ATS
Also known as: Applicant Tracking System, Recruiting software
An ATS (Applicant Tracking System) is recruiting software that manages job postings, candidate applications, interview pipelines, and hiring decisions. It sits adjacent to the HRIS — most companies use a dedicated ATS for hiring, then transfer the accepted candidate into the HRIS as a new employee on contract signing.
An ATS is the recruiting equivalent of an HRIS. Where the HRIS is the system of record for active employees, the ATS is the system of record for candidates — from the moment a job post goes live to the moment an offer is accepted. The two systems handle different lifecycles and usually live as separate products, with a handoff step at hire that copies the candidate record (name, contact, salary, start date) from the ATS into the HRIS.
What an ATS typically stores
- Job requisitions — open roles, hiring managers, approval state
- Job posts — distributed to LinkedIn, Indeed, job boards, careers page
- Candidate profiles — CVs, cover letters, application sources
- Pipeline stages — applied, screening, interview, offer, hired, rejected
- Interview feedback and structured scorecards
- Offer letters and offer-state tracking
- Compliance records — EEO data, source-of-hire, time-stamped decisions
- Communication history — emails, scheduled events, candidate replies
ATS vs HRIS — the handoff
A candidate becomes an employee on contract signing. The ATS marks the candidate as "Hired"; the HRIS opens a new employee record carrying over name, contact, role, salary, and start date. Best-of-breed shops integrate the two via API; smaller shops handle the handoff manually. Either way, the candidate history (interview notes, feedback, salary negotiation) stays in the ATS for audit and reference.
When teams need a dedicated ATS
Below ~5 hires a year, spreadsheets + an inbox folder usually work. Between 5 and 30 hires a year, a lightweight ATS pays for itself in saved coordination time. Above 30 hires a year, a real ATS is mandatory — at that volume the cost of dropped candidates (forgotten replies, lost CVs) exceeds the cost of the software within weeks.
Frequently asked questions
- What does ATS stand for?
- ATS stands for Applicant Tracking System — software that manages job postings, candidate applications, interview pipelines, and hiring decisions.
- Is an ATS part of an HRIS?
- Sometimes. Enterprise HCM suites (Workday, SuccessFactors) include an ATS module. SMB tools usually ship without one — most small businesses pair an HRIS with a dedicated ATS like Workable, Greenhouse, or Recruitee.
- When should a small business buy an ATS?
- Around 5–10 hires per year is the typical inflection. Below that, spreadsheets work. Above that, the coordination cost (forgotten replies, lost CVs, missed feedback) starts exceeding the software cost.
- Does HourSquare include an ATS?
- Recruiting is on the roadmap as a separate product (priced outside the all-included HR promise). For now, HourSquare focuses on the post-hire employee lifecycle — the moment a contract is signed onward.