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What Is an Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that manages candidates through the hiring funnel — postings, applications, stages and communication.

An educational definition from the HR glossary. Explore related terms below, or jump into the resource center to go deeper.

Definition

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that manages candidates through the hiring funnel — postings, applications, stages and communication.

Why it matters

It keeps hiring organised, consistent and measurable as volume grows.

Examples

Illustrative example. An ATS records where each candidate sits in the funnel and the decisions made.

For the practical detail behind this term, follow the related metric, template and resources below.

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For informational purposes only. This is an educational, plain-language definition — not legal, tax, financial or compliance advice and not an official definition. Terms and obligations vary by organisation and jurisdiction. Numeric examples are simple, placeholder-based illustrations, not data. Confirm specifics with qualified professionals.
Related concepts

Related glossary terms

Keep exploring the HR vocabulary.

Glossary

HRIS (Human Resource Information System)

An HRIS (human resource information system) is the core system of record for employee data and HR processes.

Open Glossary

Recruitment Funnel

The recruitment funnel is the set of stages candidates pass through from first contact to accepted offer, with conversion at each step.

Open Glossary

HR Automation

HR automation is using technology to handle repetitive, rules-based HR work so people focus on judgement.

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Measure it

Related metrics & calculators

Recruitment metric

Time to Fill

Time to fill measures how long a role takes from opening to an accepted offer.

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HR calculators

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Open Hub

HR metrics hub

How HR measures are defined and read.

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Put it into practice

Related templates

Template

Recruitment Planning Template

Planning a hire before you source it saves weeks later.

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Go deeper

Related resources

The clusters that put this concept into practice.

Lifecycle

Employee lifecycle

The full employee journey, stage by stage.

Open Operations

Employer operations

Run the workforce as a repeatable system.

Open Planning

Workforce planning

Strategy and organizational design.

Open Compliance

HR compliance

Documentation, records, data and policy.

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HR templates

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Open Playbooks

HR playbooks

Step-by-step plays for people processes.

Open Technology

HR technology

Automation, analytics and systems.

Open Funnel

Recruitment funnel

Sourcing through to accepted offer.

Open Reporting

HR reporting & dashboards

Turn people data into clear views.

Open AI for HR

AI for HR

Where AI assists HR, responsibly.

Open Resource center

HR resource center

The central map of every cluster.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is Applicant Tracking System (ATS)?

An applicant tracking system (ATS) is software that manages candidates through the hiring funnel — postings, applications, stages and communication.

Why does Applicant Tracking System (ATS) matter?

It keeps hiring organised, consistent and measurable as volume grows.

How is Applicant Tracking System (ATS) measured?

It connects to the HR metric linked on this page, where you can find the formula and how to read it. This glossary entry is an educational definition, not a data source.