboarding workflows, applicant screening forms, automated communication sequences, or simple internal tools to manage HR requests, significantly reducing reliance on IT departments and accelerating digital initiatives within the HR function. This empowers teams to address immediate operational needs with agility and precision.
Low-Code
Low-code development platforms provide a visual environment for building applications, similar to no-code, but they also offer the flexibility for developers or power users to add custom code when more complex, specific functionalities are required. This approach bridges the gap between pure no-code simplicity and full-stack development, allowing for greater customization and integration capabilities. In an HR context, low-code can be invaluable for creating highly tailored applicant tracking system (ATS) integrations, building custom dashboards that pull data from various HR systems, or developing unique employee self-service portals that might require specific business logic not available in off-the-shelf solutions. It allows for advanced automation while maintaining a high level of agility.
Automation Platform (e.g., Make.com)
An automation platform is a software solution designed to connect various applications, systems, and services, orchestrating them to perform predefined tasks or workflows automatically. Tools like Make.com (formerly Integromat) serve as powerful integration hubs, allowing users to build complex sequences of actions across different software without writing code. For HR, an automation platform can link an ATS with a background check service, sync candidate data from a recruitment marketing platform to a CRM, automate interview scheduling by connecting calendars, or trigger onboarding tasks in an HRIS upon offer acceptance. These platforms are crucial for eliminating manual data entry, reducing human error, and ensuring seamless information flow across the entire HR tech stack, saving significant time and resources.
API (Application Programming Interface)
An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate and exchange data with each other. Essentially, it acts as a messenger, delivering your request to a system and then returning the system’s response to you. For HR professionals utilizing automation, understanding APIs is fundamental because they are the backbone of most integrations. When an HR automation platform “connects” to an ATS or HRIS, it’s often doing so via that system’s API to send or receive information like candidate profiles, job postings, or employee records. This enables real-time data synchronization and complex cross-application workflows that eliminate manual data transfer.
Webhook
A webhook is an automated message sent from one application to another whenever a specific event occurs. Unlike an API, which typically requires a request to pull data, a webhook pushes data to a predefined URL immediately after an event. Think of it as an automatic notification system. In HR automation, webhooks are incredibly powerful for creating reactive workflows. For example, when a candidate completes an application in an ATS (the event), a webhook can instantly trigger a new workflow in an automation platform. This could initiate sending a confirmation email, adding the candidate’s data to a talent pool CRM, or scheduling an automated skills assessment, ensuring rapid and timely responses without constant polling or manual intervention.
Integrations
Integrations refer to the process of connecting two or more disparate software applications or systems so that they can work together seamlessly, share data, and automate processes. In the context of HR and recruiting, effective integrations are vital for creating a cohesive and efficient technology ecosystem. This might involve connecting an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) with a Human Resources Information System (HRIS), linking a payroll system with a time-tracking solution, or synchronizing data between a CRM and an email marketing platform for candidate engagement. Properly integrated systems eliminate manual data entry, reduce the risk of errors, improve data accuracy, and provide a single, unified view of candidate and employee data, which is essential for strategic decision-making and operational excellence.
Workflow Automation
Workflow automation is the design and implementation of technology-driven sequences that automatically execute a series of tasks or steps within a business process, requiring minimal human intervention. Instead of relying on manual handoffs and checks, automated workflows manage the flow of data and actions across different systems and stakeholders based on predefined rules. For HR and recruiting, this can transform operations: from automating the entire candidate journey (e.g., application review, interview scheduling, offer generation) to streamlining onboarding (e.g., sending welcome kits, setting up IT access, enrolling in benefits). Implementing workflow automation significantly boosts efficiency, reduces administrative burdens, ensures compliance, and allows HR professionals to focus on strategic initiatives rather than repetitive tasks.
RPA (Robotic Process Automation)
Robotic Process Automation (RPA) uses software robots (“bots”) to mimic human actions and interactions when performing repetitive, rule-based tasks within digital systems. Unlike API-based integrations that require direct system communication, RPA bots operate at the user interface level, clicking, typing, and navigating applications just like a human. In HR, RPA is particularly useful for automating interactions with legacy systems that lack modern APIs, or for tasks that involve high-volume data entry across multiple disparate systems. Examples include automating the transfer of candidate data from an email inbox into an HRIS, generating routine reports, or verifying employee data against external databases. While powerful for specific use cases, it’s typically best suited for highly structured, predictable tasks.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) for HR
While traditionally focused on customer interactions, CRM (Customer Relationship Management) principles and platforms are increasingly vital for HR and recruiting, where they are often referred to as Candidate Relationship Management (CRM) or Talent Relationship Management (TRM). This involves managing all interactions and data related to potential and current employees. A CRM in HR helps build and nurture talent pipelines, track candidate communications, personalize outreach, and manage relationships with silver medalist candidates for future roles. By automating CRM processes, HR teams can ensure consistent communication, segment talent pools effectively, and provide a more personalized and positive candidate experience, ultimately improving hiring outcomes and employer branding.
ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is a software application designed to manage the recruitment and hiring process by tracking and managing job applicants. From initial application submission to offer letter generation and onboarding, the ATS serves as the central hub for all candidate data and recruitment activities. For HR professionals, an ATS is critical for efficiently posting jobs, screening resumes, scheduling interviews, communicating with candidates, and managing compliance. When integrated with no-code/low-code platforms, an ATS can trigger a cascade of automated actions: sending automated rejection emails, initiating background checks, or pushing new hire data directly into an HRIS, drastically reducing manual tasks and accelerating time-to-hire.
Data Parsing
Data parsing is the process of extracting, interpreting, and structuring specific information from raw, unstructured, or semi-structured data sources. Essentially, it involves taking a block of text or a file and systematically identifying and pulling out relevant data points into a usable, structured format. In HR, data parsing is incredibly valuable for processing resumes and job applications. Automation tools can parse a candidate’s resume to automatically extract names, contact information, work experience, skills, and education, then populate these fields directly into an ATS or CRM. This eliminates tedious manual data entry, ensures accuracy, and speeds up the initial screening process, allowing recruiters to focus on qualitative evaluation rather than administrative tasks.
AI in HR Automation
Artificial Intelligence (AI) in HR automation refers to the application of AI technologies, such as machine learning, natural language processing (NLP), and predictive analytics, to enhance and automate various HR functions. This extends beyond simple rule-based automation to include intelligent decision-making and learning. For HR professionals, AI can power intelligent resume screening to identify best-fit candidates, create personalized learning paths for employees, automate responses to common HR queries via chatbots, predict employee turnover risks, or even optimize workforce planning. Integrating AI with no-code/low-code platforms allows HR teams to build smarter, more responsive automations that adapt and improve over time, leading to more strategic talent management and improved employee experiences.
Digital Transformation
Digital transformation in the context of HR refers to the strategic adoption of digital technologies to fundamentally change how HR operates, delivers services, and creates value for the organization. It’s not just about implementing new software; it’s a comprehensive shift in culture, processes, and technology that redefines the employee and candidate experience. For HR professionals, digital transformation might involve moving from paper-based processes to fully automated, cloud-based systems for hiring, onboarding, performance management, and payroll. No-code/low-code tools are key enablers, allowing HR teams to drive this transformation from within, building bespoke solutions and integrating systems without heavy reliance on IT, ultimately fostering a more agile, data-driven, and employee-centric HR function.
SaaS (Software as a Service)
Software as a Service (SaaS) is a software distribution model where a third-party provider hosts applications and makes them available to customers over the internet, typically on a subscription basis. Instead of purchasing and maintaining software and hardware, users simply access the applications via a web browser. The vast majority of modern HR technology, including Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), Human Resources Information Systems (HRIS), payroll solutions, and performance management platforms, are delivered as SaaS. This model benefits HR professionals by offering easy scalability, automatic updates, lower upfront costs, and accessibility from anywhere, enabling greater flexibility and collaboration across dispersed teams, and reducing the IT burden associated with software management.
Single Source of Truth
A “single source of truth” (SSOT) is a concept in information system design where all data for a specific domain or piece of information is collected and stored in one, definitive location, ensuring consistency and accuracy across an organization. For HR professionals, establishing an SSOT is crucial for effective data management and decision-making. This means ensuring that employee data, for instance, is consistent and up-to-date across all relevant systems—be it the HRIS, payroll system, benefits portal, or learning management system. No-code/low-code automation plays a vital role in achieving SSOT by integrating disparate systems, automatically synchronizing data, and preventing data discrepancies, thus reducing human error, improving reporting accuracy, and ensuring compliance.
If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: Make.com HR Automation: Your Strategic Blueprint for the Automated Recruiter
