Small Business Glossary and Definitions

An Applicant Tracking System (ATS) is software that provides a database and central location for the electronic handling of a company’s recruitment and employment needs. It is similar a Customer Relationship Management System except that it tracks employee recruitment. It often automatically filters applications based upon established criteria such as keywords, schools attended, years of experience, former employers and skills. Virtually all employment agencies and most large corporations that do their own recruitment and hiring use an ATS to deal with resumes, job postings, applicants and interviews. Software as a Service and open source software is making ATS available to smaller businesses as well.