A Glossary of Key Terms in Data Integration & API Fundamentals for HR Tech
In the rapidly evolving landscape of HR technology, understanding the core concepts of data integration and API fundamentals is no longer optional—it’s essential. For HR leaders, recruiting professionals, and operations specialists, leveraging automation and interconnected systems is key to driving efficiency, enhancing candidate experiences, and making data-driven decisions. This glossary provides clear, authoritative definitions for critical terms that underpin modern HR tech stacks, offering practical context for how these concepts apply to your daily operations and strategic initiatives. Dive in to empower your understanding and unlock the full potential of your HR automation journey.
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 interact with each other. It defines the methods and data formats that applications can use to request and exchange information. In HR tech, APIs are the backbone of integration, enabling systems like an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to seamlessly connect with an HR Information System (HRIS), payroll platforms, background check services, or learning management systems. For instance, when a recruiter updates a candidate’s status in the ATS, an API might automatically trigger an update in the HRIS or initiate an offer letter generation in a separate document management tool, streamlining workflows and reducing manual data entry errors. Understanding APIs is crucial for any HR professional looking to automate and optimize their tech ecosystem.
Webhook
A webhook is an automated message sent from an application when a specific event occurs, acting as a “user-defined HTTP callback.” Unlike traditional APIs where an application has to constantly “poll” or check for new data, webhooks provide real-time data pushes. When a specific event happens in one system, the webhook immediately sends a notification and associated data to a pre-configured URL in another system. For HR and recruiting automation, webhooks are incredibly powerful. For example, when a new candidate applies in your ATS, a webhook can instantly alert your CRM, trigger an automated initial screening questionnaire, or push the candidate’s data to a custom spreadsheet for analytics, all without manual intervention. This immediate communication fosters dynamic, event-driven workflows that significantly accelerate HR processes.
Data Integration
Data integration refers to the process of combining data from various disparate sources into a unified, coherent, and valuable view. In the context of HR technology, this involves bringing together information from different HR systems—such as an ATS, HRIS, payroll, performance management, and benefits platforms—to create a holistic and accurate dataset. Effective data integration eliminates data silos, ensuring that all departments are working with the most current and complete information. This enables HR professionals to gain comprehensive insights into employee lifecycles, talent pipelines, and operational efficiency. When implemented correctly, data integration supports strategic decision-making, improves reporting capabilities, and provides a “single source of truth” for all HR-related data, crucial for compliance and strategic planning.
HRIS (Human Resources Information System)
An HRIS is a comprehensive software solution designed to manage and automate core human resources processes within an organization. It typically includes functionalities for employee data management, payroll, benefits administration, time and attendance, and sometimes performance management. The HRIS serves as the central repository for all employee-related information, making it a critical system for data integration. For HR professionals, the HRIS is the foundation upon which many other HR tech integrations are built. Connecting an ATS to an HRIS, for example, allows seamless transfer of new hire data, reducing onboarding time and errors. A robust HRIS, integrated effectively, ensures data consistency and supports streamlined HR operations from hire to retire.
ATS (Applicant Tracking System)
An ATS is a software application that helps organizations manage the entire recruiting and hiring process, from job posting and application collection to candidate screening, interviewing, and offer management. It serves as the primary tool for recruiters and talent acquisition teams. Integrating an ATS with other HR systems is paramount for efficiency. For instance, an ATS might integrate with a CRM to nurture passive candidates, with an HRIS to automate new hire onboarding data transfer, or with assessment tools to streamline screening. Effective integration with an ATS ensures that candidate data flows smoothly throughout the recruitment lifecycle, providing a better candidate experience and freeing recruiters from repetitive administrative tasks to focus on strategic talent acquisition.
ETL (Extract, Transform, Load)
ETL stands for Extract, Transform, Load, a three-phase process used to move data from various sources into a data warehouse or another target system for reporting and analysis. In the ‘Extract’ phase, data is pulled from multiple operational systems (e.g., ATS, HRIS, payroll). In the ‘Transform’ phase, the extracted data is cleaned, normalized, and converted into a format suitable for the target system, resolving inconsistencies and ensuring data quality. Finally, in the ‘Load’ phase, the transformed data is moved into the destination system. For HR professionals, ETL processes are vital for consolidating disparate HR data into business intelligence platforms, allowing for in-depth analysis of recruitment metrics, workforce demographics, and talent trends, thereby supporting strategic HR planning and decision-making.
Middleware
Middleware is a type of software that acts as an intermediary layer, connecting disparate applications, systems, or components to enable them to communicate and exchange data. It essentially “sits between” various software programs, handling the complexity of integration and allowing them to work together seamlessly without requiring direct custom coding for each connection. In the HR tech ecosystem, platforms like Make.com serve as powerful middleware tools. They allow HR teams to connect their ATS, HRIS, CRM, and other productivity apps, orchestrating complex workflows that automate tasks like new hire onboarding, candidate communication, or performance review triggers. Middleware abstracts away the technical complexities, making sophisticated integrations accessible to non-developers and accelerating HR automation initiatives.
REST API (Representational State Transfer API)
A REST API is an architectural style for designing networked applications. It’s the most common and flexible type of API used in modern web services due to its simplicity, scalability, and statelessness. REST APIs use standard HTTP requests (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE) to perform operations on resources (data entities) identified by URLs. For HR technology, the majority of contemporary HRIS, ATS, and other cloud-based HR platforms expose their functionalities via REST APIs. This allows HR professionals, often through integration platforms, to programmatically interact with these systems—for example, to retrieve candidate profiles, update employee records, or trigger specific HR workflows from an external application. Its widespread adoption makes it a cornerstone of modern HR tech integration.
JSON (JavaScript Object Notation)
JSON is a lightweight, human-readable, and machine-parsable data interchange format. It is widely used for transmitting data between web applications and servers, particularly with REST APIs. JSON represents data as key-value pairs and ordered lists of values, making it highly efficient for data serialization and deserialization. In HR tech, when systems communicate via APIs, the data exchanged (such as a candidate’s profile, an employee’s benefits enrollment, or a job posting’s details) is frequently formatted in JSON. For an HR professional leveraging automation, understanding the basic structure of JSON helps in configuring data mapping within integration platforms, ensuring that information from one system is correctly understood and processed by another, such as transferring a candidate’s skills from an ATS to a resume parser.
Authentication
Authentication is the process of verifying the identity of a user, system, or application attempting to access a resource or system. It answers the question, “Are you who you say you are?” In HR technology, authentication is a critical security measure to protect sensitive employee and candidate data. When an external application, such as an integration platform, attempts to connect to an HRIS or ATS via an API, it must first authenticate itself. This often involves providing credentials like an API key, an OAuth token, or username/password combinations. Robust authentication mechanisms ensure that only legitimate and recognized entities can access HR systems, preventing unauthorized access and safeguarding confidential information, which is paramount for data privacy and compliance.
Authorization
Authorization is the process of determining what a verified user, system, or application is permitted to do once they have been authenticated. It answers the question, “What are you allowed to do?” While authentication verifies identity, authorization defines access rights and permissions. In the context of HR tech APIs, once an integration platform or another application has been authenticated, authorization dictates which specific actions it can perform (e.g., read employee records, update candidate statuses, create new job postings) and which data it can access. Granular authorization controls are essential in HR to enforce data security policies, ensure compliance with privacy regulations, and prevent unauthorized modifications to sensitive HR data, maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of your workforce information.
Endpoint
An endpoint, in the context of an API, is a specific URL or URI (Uniform Resource Identifier) that represents a unique resource or a function available through a web service. It’s the destination where an API request is sent, specifying the exact location for interaction. Each distinct functionality or data resource provided by an HR tech system’s API will typically have its own unique endpoint. For example, an HRIS API might have an endpoint like `/api/v1/employees` to retrieve all employee records, and another like `/api/v1/employees/{employee_id}` to access a specific employee’s data. For automation specialists, understanding and correctly identifying the right API endpoint is crucial for making precise requests and ensuring data flows to and from the correct locations within integrated HR workflows.
Payload
In the realm of APIs and webhooks, a payload refers to the actual data being transmitted during a request or response. It’s the “body” of the message that contains the relevant information, distinct from the headers or metadata. When an application sends data to an HRIS via an API, the payload would be the employee’s details (name, job title, department, etc.) formatted in JSON or XML. Similarly, when a webhook sends a notification about a new candidate application, the payload would contain the candidate’s name, contact information, and resume details. Understanding how to structure and parse these payloads is fundamental for effective data mapping and ensuring that the correct information is extracted and utilized by downstream HR automation processes, maintaining data integrity across systems.
Data Mapping
Data mapping is the process of creating a link between data elements from one source to data elements in a target destination. Essentially, it involves identifying corresponding fields across different systems and defining how data should be transformed or translated when moved from one format or structure to another. For HR professionals integrating various tech platforms, data mapping is a critical step. For instance, ensuring that the “Applicant Name” field in your ATS correctly maps to the “Employee Full Name” field in your HRIS, or that “Candidate Status” translates appropriately across systems. Accurate data mapping is crucial for maintaining data consistency, preventing errors, and ensuring that integrated HR systems can “understand” and process information exchanged between them, forming the bedrock of reliable automation.
Orchestration
Orchestration in automation refers to the coordination, management, and automation of multiple interconnected tasks, workflows, and systems to achieve a larger business objective. It goes beyond simple automation by managing the sequencing, timing, and dependencies of various automated processes, often involving multiple applications and decision points. In HR tech, orchestration can involve managing complex workflows like the entire new hire onboarding process: integrating an ATS (to get candidate data), an HRIS (to create employee records), an e-signature tool (for offer letters), and a learning management system (for training assignment). Orchestration platforms like Make.com allow HR teams to design and manage these sophisticated, multi-step processes, ensuring seamless execution across diverse HR technologies and driving significant operational efficiency.
If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: Beyond Efficiency: Strategic HR Automation with Make.com & AI
