A Glossary of Key Terms in HR Tech Platforms & API Connections

In the rapidly evolving landscape of human resources and recruiting, technology platforms and their interconnectedness via APIs have become indispensable. Understanding the core terminology isn’t just about speaking the language of tech; it’s about leveraging these tools to streamline operations, enhance candidate experiences, and make data-driven decisions. This glossary provides essential definitions for HR and recruiting professionals navigating the complexities of modern HR tech stacks and the powerful integrations that drive efficiency and innovation.

API (Application Programming Interface)

An API, or Application Programming Interface, acts as a messenger that allows two different software applications to communicate with each other. In the context of HR tech, APIs enable various platforms—like an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), HRIS, payroll system, or learning management system—to exchange data seamlessly. For example, an API might allow new hire data from your ATS to automatically flow into your HRIS, eliminating manual data entry and reducing errors. This connectivity is crucial for building a cohesive HR tech ecosystem, automating workflows, and ensuring a single source of truth for employee data across an organization. Understanding APIs is fundamental to unlocking the full potential of your HR tools and creating robust automation sequences.

HR Tech Stack

An HR tech stack refers to the complete collection of technology tools, platforms, and software solutions an organization uses to manage its human resources functions. This can include systems for recruitment, onboarding, payroll, benefits administration, performance management, learning and development, and employee engagement. The effectiveness of an HR tech stack heavily relies on how well these individual components integrate and communicate, often through APIs. A well-designed stack ensures that data flows efficiently, reduces redundancy, and provides a holistic view of the employee lifecycle. For HR and recruiting professionals, optimizing their tech stack means evaluating current tools, identifying integration opportunities, and strategically selecting new solutions that complement existing systems to drive efficiency and scalability.

Integration

Integration, in the context of HR tech, is the process of connecting two or more disparate software applications or systems so they can work together and share data. For example, integrating an ATS with a background check provider means that once a candidate reaches a certain stage, their information is automatically sent for screening without manual re-entry. Robust integrations are vital for reducing manual effort, improving data accuracy, and creating automated workflows across the HR function. They ensure that information entered in one system is immediately accessible and actionable in another, streamlining processes from talent acquisition to offboarding. Effective integration strategies are key to maximizing ROI on HR technology investments and enhancing the overall efficiency of HR operations.

Webhook

A webhook is an automated message sent from one application to another when a specific event occurs. Think of it as an instant notification system. In HR tech, webhooks are incredibly powerful for real-time automation. For instance, when a candidate status changes to “Hired” in an ATS, a webhook can instantly trigger a new employee onboarding workflow in a separate HRIS or a document generation process in a contract management system. This push-based communication method is more efficient than polling (where systems regularly check for updates), as it immediately broadcasts relevant changes, enabling instant reactions and maintaining data consistency across interconnected platforms. Webhooks are a cornerstone for building dynamic, responsive, and highly automated HR processes.

REST API (Representational State Transfer API)

A REST API is a widely used and flexible architectural style for designing networked applications. It defines a set of constraints for how clients (e.g., your automation platform) can request data from and send data to a server (e.g., an HRIS). Most modern web services and HR tech platforms expose RESTful APIs, making them easily accessible for integration. For HR teams looking to build custom integrations or leverage low-code automation tools, understanding REST principles is crucial for correctly structuring requests (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to retrieve or manipulate data, such as fetching candidate profiles or updating employee records. Its stateless nature and use of standard HTTP methods make it highly scalable and widely adopted across the tech industry.

OAuth (Open Authorization)

OAuth is an open standard for token-based authentication and authorization on the internet. It allows a user to grant a third-party application (like an automation platform) access to their resources on another website (like an HRIS) without sharing their actual credentials. Instead, it issues temporary access tokens. In HR tech, OAuth significantly enhances security and user experience. For example, when connecting your ATS to a reporting tool, OAuth ensures the reporting tool only has permission to access specific data you authorize, and you don’t have to expose your main ATS username and password. This minimizes security risks by limiting access scope and providing a secure way to manage permissions for integrated applications.

SSO (Single Sign-On)

SSO, or Single Sign-On, is an authentication scheme that allows a user to log in with a single ID and password to gain access to multiple related, yet independent, software systems. In an HR context, SSO is invaluable for streamlining access to various HR applications within an organization’s tech stack, such as an HRIS, ATS, learning management system, and benefits portal. Instead of remembering multiple logins, employees can use one set of credentials to access all authorized HR tools. This not only enhances user convenience and productivity but also improves security by centralizing authentication and making it easier for IT to manage access controls. SSO adoption is a key component of a robust and user-friendly HR tech environment.

Data Security

Data security, within the realm of HR tech and API connections, refers to the protective measures taken to prevent unauthorized access, corruption, or theft of sensitive employee and candidate information. This includes personal identifiable information (PII), payroll details, performance reviews, and health records. Implementing strong data security protocols is paramount, especially when integrating systems, as each API connection can represent a potential vulnerability if not secured properly. Measures include encryption, access controls, regular security audits, and adherence to compliance standards like GDPR or CCPA. For HR and recruiting professionals, ensuring the security of data flowing between platforms is a critical responsibility to protect individuals and maintain organizational integrity and trust.

GDPR/CCPA Compliance

GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) and CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) are landmark data privacy regulations that dictate how organizations must collect, process, and store personal data. For HR tech platforms and API connections, compliance means ensuring that all data transfers, storage, and processing activities align with these strict rules, especially regarding consent, data minimization, data access, and the right to be forgotten. This impacts everything from how candidate data is collected via an ATS to how employee data is shared between an HRIS and a payroll system through APIs. Non-compliance can lead to severe penalties, making it essential for HR and IT teams to partner closely to ensure all integrated systems and data flows meet these regulatory requirements, particularly when dealing with international or Californian residents’ data.

Talent Acquisition Suite

A Talent Acquisition Suite is a comprehensive set of integrated software modules designed to manage the entire recruiting lifecycle, from sourcing and screening to interviewing, offer management, and onboarding. These suites often combine an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), Candidate Relationship Management (CRM) tools, onboarding modules, and sometimes even assessment or background check integrations. The power of a suite lies in its integrated nature, where data and processes flow seamlessly between modules, reducing manual hand-offs and improving efficiency. For recruiting professionals, a robust talent acquisition suite, especially one with strong API capabilities, provides a unified platform to attract, engage, and hire top talent more effectively, offering a consistent experience for both recruiters and candidates.

HRIS (Human Resources Information System)

An HRIS, or Human Resources Information System, is a software solution that helps HR departments manage, process, and automate core HR functions and data. It typically serves as the central repository for all employee information, including personal details, compensation, benefits, attendance, and performance records. Modern HRIS platforms often feature extensive API capabilities, allowing them to integrate with other essential systems like payroll, time tracking, and learning management systems. For HR and recruiting professionals, an effective HRIS is foundational for maintaining accurate employee data, generating reports, ensuring compliance, and providing a single source of truth that powers many downstream HR processes and automations.

ATS (Applicant Tracking System)

An ATS, or Applicant Tracking System, is a software application designed to help recruiters and hiring managers manage the entire recruiting and hiring process. This includes posting job openings, collecting applications, screening resumes, scheduling interviews, and tracking candidate progress through the hiring funnel. Modern ATS platforms frequently offer robust APIs that enable integration with sourcing tools, HRIS, background check services, and communication platforms. For recruiting professionals, an ATS is critical for organizing and streamlining high-volume recruitment, improving candidate experience, and ensuring compliance. Its ability to connect with other HR tech through APIs further enhances its utility by automating data transfer and reducing manual tasks throughout the talent acquisition workflow.

Payroll API

A Payroll API is a specific type of API that enables secure and automated data exchange between a company’s payroll system and other financial or HR applications. This allows for seamless transfer of critical information such as employee hours, deductions, benefits data, and tax information. For example, an integration via a Payroll API might automatically send updated salary information from an HRIS to the payroll system when an employee receives a raise, or feed time-off requests from a workforce management tool directly into payroll processing. This automation reduces manual data entry errors, ensures timely and accurate payments, and significantly streamlines the entire payroll administration process, freeing up HR and finance teams from time-consuming reconciliation tasks.

Low-code/No-code Automation

Low-code/no-code automation platforms allow users to create applications and automate workflows with minimal to no manual coding. Low-code platforms provide a visual development environment with pre-built components and drag-and-drop interfaces, while no-code solutions often require no coding at all. In HR and recruiting, these tools (like Make.com, Zapier, or Integromat) are game-changers, empowering HR professionals to build their own integrations and automations without relying heavily on IT. For example, an HR team could use a no-code platform to automatically send a welcome email to new hires pulled from an ATS, or sync candidate data between a form submission and their CRM, drastically improving efficiency and agility in developing solutions to specific business problems.

Workflow Automation

Workflow automation in HR refers to the use of technology to automate a sequence of tasks or steps within a business process, eliminating manual intervention. This can include automating the new hire onboarding process, from document signing and IT provisioning requests to benefits enrollment, or automating the resume screening and interview scheduling for recruiters. By leveraging APIs, webhooks, and low-code platforms, organizations can connect disparate systems to create end-to-end automated workflows. The benefits for HR and recruiting are substantial: reduced administrative burden, fewer human errors, faster processing times, improved compliance, and a better experience for employees and candidates. It allows HR professionals to focus on strategic initiatives rather than repetitive, manual tasks.

If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: Keap & HighLevel Data Backup for HR & Recruiting: Mitigating API Risks & Ensuring Business Continuity