Configuration and customization are often misunderstood as being interchangeable for online community development software. They are two different concepts and require different levels of commitment, cost, and expertise.
In simple terms, software configuration does not require coding and software customization does.
Software that only requires configuration means the system is considered an out-of-the-box system. This means that the software is ready to go without any changes – you open the figurative box and can begin.
On the other hand, software that requires customization to be functional takes longer to set up and is usually more expensive as a result. It also involves specialized expertise from a software developer.
There is a common misconception that if you choose configurable software instead of customizable software you do not have a say in what you want – this is not true. You can still have a say in how your software is set up to meet your needs, you just will not be able to control everything.
And this is another common misconception. A lot of businesses and governments think they want to control every aspect of how their software is set up or looks, but they really want easy-to-use software that meets their needs.
Configurable software is often more affordable, gives users what they need, and is faster to launch.
We wanted a cost-effective, user-friendly, and configurable system that gave our staff and residents improved transparency, and after researching many options, we found those advantages in Cloudpermit.”
- Marcus Serrano, Village Administrator for the Village of Buchanan, New York
Cloudpermit is configurable community development software. Our software is out-of-the-box and end-to-end, so all users quickly access the same processes.
With Cloudpermit, local government staff can modify and edit workflows, fees, forms, layers, party roles, access, and attachment types.
Check out this video to see: How to Modify the Configuration Settings as an Authority User. It’s easy to configure Cloudpermit to suit your needs.
Have any questions about the differences between configuration and customization? Get in touch with us to learn the key differences and why we’re proud to be configurable, not customizable.
