Applicant tracking template
One row per application, from arrival to decision. Ten fields, and a free viewer role so managers can look without changing anything.
What's in the template
- Candidate, Role, Email (typed), Received on.
- Source: spontaneous, job board, referral, school. Enough to know where to advertise next time.
- Status: to review, screening, interview booked, interview done, offer, rejected, withdrawn.
- Interview date, Reviewer, Replied to, Notes.
The filters that do the work
The template arrives with its typed columns. Each filter below takes two clicks on the grid, and it remembers your setup between visits.
- To review: applications nobody has opened yet, oldest first.
- Upcoming interviews: soonest first.
- Awaiting reply: decision made but the candidate hasn't been told. This is the one that protects your reputation as an employer.
- By role.
Why not a spreadsheet for this
- An applications file is shared entirely or not at all. Letting a manager read it also lets them edit, delete and download it. Here a viewer reads and cannot write, and their access is revoked in one click.
- Interview notes overwrite each other. Two people debriefing the same candidate in the same tab, and one opinion disappears with no warning. Here two separate fields on one row don't fight over the same cell.
- Personal data spreads. An applications file gets duplicated, downloaded, and ends up in the Downloads folder of three laptops. One central table with revocable access is easier to keep straight.
Retention and access
An application contains personal data. Two habits matter more than any tool: set a retention period for unsuccessful applications and purge on schedule, and grant read access only to people genuinely involved in the decision. Data in this template is hosted in the European Union. For your specific situation, lawful basis, informing candidates and the period you choose, have it reviewed by someone qualified: this paragraph isn't legal advice.
FAQ
Can applications arrive straight into the table? Yes, through a form that creates a typed row per submission rather than a fragile responses tab.
Can reviewers comment? They need an editor role: a viewer reads without writing. Roles apply to the account rather than to one application, so keep access to the people actually involved in the decision.
How do I purge old applications? Filter on received date and delete the selection. Remember the deletion also needs to propagate to your tracking sheet if you keep one.
This template is one of the Rowbase templates. If you're still weighing whether to leave your sheet, read the six limits of a Sheet used as a database instead.