Implementing a new applicant tracking system (ATS) is by no means an easy undertaking. As the founder and CEO of a company that has developed one such system and implemented it all over the globe, I understand all the challenges that come with it. 

The transition can be disruptive, and we know the negative fallouts when user adoption lags.

Based on my decade-long experience with the entire recruitment life cycle, I can confidently say that success hinges on identifying some roadblocks and following a few key steps. 

In this guide, I’ll let you in on that.  

What is ATS implementation? 

ATS implementation, as you already may know, will cover everything from selecting, configuring and integrating the software with your existing processes.  

I consider it to be a multifaceted process that includes migrating existing candidate data, customizing workflows to match our specific needs, and then finally integrating the ATS with other HR systems. 

In some cases, you may expect thorough testing to ensure data accuracy and functionality, as well as comprehensive training for the teams to make the most of the new tool. 

Additionally, ongoing maintenance and optimization are required to address any issues, improve performance, and adapt to your organization’s evolving business needs. Remember, at the end of the day, ATS implementation is a strategic investment.

Here are some ATS statistics that show its impact on talent acquisition: 

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With a successful implementation process, you can enjoy all the benefits of using an applicant tracking system and blend it with your ongoing workflow without a hitch. 

5 biggest challenges to ATS implementation 

Let us first identify some common challenges that I’ve seen users face during the ATS implementation process: 

Resistance to change

Yes, I agree any system-wide change comes with its fair share of apprehension. If the in-house recruiters and hiring managers already have an existing system, some resistance and preliminary lag is expected.

However, getting their buy-in can be tough if you fail to promote the need for the change and the positive results it can bring. To make matters worse, employees may actively resist the change if they've had negative experiences with past software implementations.

Poorly defined goals 

I cannot emphasize this enough: the applicant tracking system you choose has to perfectly align with your recruitment goals. 

In my experience, one of the biggest missteps I've seen is when companies choose a tool randomly without screening their specific recruiting goals. This is particularly problematic because the recruiting process is, at its core, about people.

Let’s take an example. If you prioritize enhancing the candidate experience, an ATS vendor that doesn't allow for personalized and automated communication would be a poor fit. 

Integration issues 

When you're getting close to the go-live date, I’ve seen integration issues pop up and escalate. The best recruitment software tools offer bi-directional integrations to HCM, ERP, and onboarding systems.  

The point is that your new ATS has to guarantee synergy and compatibility with your existing systems. Additionally, don't forget to evaluate its prebuilt integration features, such as OpenAPI support, access to candidate evaluation, video interview tools, etc. 

Cost management concerns 

A study by Aptitude Research Partners shows that 68% of ATS implementation projects exceed budget, and less than half are delivered on time. 

The overall cost of implementing recruiting software can be somewhat discouraging. To avoid such cost overruns, I’d suggest you create a thorough cost-benefit analysis before investing in a tool.  

Poor user adoption 

Lastly, my experience also dictates that after the ATS implementation process, many recruiters and hiring managers tend to default to their familiar, old systems. 

While adapting to the applicant tracking system features can be a learning curve, you must ensure that the team understands the benefits and the SOP to harness its full potential. 

How to implement an ATS: 9 steps to follow 

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Based on my interactions with our clients, I’ve developed this step-by-step process. This roadmap has eased companies’ transition to Kula, the all-in-one ATS for modern recruiting teams and ensured the recruiters know what needs to be done. 

Here’s how it goes: 

1. Examine why you need an ATS

In some cases, I've observed companies adopt an ATS without a clear strategy or purpose, which can be counterproductive. Therefore, before you kick off the process, find all the solid reasons and a well-defined goal behind your ATS implementation. You must also communicate it to the other stakeholders in the hiring process.

You need to analyze the existing tech stack, the pain points with the current workflow, and how the new ATS can drive your talent acquisition engine across the entire recruitment funnel.

Allow me to share some factors you should consider during a technology needs assessment:

• Identify the key players and the tasks taking the most of their time. 
• Highlight the existing tools in your tech stack that would have to be compatible with the ATS vendor you choose. 
• Consider compliance needs like GDPR and EEOC to ensure your new ATS meets the requirements.
• Pay attention to the scalability of your choice to know whether it can accommodate your future needs.

Let’s take a real-world scenario to understand this better. 

If your company has been hiring manually and attracting low-quality candidates, choosing Kula ATS can accelerate the process with its AI-driven automation features. 

For example, Kula can organize all candidates into talent pools based on skills, location, or experience—easily searchable with advanced filters. You can also proactively engage passive candidates with branded email campaigns, nurturing relationships, and filling future roles efficiently.

Next, I believe this is a huge plus: you can track each candidate's journey from initial application to final decision, all within a unified record. No more juggling spreadsheets or disparate systems—everything is centralized and streamlined.

To streamline operations further, we've integrated configurable assessments that automatically trigger at specific workflow steps. 

During the interview process, you can send automated reminders with all necessary information and follow up with review notifications. Kula ATS also comes with synchronized calendars, customizable scorecards, and interview self-scheduling.

You can manage candidate rejections with customizable delays and messages, so you can deliver a respectful and professional candidate experience. 

We have integrated AI and machine learning components into the platform architecture, so it requires no additional maintenance from your team. This drives automatic candidate advancement and communications based on your customized rule sets. It can even predict hire dates based on your unique hiring processes.

Kula's integration with LinkedIn Recruiter System Connect (RSC) further expands your reach and streamlines candidate sourcing. With custom tags for leads and candidates, you can quickly organize and continuously monitor the talent pipelines.

Also, think about the efficiency of automatic resume parsing, customized application workflows, and highly personalized automated messaging to candidates. These features significantly reduce manual, repetitive tasks off your plate. 

Cherry on the cake: Even internal mobility is enhanced with Kula ATS, with features designed to promote career growth within your company. 

2. Meet the key stakeholders

Whether an implementation process would be successful is determined by the executive buy-in, recruiting leaders, and team support you can get. 

Based on my experience, I would advise that you make a solid business case to defend the decision behind the implementation. Gloss over the need to drive technology adoption by demonstrating its benefits and value propositions. 

For example, you can summarize how the new ATS addresses a recruiter's major pain points, reduces hiring costs and elevates the ROI. This can bring everyone up to speed and counter any possible resistance. 

At Kula ATS, we believe in keeping your team informed, so we've developed a robust notification system that can be tailored to roles and workflow stages, including email, bell, and mobile push notifications. 

Additionally, the task management feature lets you assign and track responsibilities efficiently, complete with due dates and customizable notes. We've also incorporated SLA notifications to prevent stagnation in your hiring process. 

3. Identify clear goals and key metrics

As I’ve said before, drafting clear goals and recruiting metrics before implementing ATS software will help you reduce data noise and zero in on relevant data. 

Based on the challenges your hiring team is currently facing and the ambitious goals you have for the future, I'd strongly recommend taking a proactive approach. Before diving into any ATS implementation, sit down together and map out a clear, detailed plan. This will ensure you don't overlook any crucial details and that the system you ultimately choose aligns perfectly with our long-term vision.

Here are some clear goals Kula ATS can help you achieve: 

• Reach more qualified candidates who are a right fit for your organization. 
• Handle high-volume hiring needs without affecting speed.
• Track candidate sources across job boards and social platforms. 
• Reduce cost per hire through automation and AI features. 
• Improve time-to-fill to create a more agile system. 

4. Plan your transition and get everyone on board

At this point, you must pick a timeframe to launch the implementation and ensure everyone on your team is aware. Within this set time, you should assign the members of the recruiting teams specific roles to facilitate the transition process. 

Then, start screening the most suitable recruiting software vendors for your organization based on the challenges and goals you’ve planned to achieve. After evaluating these factors and benchmarking their value propositions, narrow the list to the ones that meet your specific requirements. 

5. Book a demo and troubleshoot bottlenecks

When booking a demo, one of the most important aspects is to ask for help from the ATS provider. It’s normal for you to face challenges when you’re just getting used to recruitment software, so you have to consider the amount of ongoing support a vendor offers before deciding. 

Ask the ATS vendor for suggestions on troubleshooting bottlenecks and gain suggestions to boost your efficiency instead of trying to figure things out yourself. 

At Kula, we understand that a smooth transition is key to your success. That's why our experienced team partners directly with you throughout the entire implementation process.

Your dedicated account manager will be your partner throughout your journey with Kula ATS. They'll proactively guide you through the platform, ensuring a smooth transition with every new release and addressing any questions you might have.

We'll seamlessly import your data, provide on-site or virtual training, and offer ongoing support to ensure you're up and running in no time. We even have the capability to support global rollouts and can recommend trusted partners for any additional needs. 

If you encounter any hurdles in the process, we're here for you whenever you need us. Our help center is available 24/7 for self-guided training and troubleshooting. Also, your subscription includes access to our dedicated account manager during business hours and regular account reviews to ensure you're getting the most out of your investment.

6. Migrate your data

During this stage, you must know the existing data within your current systems and the tools you’ve been using, whether spreadsheets, job boards, or HRIS software. You must clean the data, validate it, and standardize and map the origin and destination fields before migrating. 

Migrating your data can be done through different methods depending on how the ATS you choose works. You can import the data in bulk, either in Excel or CSV format. Another option is to leverage API integration or manual entry. To be on the safe side, you can back up your data in case there are any hitches in the migration process. 

As I’ve noted above, Kula ATS can help you throughout the migration process, ensuring no downtime occurs. You can rest assured that your data is secure and your system is always up-to-date. Our cloud-based platform handles all the technical heavy lifting, so you don't have to worry about hosting, maintenance, or security. 

We offer global cloud-hosting options to meet your specific needs, and our robust security measures, including encryption, multi-tenant data separation, and full GDPR compliance, ensure your data is always protected.

On top of that, our platform and data centers are certified by ISO 27001, SOC-2, and other rigorous security standards. Plus, we have redundant infrastructure, intrusion detection systems, and regular security tests in place to keep your data safe from any potential threats.

7. Customize your ATS

Once you’ve migrated the data, you must customize the ATS tool to suit your needs and your organization's recruitment process. You will interact directly with recruiters, other stakeholders, hiring managers, and new users to better understand their preferences. 

We offer these customization features with Kula ATS: 

• Customize the application process based on job, department, or brand.
• Configure approvals in parallel or sequential form so approvers can track acceptance or decline.
• Customize types of non-standard interview formats such as lunch interview, coffee screen, or portfolio review.
• Flexibility in collecting self-reported candidate demographic data.
• Configure notification SLAs on stagnated actions within the platform with warning notifications for users to take action.
• Key users can tailor the channel, type, and frequency of personal notifications.

8. Train your team

Training your team members on how to use the ATS's core functionalities to drive user adoption is essential. The training session should cover navigating the platform interface, reviewing job applications, managing candidate data, enhancing candidate experience through clear communication, and generating reports. 

Ensuring the training sessions are tailored to specific user roles can help you focus on the most crucial aspects affecting your candidate’s daily activities. It can also be beneficial to conduct training based on the proficiency level of each individual involved. 

Try looking into vendor-certification programs or self-paced courses that can help your human resources team use the new system in real-life scenarios. Identifying mentors among your team and building peer support networks can also help you achieve a successful ATS implementation. 

Kula offers comprehensive training resources, including documentation, user manuals, and how-to guides, which are designed to help you maximize the value of your ATS.

During the ATS implementation, we'll provide user-specific and group training sessions to ensure everyone is comfortable using the platform. And with multiple platform environments for testing and training, you can be confident that you're ready to go live.

Furthermore, we understand that every organization is unique. That's why we offer tailored training sessions, both onsite and virtual, to meet the specific needs of your team. And if you have specific requirements, we also offer optional customized training packages.

9. Gather continuous feedback

Now, before we roll this up, I’d like to stress that receiving feedback from the key users of the ATS system can help you enhance user experience and drive a deeper understanding of the tool. Tackle your users' biggest challenges and suggest improvements to take your ATS implementation to the next level.

User surveys and interviews can be great ways to gather feedback about the recruiting tool. When providing feedback, users can provide detailed insights about the features, UX, and their satisfaction levels with the ATS. 

Remember, taking calculated actions based on this feedback and communicating your decision to your team members can show that you’re responsive to their needs.

Enjoy a seamless transition with Kula ATS 

I've seen firsthand why effective ATS implementation and user adoption work and what the roadblocks can be. In my opinion, the success of the process hinges on aligning end-user training with strategic business goals. 

Therefore, the key is ensuring your entire team embraces the change. Start by aligning your training with your strategic goals, offering comprehensive sessions for everyone and personalized guidance for your tech-savvy champions. 

Moreover, you have to encourage open feedback to continuously improve the process and leverage change management strategies, including internal buy-in, clear communication, and personalized training to overcome any resistance.

Remember, a little incentive can go a long way in boosting adoption. Get your leadership on board to advocate for the new system. 

I think this way, you'll empower your team to work smarter, not harder, and ultimately achieve greater productivity, ROI, and growth.

At Kula, we understand that transitioning to a new ATS tool is easier said than done, and there are no quick fixes. That's why we prioritize a detailed, collaborative implementation process. To achieve this, our experienced in-house professional services team will partner with your internal team every step of the way.

As I’ve said before, we also take the hassle out of data migration by seamlessly importing your information from legacy platforms. Need assistance with third-party integrations? Just ask, and we'll identify and engage the right partners for you. 

And if your organization operates on a global scale, our team is well-versed in supporting platform rollouts across multiple regions.

To empower your team, we offer both on-site and virtual configuration and training workshops tailored to your specific needs. Our dedicated support team will be available via phone and email throughout the implementation process to answer any questions and address any concerns you may have.

With Kula ATS, you can rest assured that your transition will be as smooth as possible, allowing you to focus on what matters most—acquiring top talent for your organization.

‍Contact us today to transition smoothly.