Questions for New ATS Integrations

It seems like there are new applicant tracking systems popping up every week. And just like you can count on death and taxes, you, as a CRA, can always count on a client or prospect asking you for an ATS integration you do not have, yet. Although 16 ATS companies account for 90 percent of the market*, dozens make up the other 10 percent. So, what do you do when your screening platform provider does not have an ATS integration you need? Here are some steps you can take to get the ball rolling.

Sometimes, a relationship does not already exist between the platform provider and the ATS. If you or your human resource client/prospect is already talking directly to the ATS in question, here are some basic questions that ATS can answer that will help determine the complexity of the integration, and ultimately speed up the process with your software provider.

Questions to ask the ATS:

• Do you have an open API? If yes, can I get your open API specs?
• Can my software vendor build to your open API?
• Do I need to have a partnership with you? If so, can you please send me the partnership application?
• Do you have a technical contact with whom I can speak?

Next, one of your first thoughts will probably be, “How much is this going to cost me? And how do I price this on my RFP/proposal to my client?” You will need to get the money questions out of the way.

Questions regarding fees:

• Does your ATS charge per-use/order fees? If so, can I get a quote?
• Does your ATS charge fees for initial set up? If so, how much?
• Does your ATS charge development set-up fees for each additional integration?
• Do you have a partnership fee?
• Does your ATS offer a revenue-sharing pricing model?

Not all ATS products work the same. Manage your clients’ expectations by making sure everyone is on the same page regarding the workflow. Do not be afraid to inquire about the details up front.

Workflow questions:

• Describe the workflow of the integration. Example: Does your ATS send over the applicant’s first and last name, email address and “we” collect the required data? Or do you pass over the applicant’s information, such as education and employment verification data, etc.?
• Do you support a single sign-on (SSO)?

Gathering this data, either straight from the ATS or from your HR client via their ATS vendor, is a great first step in the integration process. Also, remember some ATS companies have multiple versions of their software. So, while your client may be asking for an ATS that sounds familiar, make sure you know the product name and version number, as well. You will also want to know how you and your software vendor can test the integration. So, inquire whether the ATS has a sandbox for testing. Lastly, if you can get your platform provider in front of the ATS’s technical contact in the beginning, then those players can take over this whole process for you.

 

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