A Glossary of Webhook, Automation, and Data Processing Terms for HR & Recruiting

In today’s fast-paced HR and recruiting landscape, leveraging automation and data processing technologies is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity for staying competitive and efficient. Understanding the fundamental concepts behind these systems, from how data flows between applications to the platforms that orchestrate complex workflows, is crucial for any HR leader or recruiting professional looking to optimize operations and make data-driven decisions. This glossary provides clear, authoritative definitions for key terms you’ll encounter as you navigate the world of webhooks, APIs, and automation, specifically tailored to their practical application in human resources and talent acquisition.

Webhook

A webhook is an automated message sent from one application to another when a specific event occurs. Unlike traditional APIs where an application has to “poll” or repeatedly ask for new information, webhooks deliver data in real-time, acting as a “push” notification. In HR, webhooks can instantly notify your ATS when a new application is submitted to your career site, trigger an automated onboarding sequence when a candidate accepts an offer in your HRIS, or update a CRM when a candidate’s status changes. This real-time capability eliminates delays, reduces manual data entry, and ensures all systems reflect the most current information, drastically improving response times and operational efficiency for recruiting teams.

API (Application Programming Interface)

An API, or Application Programming Interface, is a set of rules and protocols that allows different software applications to communicate and exchange data with each other. It acts as an intermediary, defining the methods and data formats that applications can use to request and send information. For HR professionals, APIs are the backbone of integrated tech stacks, enabling systems like an ATS to communicate with an HRIS, a background check provider, or an assessment tool. While webhooks push data based on events, APIs are often used for more complex, bidirectional data requests and modifications, facilitating a seamless flow of information that reduces manual reconciliation and improves data accuracy across the entire employee lifecycle.

Payload (Webhook Body)

In the context of webhooks and APIs, a “payload” or “webhook body” refers to the actual data sent in an HTTP request. When an event triggers a webhook, the payload is the structured message containing all the relevant information about that event. This data is typically formatted in JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) or XML. For example, a webhook triggered by a new job application might have a payload containing the candidate’s name, contact information, resume URL, and the job ID they applied for. Understanding how to interpret and map this payload data is fundamental for automation platforms like Make.com, as it dictates how information is extracted and then used to perform subsequent actions in an HR workflow, such as creating a candidate record or sending a confirmation email.

Automation Platform

An automation platform, often a low-code or no-code solution like Make.com, provides a visual interface for connecting disparate applications and automating workflows without requiring extensive coding knowledge. These platforms empower HR and recruiting teams to design and implement complex sequences of tasks, linking triggers from one system to actions in another. For instance, an automation platform can watch for new applications in your ATS (trigger), extract candidate data, perform preliminary screening using AI, send an automated interview invitation, and then update a CRM with the candidate’s progress (actions). By orchestrating these interconnected processes, automation platforms significantly reduce manual administrative burdens, accelerate hiring cycles, and free up HR professionals to focus on strategic initiatives rather than repetitive tasks.

CRM (Candidate Relationship Management)

While traditionally known for sales, a CRM (Candidate Relationship Management) system in the HR context is used to manage and nurture relationships with potential candidates, particularly those in talent pools or for future roles. It helps recruiting teams track interactions, manage communications, and build long-term relationships with individuals who may not be an immediate fit but could be valuable prospects down the line. By integrating a CRM with an ATS and automation platforms, HR can automate follow-up emails, send personalized content, track engagement, and ensure a consistent, positive candidate experience. This strategic approach to talent pipelining ensures a robust pool of qualified candidates is always accessible, reducing time-to-hire for critical roles.

ATS (Applicant Tracking System)

An ATS, or Applicant Tracking System, is a software application designed to help recruiters and employers manage the entire recruitment and hiring process. From posting job openings and collecting applications to screening candidates, scheduling interviews, and tracking progress, an ATS centralizes and streamlines talent acquisition. When integrated with automation, an ATS can automatically parse resumes, score candidates against predefined criteria, send automated communication at various stages, and trigger onboarding processes upon offer acceptance. The effective use of an ATS, especially when connected via webhooks and APIs, significantly enhances recruiter productivity, ensures compliance, and improves the overall candidate experience by providing a structured and efficient hiring journey.

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

JSON, or JavaScript Object Notation, is a lightweight data-interchange format that is easy for humans to read and write, and easy for machines to parse and generate. It is the most common format for sending data between a server and web application, and it is extensively used in webhooks and APIs to structure payloads. In HR automation, understanding JSON is crucial because when your ATS sends a webhook with new candidate data, that data will likely be presented in a JSON format. Automation platforms visually represent this data, allowing you to easily identify and extract specific pieces of information—like a candidate’s email or their resume link—to use in subsequent automated steps, ensuring accurate and efficient data transfer across your HR tech stack.

Data Mapping

Data mapping is the process of matching fields and attributes from one data source to another, ensuring that information can be accurately and consistently transferred between different systems. In HR automation, data mapping is a critical step when integrating an ATS with an HRIS, CRM, or payroll system. For example, if your ATS uses “Candidate_Name” and your HRIS uses “Employee_Full_Name,” data mapping ensures these fields are correctly aligned so that candidate data flows smoothly into employee records without errors or omissions. This process is often facilitated by visual interfaces within automation platforms, allowing HR professionals to define how data from a webhook payload or API response should populate specific fields in a target application, preventing data silos and maintaining data integrity.

Integration

Integration, in the context of business technology, refers to the process of connecting disparate software applications or systems to enable them to work together as a cohesive unit. For HR and recruiting, strategic integration is paramount to building an efficient tech stack. It means linking your ATS, HRIS, payroll, background check providers, assessment tools, and communication platforms so they can seamlessly share data and trigger actions across workflows. By integrating systems, HR teams eliminate manual data entry, reduce the risk of errors, gain a holistic view of candidates and employees, and streamline complex processes like onboarding or performance management. Effective integration, often powered by APIs and webhooks via automation platforms, transforms individual applications into a powerful, unified operational ecosystem.

Workflow Automation

Workflow automation involves designing and implementing sequences of tasks that are executed automatically based on predefined rules or triggers, often without human intervention. In HR, this translates to significant time and cost savings by automating repetitive, rule-based processes. Examples include: automatically sending rejection emails to unqualified candidates, scheduling interviews based on calendar availability, triggering background checks upon offer acceptance, or enrolling new hires in an HRIS and sending welcome communications. By mapping out existing manual workflows and then leveraging automation platforms, HR and recruiting professionals can dramatically reduce administrative overhead, accelerate recruitment cycles, ensure consistency in processes, and improve the candidate and employee experience by providing timely and consistent engagement.

Low-Code / No-Code

Low-code and no-code development platforms empower individuals, including HR professionals without a programming background, to build applications and automate workflows using visual interfaces and pre-built components, rather than writing extensive lines of code. No-code platforms offer drag-and-drop functionality for simple integrations, while low-code platforms provide more flexibility for complex automations with minimal coding. For HR and recruiting, these tools are game-changers, enabling teams to quickly design and deploy custom solutions—such as automating candidate screening, building self-service portals, or integrating specific HR tools—without relying on IT departments or expensive developers. This democratizes automation, allowing HR teams to be more agile and responsive to evolving business needs, driving significant operational savings and innovation.

Trigger

A “trigger” is the initiating event that starts an automated workflow or sequence of actions within an automation platform. It’s the “if this happens” part of an “if this, then that” rule. Triggers can be diverse and specific to various applications. In HR automation, common triggers include: “new candidate submitted” in an ATS, “candidate status changed to ‘Hired'” in an HRIS, “new employee added” in a payroll system, or “interview completed” in a scheduling tool. Identifying and correctly configuring triggers is fundamental to building effective automations, as it ensures that the subsequent actions are only executed when the relevant event occurs, making HR processes efficient and contextually appropriate.

Action

An “action” is a task or operation performed by an automation platform in response to a predefined “trigger” within a workflow. It’s the “then that happens” part of an “if this, then that” rule. Following a trigger, an automation workflow executes one or more actions in various connected applications. In HR, actions might include: sending an automated email (e.g., interview confirmation), creating a new record in another system (e.g., adding a new hire to an HRIS), updating a candidate’s status in an ATS, generating a document (e.g., offer letter via PandaDoc), or initiating a background check. By chaining multiple actions together, HR professionals can create sophisticated, end-to-end automations that significantly reduce manual work and ensure consistent execution of critical tasks.

Real-time Data Processing

Real-time data processing refers to the ability of systems to process data as it is generated or received, providing immediate insights and enabling instant responses. In the context of HR and recruiting, this means that when a candidate updates their profile, a new application arrives, or an interview is scheduled, that information is instantly available and acted upon across all relevant systems. Webhooks are a prime example of technology enabling real-time data processing by pushing event-driven data immediately. This capability is critical for dynamic HR processes, allowing recruiters to respond to candidates faster, automate time-sensitive tasks like offer letter generation, and ensure that decision-makers always have access to the most current information, leading to more agile and responsive talent acquisition strategies.

Single Source of Truth (SSoT)

A Single Source of Truth (SSoT) is a concept in data management where all organizational data stems from one common, authoritative source. This approach aims to ensure that everyone in the organization, particularly HR and recruiting, is working with consistent, accurate, and up-to-date information, preventing data discrepancies and conflicts that arise when different departments maintain their own versions of data. For HR, achieving an SSoT often involves integrating various systems (ATS, HRIS, payroll, CRM) through automation platforms, centralizing candidate and employee data into one primary system, often the HRIS or a robust data warehouse. This reduces manual reconciliation, improves data integrity for reporting and analytics, and enables seamless, error-free operations across the entire employee lifecycle, making decision-making more reliable and efficient.

If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: Reducing Candidate Ghosting: ROI of Automated Interview Scheduling