Application workflow
The application workflow is the sequence of stages that a job application moves through — from the moment a candidate enters the pipeline to the moment they are hired, declined, or denied. Administrators define one or more workflows; each workflow is an ordered list of stages. Recruiters drag application cards from column to column on the Kanban board; the workflow defines what those columns are and in what order.
Stages
Each stage in a workflow corresponds to a column on the Kanban board. A stage has:
- Name — the label shown in the column header and in application history (entered per language if the account is multi-language).
- Color — six choices: grey, blue, green, cyan, orange, and red.
- Active toggle — inactive stages are hidden from the board.
- Order — controlled with the ▲▼ arrows.
- Type — a fixed set that determines what the stage does and what sub-options appear (see below).
- Default — one stage can be marked as the default for new applications.
Stage types and sub-options
The Type dropdown sets the category of the stage. Depending on the type chosen, an additional sub-option may appear:
| Type | Sub-option |
|---|---|
| New application | None |
| Screening | None |
| Interview | Choose the interview kind: Phone interview, Video conference interview, or Physical interview |
| Survey | Choose the survey template to send to the candidate |
| Offer | None |
| Hired | None |
| Denied | None |
| Declined | None |
| Choose the email template to send automatically | |
| Text | Choose the text-message template to send automatically |
Adding a stage
- Go to Configuration → ATS settings → Application and open the Customize tab.
- Click Add new value.
- Set the Active toggle.
- Choose a Color.
- Select a Type and configure the sub-option that appears for that type.
- Enter the Label (per language if multi-language).
- Click Save.
Reordering stages
Use the ▲▼ arrows on any stage row to change its position. The order here is the order of columns on the Kanban board.
Editing and deactivating
Click the edit action on a stage to rename it, change its color or type, or toggle it Active/Inactive. Deactivating a stage hides it from the Kanban board without losing any historical data.
Tips
- Design the workflow before launch day. A workflow restructured mid-campaign creates gaps in time-in-stage reporting.
- Name stages with verbs or nouns, not adjectives. “Phone screen” or “Technical interview” is easier to scan on a Kanban board than “Screened” or “In progress”.
- Include terminal stages. Make sure “Hired”, “Declined”, and “Denied” are in the workflow so applications do not linger in an in-progress state after the process ends.
- Use Email and Text stages to automate notifications. Assigning an email or text template to a stage ensures the message goes out automatically when a card moves into that column.
- Limit stages to what you actually use. Every extra column on the Kanban board adds noise.