A Glossary of Essential HR Tech & Integration Buzzwords for Automation

Understanding the evolving landscape of HR technology and its integration capabilities is no longer optional for recruiting and HR professionals; it’s a strategic imperative. As automation platforms like N8n and Make.com revolutionize how we connect disparate systems, a solid grasp of key technical terms becomes invaluable. This glossary is designed to demystify the jargon, providing clear, authoritative definitions tailored to help you navigate the complexities of HR tech integration, streamline your processes, and empower your team.

Applicant Tracking System (ATS)

An ATS is a software application designed to help recruiters and employers manage the recruitment process. It automates and streamlines various stages, including job posting, application collection, candidate screening, interview scheduling, and offer management. For HR automation, an ATS often serves as a primary data source for candidate information. Integrating an ATS with other HR tools or CRM systems via platforms like Make.com allows for automated data transfer, preventing manual entry, ensuring data consistency, and triggering workflows such as sending automated candidate communications or updating candidate statuses across multiple platforms.

Human Resources Information System (HRIS)

An HRIS is a comprehensive software solution that centralizes and manages HR-related data and processes. It typically includes functionalities such as employee records management, payroll, benefits administration, time and attendance tracking, performance management, and training. HRIS systems are foundational to HR operations, holding critical employee lifecycle data. Automating interactions with an HRIS through integration platforms can automate onboarding tasks, update employee profiles, trigger payroll processes based on new hires or changes, and ensure compliance by maintaining accurate, up-to-date information across the organization.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

While traditionally associated with sales and marketing, a CRM system’s principles are highly applicable to recruiting and HR, particularly in managing candidate relationships. In this context, a CRM can track candidate interactions, build talent pipelines, manage communication, and nurture relationships with potential hires over time. For HR automation, integrating a CRM (e.g., Salesforce, Keap) with an ATS or other communication tools allows for a holistic view of the candidate journey, automating follow-up emails, scheduling reminders, and personalizing outreach based on candidate status or interaction history, leading to a more efficient and effective recruitment funnel.

Single Sign-On (SSO)

SSO is an authentication scheme that allows a user to log in with a single ID and password to several related, yet independent, software systems. Instead of having to log in separately to each application, SSO provides a seamless and secure experience, improving user convenience and reducing password fatigue. In HR tech, SSO is crucial for accessing various HR systems (ATS, HRIS, payroll) with one set of credentials, enhancing security and streamlining the employee or recruiter’s daily workflow. This is particularly valuable in environments where numerous cloud-based applications are used, simplifying access management.

OAuth (Open Authorization)

OAuth is an open standard for token-based authorization on the internet. It allows a user to grant a third-party application limited access to their resources (like data or services) on another service without sharing their actual login credentials. Instead, it issues access tokens. For HR tech integrations, OAuth is a secure and common method for platforms like N8n or Make.com to connect to services (e.g., Google Drive, LinkedIn, an ATS) and perform actions on behalf of a user. It ensures that sensitive user credentials remain private, enhancing security and facilitating secure data exchange between applications.

JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)

JSON is a lightweight data-interchange format that is human-readable and easy for machines to parse and generate. It is widely used for transmitting data between a server and web application, serving as a primary format for APIs. In HR automation, understanding JSON is vital because most modern HR tech APIs (ATS, HRIS, background check services) will send and receive data in this format. Automation platforms like Make.com or N8n are adept at parsing JSON structures, allowing you to extract specific data points (e.g., candidate name, email, resume text) to map and transfer between different systems efficiently.

XML (Extensible Markup Language)

XML is a markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. While JSON has largely superseded XML for new web services, many legacy HR systems and enterprise applications still rely on XML for data exchange. HR professionals working with older systems, or those integrating with specific industry standards (e.g., HR-XML Consortium for staffing), may encounter XML. Automation platforms can still process XML, extracting structured data for transformation and transfer to other systems, ensuring compatibility across diverse tech stacks.

REST API (Representational State Transfer Application Programming Interface)

A REST API is a set of rules and conventions that define how two computer systems can communicate over the internet. It leverages standard HTTP requests (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to interact with resources (e.g., candidate profiles, job postings, employee records) on a server. REST APIs are the backbone of modern web integrations. For HR automation, understanding how to use a REST API means you can programmatically interact with almost any HR tech system—fetching candidate data from an ATS, updating employee records in an HRIS, or triggering actions in a communication platform. Low-code tools simplify this by abstracting much of the direct coding away.

Webhook

A webhook is an automated message sent from an application when a specific event occurs, acting as a real-time notification mechanism. It’s essentially a “reverse API” where the application sends data to a pre-configured URL when something happens, rather than waiting for a request. In HR automation, webhooks are incredibly powerful for creating instant, event-driven workflows. For instance, an ATS could send a webhook to Make.com every time a new application is submitted, immediately triggering actions like parsing the resume, sending an acknowledgement email, or creating a new entry in a CRM. This eliminates polling and provides immediate response.

Low-Code/No-Code (LCNC)

Low-Code/No-Code refers to application development platforms that enable users to create software applications and automations with little to no coding. Low-code platforms use visual interfaces with pre-built modules and drag-and-drop functionality, while no-code platforms are even more abstracted, often relying entirely on graphical user interfaces. For HR professionals, LCNC tools like Make.com and N8n democratize automation, allowing HR teams to build complex workflows, integrate systems, and customize applications without needing extensive programming knowledge or relying solely on IT departments. This significantly accelerates digital transformation within HR.

Integration Platform as a Service (iPaaS)

iPaaS is a suite of cloud services enabling the development, execution, and governance of integration flows connecting disparate applications, processes, services, and data within an organization or across multiple organizations. Platforms like Make.com and N8n fall under the iPaaS category. They provide a centralized environment for building, deploying, and managing integrations between various HR tech solutions. An iPaaS simplifies the complexities of system connectivity, data transformation, and API management, offering a scalable and robust framework for comprehensive HR automation without requiring extensive infrastructure or specialized coding.

Workflow Automation

Workflow automation refers to the design and implementation of systems that automatically execute a series of tasks or steps in a business process, triggered by specific conditions or events. The goal is to eliminate manual effort, reduce errors, and improve efficiency. In HR and recruiting, workflow automation can transform processes like candidate screening (e.g., moving candidates through stages based on assessment scores), employee onboarding (e.g., automatically provisioning software access), or performance review cycles. Tools like N8n and Make.com are specifically designed to build these automated workflows across various HR applications.

Data Mapping

Data mapping is the process of matching data fields from one source system to corresponding data fields in a target system. It defines how data elements from an input will be transformed and mapped to an output. This is a critical step in any HR tech integration. For example, when transferring candidate information from an ATS to an HRIS, “Applicant Name” in the ATS might map to “Employee Full Name” in the HRIS. Accurate data mapping ensures that information is correctly structured and understood by the receiving system, preventing data loss, errors, and inconsistencies, which is vital for seamless automation.

ETL (Extract, Transform, Load)

ETL is a three-phase data integration process used to move data from one or more sources to a destination, typically a data warehouse or another database.
* **Extract:** Data is pulled from source systems (e.g., HRIS, ATS).
* **Transform:** The extracted data is cleaned, refined, and converted into a format suitable for the destination system (e.g., standardizing date formats, combining fields).
* **Load:** The transformed data is then written into the target system.
In HR, ETL processes are essential for consolidating data from various HR tech platforms for reporting, analytics, or migrating data during system changes. Automation platforms can facilitate ETL operations, ensuring data integrity and consistency across the HR ecosystem.

API Key

An API Key is a unique string of characters used to authenticate a user, developer, or calling program to an API. It acts like a secret password that grants access to a specific service’s data or functionalities. When integrating HR tech systems, you’ll often need to obtain an API key from the service provider (e.g., your ATS vendor) to allow your automation platform (like N8n or Make.com) to make authorized requests. API keys are crucial for security, controlling access, and sometimes tracking usage, ensuring that only authorized applications can interact with the system.

If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: N8n vs Make.com: Mastering HR & Recruiting Automation