Zapier

Zapier  allows you to connect CATS with thousands of other applications and automate work between them, without needing to write any code.

These automated workflows are called Zaps.

A Zap typically has two basic parts:

• Trigger: The event that starts the automation, such as a new candidate being added to CATS or a candidate moving to a particular pipeline status.
• Action: What you want Zapier to do after the trigger occurs, such as adding information to a spreadsheet, sending a message, creating a record in another application, or creating something in CATS.

Zapier uses triggers to watch for specific events in one application, which in turn can cause an action to occur in another. Click here to read over the key concepts of Zapier

For example, you could create a Zap that automatically adds information to a Google Sheet whenever a candidate reaches the Placed status in CATS.

Connect CATS to Zapier

Before creating a Zap that uses CATS, you'll need a Zapier account.

1. Sign in to your Zapier account or create a new account at Zapier.com.
2. From Zapier, choose the option to create a new Zap.
3. Search for CATS when selecting an app for your Trigger or Action.
4. Select the CATS event you would like to use.
5. When prompted, click Connect a new account or select an existing CATS connection.
6. Follow the authorization prompts to allow Zapier to connect to your CATS account.

Once authorized, your CATS account will be available to use when building Zaps.

Note: The options and screens displayed by Zapier may change over time. If your Zapier screen looks slightly different from the examples described here, look for the corresponding Trigger, Action, Test, and Publish options.

Creating a Zap

Let's create a simple example:

When a candidate reaches the Placed status in CATS, add their information to a Google Sheet.

Before beginning, create a Google Sheet with columns for the information you want to collect, such as:

Candidate Name | Job | Company | Email | Placement Date

Step 1: Choose CATS as the Trigger

Create a new Zap and select CATS as the Trigger app.

Choose Pipeline Updated as the Trigger event.

This tells Zapier that an update to a CATS job pipeline should start the automation.

Step 2: Connect your CATS account

If you haven't already connected CATS to Zapier, Zapier will ask you to authorize your CATS account.

Follow the prompts to connect your account.

Once connected, select the appropriate Workflow and Workflow Status.

For our example, we'll select:

Status: Placed

Now the Zap will be triggered when a candidate reaches that status.

Step 3: Test the Trigger

Zapier will ask you to test the Trigger.

The test retrieves sample information from CATS so you can see the fields that will be available to later steps in your Zap.

For the best results, make sure you have a recent CATS record that matches the Trigger you're testing.

Once Zapier successfully finds sample information, continue to the next step.

Add an Action

Now tell Zapier what should happen after the CATS Trigger occurs.

For our example:

1. Add an Action to the Zap.
2. Search for and select Google Sheets.
3. Select the appropriate action for adding a new row to a spreadsheet.
4. Connect your Google account if necessary.
5. Select the Google Drive, spreadsheet, and worksheet you want to use.

Zapier will then allow you to map information received from CATS to the columns in your spreadsheet.

For example:

Candidate Name → Candidate information from CATS

Job → Job Title from CATS

Company → Company information from CATS

Email → Candidate Email from CATS

You can use any of the available CATS fields returned by your Trigger.

Test Your Zap

Before publishing your Zap, use Zapier's Test option.

Zapier will perform the Action using the sample information retrieved from CATS.

In our example, we would open the Google Sheet and confirm that:

• A new row was created.
• The correct candidate was added.
• The CATS information was placed in the correct columns.

If something isn't where you expected it to be, return to the Action and adjust your field mapping.

Publish Your Zap

Once you've successfully tested the workflow, click Publish in Zapier.

That's it!

Your Zap will now run automatically whenever its Trigger conditions are met.

In our example, whenever a candidate reaches the selected Placed workflow status in CATS, Zapier will automatically send the mapped information to Google Sheets.

What Can I Do With CATS and Zapier?

CATS can be used as either the Trigger that starts an automation or as an Action performed by another application.

That opens up quite a few possibilities.

For example, you could use Zapier to:

• Send information somewhere else when a new candidate is added to CATS.
• Perform an action when a candidate moves through your hiring workflow.
• Create a candidate in CATS from information collected in another application.
• Create CATS contacts or companies from another system.
• Create jobs in CATS.
• Automatically create CATS tasks.
• Add candidates to job pipelines.
• Find existing CATS candidates, contacts, companies, or jobs before performing another action.

The exact Triggers and Actions available may change as the CATS Zapier integration is updated.

For the current list of available options, visit the CATS integrations page on Zapier.

A Few Things to Keep in Mind

Test before you publish.

A Zap can automatically create or update a lot of information. Always test your workflow and field mappings before relying on it.

Watch for duplicates.

If your Zap creates records in CATS, consider searching for an existing record first when appropriate. This can help prevent the same person, company, or job from being created more than once.

Think about your Trigger carefully.

Make sure the event you've selected represents exactly when you want the automation to run. A Trigger that's too broad could cause your Zap to run more frequently than intended.

Zapier is a third-party service.

Availability of Zapier features, applications, task limits, and pricing is controlled by Zapier and may vary depending on your Zapier subscription.

Need More Ideas?

Zapier can connect CATS with thousands of applications, so there are many more possibilities than we can cover in a single article.

A good place to start is to think about repetitive tasks you perform outside of CATS:

"Whenever _____ happens in CATS, I always have to _____."

There's a pretty good chance Zapier can help automate it.