A Glossary of Key Third-Party App & Connector Ecosystem Terms for Keap

In today’s interconnected business landscape, leveraging third-party applications and robust connectors is crucial for maximizing the power of platforms like Keap, especially for HR and recruiting professionals. Understanding the terminology of this ecosystem is not just technical jargon; it’s essential for strategizing efficient workflows, automating critical processes, and ensuring seamless data flow across your talent acquisition and management systems. This glossary defines key terms that will empower you to navigate and optimize your Keap environment for unparalleled operational efficiency and recruitment success.

API (Application Programming Interface)

An API acts as a software intermediary that allows two applications to talk to each other. In the context of Keap, an API enables external systems—such as an applicant tracking system (ATS), a payroll platform, or a recruiting chatbot—to send and receive data directly with your Keap CRM. For HR and recruiting teams, mastering APIs means you can automate the transfer of candidate information, update lead statuses, or trigger follow-up communications in Keap based on actions taken in a separate recruiting tool, ensuring a single source of truth and reducing manual data entry errors.

Webhook

A webhook is an automated message sent from an app when a specific event occurs, essentially real-time notifications from one system to another. Unlike traditional APIs where you “pull” data, webhooks “push” data immediately. For instance, when a new candidate applies through your careers page (an event), the ATS can send a webhook to an integration platform like Make.com, which then automatically creates a contact in Keap, assigns a tag, or initiates an onboarding sequence. This real-time capability is invaluable for triggering instant actions in recruiting workflows, like sending automated interview confirmations or updating candidate profiles.

Integration

Integration refers to the process of connecting two or more disparate software applications or systems to enable them to work together and share data. For Keap users in HR and recruiting, integration might involve linking Keap with a job board, an e-signature platform for offer letters (e.g., PandaDoc), or a background check service. The goal is to create a cohesive operational environment where information flows freely and automatically between systems, eliminating silos, preventing data duplication, and streamlining complex processes from candidate sourcing to hire.

CRM (Customer Relationship Management)

A CRM system, such as Keap, is a technology for managing all your company’s relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers. While primarily designed for sales and marketing, Keap’s CRM capabilities are profoundly impactful for HR and recruiting. It serves as a centralized database for candidate profiles, talent pipelines, communication histories, and recruiting stages. By effectively using Keap as a ‘Candidate Relationship Management’ system, HR professionals can nurture leads, track applicant journeys, manage talent pools, and personalize communications at scale, significantly enhancing the candidate experience and recruiter efficiency.

iPaaS (Integration Platform as a Service)

iPaaS is a suite of cloud services that connects applications residing in various deployment environments, such as on-premises and cloud-based applications. Platforms like Make.com are prime examples of iPaaS solutions. These platforms provide tools and connectors to build, deploy, and manage integrations without extensive coding knowledge (low-code/no-code). For HR and recruiting, an iPaaS simplifies the complex task of integrating Keap with dozens of other specialized HR tech tools, enabling sophisticated multi-step automations that can handle everything from interview scheduling to new hire onboarding, all while maintaining data integrity across the ecosystem.

Connector

A connector is a pre-built software component designed to facilitate communication and data exchange between a specific application and other systems, often within an iPaaS or integration marketplace. Think of it as a specialized adapter. For Keap users, connectors allow you to easily link Keap to popular apps like QuickBooks, Gmail, or LinkedIn without having to write custom code for each integration. These ready-made bridges significantly reduce the time and technical expertise required to set up data flows, making it simpler for HR teams to automate tasks like syncing contact data, logging communications, or updating recruitment stages across connected platforms.

Plugin / Add-on

A plugin or add-on is a piece of software that extends the functionality of an existing application. Within the Keap ecosystem, these are often found in the Keap Marketplace or directly integrated by developers. For instance, a plugin might add advanced analytics to your Keap campaigns, provide specialized reporting for recruitment metrics, or enhance your email marketing capabilities. For HR and recruiting, selecting the right plugins can customize Keap to meet specific talent acquisition needs, from advanced lead scoring for candidates to specialized email templates for outreach campaigns, making the platform more robust without custom development.

Ecosystem

In the context of business software, an ecosystem refers to the network of applications, platforms, integrations, and services that work together to support an organization’s operations. For Keap, its ecosystem includes native features, marketplace apps, third-party integrations, and custom solutions built around the platform. For HR and recruiting, a well-managed ecosystem ensures that all your tools—ATS, HRIS, communication platforms, Keap CRM—are harmonized, creating a seamless and automated workflow from job posting to employee retention. A robust ecosystem is vital for scalability, data consistency, and maximizing ROI from your technology investments.

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 limited access to their resources on another site (like Keap) without exposing their password. For HR and recruiting, this is critical for security and user experience. For example, when you connect an external recruiting tool to Keap, OAuth allows that tool to access specific Keap data (e.g., contact records) on your behalf, without the recruiting tool ever seeing or storing your Keap login credentials, ensuring data privacy and secure access.

SDK (Software Development Kit)

An SDK is a collection of software development tools in one installable package. It typically includes code samples, debugging tools, and documentation that developers use to create applications for a specific platform. While more relevant to developers than end-users, understanding SDKs highlights how robust and customizable a platform like Keap can be. For HR tech vendors looking to build direct integrations with Keap or for organizations with in-house development teams, a Keap SDK would provide the resources needed to create custom applications or highly specialized connectors that perfectly fit unique HR and recruiting requirements.

Data Sync

Data synchronization, or data sync, is the process of establishing consistency among data from two or more sources and propagating changes back and forth. In the Keap ecosystem, data sync ensures that information about candidates, contacts, or companies remains identical and up-to-date across Keap and any integrated HR, recruiting, or business systems. For instance, if a candidate’s status is updated in your ATS, data sync automatically reflects that change in their Keap contact record. This prevents discrepancies, improves data accuracy, and ensures that all team members are working with the most current information, critical for effective talent pipeline management.

Workflow Automation

Workflow automation is the design and execution of rules-based logic to automatically perform a series of tasks, eliminating manual effort and improving efficiency. Within Keap, this involves setting up sequences and campaigns to automate sales, marketing, and crucially, HR and recruiting processes. Examples include automatically sending welcome emails to new applicants, scheduling follow-up interviews based on specific tags, or moving candidates through different stages of a recruitment funnel. Effective workflow automation in Keap saves HR teams countless hours, reduces human error, and ensures a consistent, timely candidate experience.

Low-Code / No-Code

Low-code and no-code development platforms allow users to create applications and automated workflows with minimal or no traditional programming. Low-code platforms offer a visual interface with pre-built components, while no-code platforms are entirely visual and require no coding. Tools like Make.com, often used with Keap, embody this approach. For HR and recruiting professionals, low-code/no-code means they can build sophisticated integrations and automations themselves, without relying on IT developers. This democratization of technology empowers HR teams to rapidly adapt their systems to changing needs, automate repetitive tasks, and innovate their recruiting strategies more quickly.

Sandbox Environment

A sandbox environment is a testing environment that isolates unproven code changes and experiments from the production environment. It’s a secure, controlled space where developers or administrators can test new integrations, custom code, or complex automations without affecting live data or operations. For Keap users planning intricate integrations with HR systems, or building custom solutions, a sandbox is invaluable. It allows HR tech teams to thoroughly test new recruiting workflows, data synchronization rules, or API connections, ensuring everything functions correctly and securely before deploying to the live Keap system, mitigating risks and errors.

Third-Party App

A third-party app is any software application that is developed by a vendor other than the primary platform provider. In the context of Keap, any application not developed by Keap itself, but designed to integrate with it, is a third-party app. This includes widely used tools like Zoom, Slack, Mailchimp, QuickBooks, or specialized HR platforms like an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) or HR Information System (HRIS). Leveraging third-party apps through Keap’s integration capabilities allows HR and recruiting teams to extend Keap’s functionality, create bespoke workflows, and build a comprehensive tech stack tailored to their specific talent acquisition and management needs.

If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: Keap Data Protection: Your Essential Backup & Recovery Playbook