A Step-by-Step Guide to Integrating Make.com with Your ATS (e.g., Workable, Greenhouse) for Free
In today’s competitive talent landscape, HR and recruiting teams are constantly seeking efficiencies to streamline their workflows and enhance the candidate experience. Manual data entry and disconnected systems are major bottlenecks, leading to wasted time, potential errors, and a slower hiring process. Make.com offers a powerful, low-code automation platform that can bridge the gap between your Applicant Tracking System (ATS), such as Workable or Greenhouse, and other vital tools—often at no direct cost or significantly less than alternatives. This guide will walk you through the practical steps to integrate Make.com with your ATS, enabling seamless data flow and automated processes without breaking the bank.
Step 1: Define Your Integration Goal and ATS Triggers
Before diving into the technical setup, clearly articulate what you aim to achieve with this integration. Are you looking to automatically transfer new candidate applications to a spreadsheet for deeper analysis, send custom notifications for specific candidate statuses, or perhaps enrich candidate profiles with data from other sources? Understanding your objective will dictate the data points you need to extract from your ATS and the subsequent actions in Make.com. Simultaneously, identify the specific events or “triggers” within your ATS that should initiate this automation. Common triggers include a new candidate application, a change in candidate stage (e.g., “Interview Scheduled”), or a new job posting. Most modern ATS platforms provide webhook capabilities or API access to push data upon these defined events, which will be the starting point for your Make.com scenario.
Step 2: Set Up Your Make.com Account and Webhook
If you haven’t already, create a free Make.com account. Make.com offers generous free tiers that are often sufficient for getting started with basic integrations. Once logged in, navigate to your dashboard and create a new “Scenario.” The first module in your scenario will be the “Webhook” module. Search for “Webhooks” and select “Custom webhook.” This module will provide you with a unique URL. This URL is crucial because it acts as the listener, waiting for data to be sent from your ATS. Copy this URL carefully, as you’ll need it in the next step to tell your ATS where to send the information. Ensure your scenario is saved, even if it only contains the webhook module at this stage, so you don’t lose your progress.
Step 3: Configure Your ATS to Send Data to Make.com
Now, it’s time to connect your ATS to the Make.com webhook. The exact process varies by ATS (e.g., Workable, Greenhouse, etc.), but generally involves accessing the “Integrations,” “Developers,” or “Webhooks” section within your ATS settings. Look for an option to create a new webhook or API integration. You will typically be asked for the webhook URL (the one you copied from Make.com in Step 2) and to select the events that should trigger the data transmission (e.g., “Candidate created,” “Candidate stage changed”). Some ATS platforms allow you to customize the payload (the data sent), while others send a predefined set of information. Once configured, perform a test action in your ATS (e.g., submit a dummy application or change a candidate’s status) to send sample data to your Make.com webhook. This step is essential for Make.com to “learn” the data structure.
Step 4: Process and Map Data in Make.com
With the sample data successfully received by your Make.com webhook, you can now parse and map it. In your Make.com scenario, run the webhook module once to capture the incoming data structure. Make.com will automatically detect the fields (e.g., candidate name, email, job title, status) sent by your ATS. You’ll then add subsequent modules to your scenario to process this data. For instance, you might use a “JSON” module to parse complex data or a “Text parser” module to extract specific information. The key is to map the data fields from your ATS webhook to the corresponding fields in your next target module. This ensures that when a candidate’s email comes through, it’s correctly identified as an email address for any downstream actions, preventing errors and ensuring data integrity.
Step 5: Integrate with a Target System or Internal Process
This is where the power of automation truly shines. Once your ATS data is flowing into Make.com, you can connect it to virtually any other application. Common integrations include:
- **Google Sheets/Airtable:** Automatically add new candidate details or status updates to a central tracking sheet.
- **Email/Slack:** Send custom notifications to hiring managers or team members when a specific event occurs.
- **CRM (e.g., Keap, HubSpot):** Sync candidate data to your CRM for pipeline management or talent pooling.
- **Other HR Tools:** Connect to assessment platforms, HRIS systems, or background check services.
Select the appropriate module in Make.com (e.g., Google Sheets, Email, Slack) and configure it to receive the mapped data from your ATS. This step transforms raw data into actionable insights and automated workflows, significantly reducing manual effort and improving response times.
Step 6: Test, Refine, and Activate Your Scenario
Thorough testing is paramount before deploying your integration live. Run your Make.com scenario multiple times using different test cases within your ATS (e.g., new application, different candidate stages, various job roles). Monitor the “Run history” in Make.com to identify any errors or unexpected behaviors. Pay close attention to data mapping—ensure all fields are correctly transferred and appear as expected in the target system. Refine your scenario logic, add filters, or incorporate error handling as needed. Once you’re confident that the integration works flawlessly across all desired conditions, toggle your Make.com scenario “ON.” This activates the automation, and it will now continuously listen for triggers from your ATS and execute the defined actions automatically.
Step 7: Monitor and Optimize for Continuous Improvement
Activating your scenario isn’t the final step; it’s the beginning of continuous improvement. Regularly monitor your Make.com scenario’s operation, especially during the initial weeks. Check the “Run history” for any failed runs and address the underlying causes promptly. As your hiring processes evolve, or if your ATS or integrated tools update, you may need to adjust your Make.com scenarios. Look for opportunities to expand your automation, perhaps adding new steps or connecting to additional systems. This iterative approach ensures your integration remains efficient, effective, and continues to deliver maximum value, saving your team valuable time and resources consistently. By embracing automation, you empower your HR and recruiting functions to operate at peak performance, focusing on strategic initiatives rather than repetitive tasks.
If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: Make.com: Strategic HR & Recruiting Automation at 1/8th Zapier’s Cost (Plus 10,000 Free Credits)
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- **Google Sheets/Airtable:** Automatically add new candidate details or status updates to a central tracking sheet.
- **Email/Slack:** Send custom notifications to hiring managers or team members when a specific event occurs.
- **CRM (e.g., Keap, HubSpot):** Sync candidate data to your CRM for pipeline management or talent pooling.
- **Other HR Tools:** Connect to assessment platforms, HRIS systems, or background check services.
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\nSelect the appropriate module in Make.com (e.g., Google Sheets, Email, Slack) and configure it to receive the mapped data from your ATS. This step transforms raw data into actionable insights and automated workflows, significantly reducing manual effort and improving response times." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "name": "Step 6: Test, Refine, and Activate Your Scenario", "text": "Thorough testing is paramount before deploying your integration live. Run your Make.com scenario multiple times using different test cases within your ATS (e.g., new application, different candidate stages, various job roles). Monitor the \"Run history\" in Make.com to identify any errors or unexpected behaviors. Pay close attention to data mapping—ensure all fields are correctly transferred and appear as expected in the target system. Refine your scenario logic, add filters, or incorporate error handling as needed. Once you're confident that the integration works flawlessly across all desired conditions, toggle your Make.com scenario \"ON.\" This activates the automation, and it will now continuously listen for triggers from your ATS and execute the defined actions automatically." }, { "@type": "HowToStep", "name": "Step 7: Monitor and Optimize for Continuous Improvement", "text": "Activating your scenario isn't the final step; it's the beginning of continuous improvement. Regularly monitor your Make.com scenario's operation, especially during the initial weeks. Check the \"Run history\" for any failed runs and address the underlying causes promptly. As your hiring processes evolve, or if your ATS or integrated tools update, you may need to adjust your Make.com scenarios. Look for opportunities to expand your automation, perhaps adding new steps or connecting to additional systems. This iterative approach ensures your integration remains efficient, effective, and continues to deliver maximum value, saving your team valuable time and resources consistently. By embracing automation, you empower your HR and recruiting functions to operate at peak performance, focusing on strategic initiatives rather than repetitive tasks." } ] }
