Top 5 Templates for Applicant Tracking and How to Use Them

This article is part of our series featuring powerful and entirely free Google Sheets templates, perfect for professionals in HR, sales, lead generation, marketing, and beyond.

Going into a hiring exercise without an Applicant Tracking System can often feel like turning up to a battlefield empty-handed: No matter how experienced you are, you run the risk of losing potential talent to more well-equipped competitors.

That's because such tools operate as efficiency boosters that allow for easy communication among team members during a hiring exercise and automate a lot of the repetitive tasks associated with the recruitment process.

The problem is that not everyone can afford Applicant Tracking Systems or ATS, for short. If you just need to hire someone now and you’re not expecting to constantly be recruiting for new roles for the next few months, it’s not always worth it to pay for what can be very expensive software.

Luckily for you, there are hundreds - if not thousands - of free ATS templates available online that you can easily use in your spreadsheet app of choice.

But how do you choose from all the options available? What makes a good ATS template in the first place? And how do you even go about using these templates?

Fret not, because we’ve compiled a list of what we think are the best free templates for tracking applicants and show you how to use them to make your next recruitment endeavor feel like less of a chore. Here are the five best free ATS templates that you can use in your next hiring exercise.

1. Sapiengraph: Ultimate Applicant Tracking Sheets Template

First on the list, we’ve got Sapiengraph’s very own Ultimate Applicant Tracking Sheets Template.

Whether you’re a newbie making your first hire or a seasoned veteran of the recruiting game, this template - which you can customize to make your own - helps do away with all the manual tasks associated with the applicant tracking process.

Here’s a quick breakdown of the template’s features:

• Add new applicants to the tracker with a single click
• Enrich your candidate pool with data such as contact information, location, employment and education history, and social media profiles with a single click
• Track which candidates are at which hiring stage
• Track the progress of the entire hiring process

And the best part is that you can do all this within the already powerful Google Sheets.

Let’s dive into how you can get started with using this template now.

A step-by-step guide to the Ultimate Applicant Tracking Sheets Template

1. Make a copy of the template to make it yours

Once you’ve downloaded the Ultimate Applicant Tracking Sheets Template, you’ll need to make a copy of it to be able to edit and use it.

Simply go to File, then click Make a copy in the drop-down menu, and you can choose where you want to save your copy of the applicant tracking sheet within your Google Drive.

2. Grant permission to App Scripts so that the buttons work

There are two automation buttons in the sheet that run on App Scripts (the equivalent of coding, in Google Sheets terms):

• “Add applicant” in the “Add New Applicant” sheet
• “Enrich” in the “Applicant Tracking” sheet

To give permission, just click the “Add applicant” button. A pop-up dialog should appear, prompting you to grant permission. (Note: When you first do this, it might take about half a minute for the dialog box to appear. If it doesn’t show up, just click the button again until it does.)

Click “OK” to authorize App Scripts and the buttons will work like a charm.

3. Sign up and install Sapiengraph to enrich data

This bit is optional, but if you want to be able to get more information on the candidates in your hiring pool, you’ll need to install Sapiengraph. All you’ll have to do is:

• Set up a new account on Sapiengraph’s website and follow the installation prompts
• Or check out the Getting Started Guide for more details

Once you’ve installed both the Sapiengraph browser extension and the Sheets add-on as prompted, head back to your copy of the Ultimate Applicant Tracking Sheets Template, click Extensions, hover over Sapiengraph in the drop-down menu, and then click Launch Sapiengraph.

And voila, you’re all set to use the template during your next hiring exercise.

4. Add your first applicant

On the Add New Applicant sheet of the Ultimate Applicant Tracking Sheets Template, you’ll see a form that you can begin filling out with all the details you have on your hiring candidates.

It’s OK if you’re missing some information on an applicant, even their email address and phone number, because you can enrich the data you have with Sapiengraph - more on this later.

In fact, just make sure that you have the applicants’ LinkedIn profile URL filled in and we can help with the rest.

Once you’ve filled out the form, click “Add applicant”. Repeat this process for every applicant you want to add to the sheet.

When you’re satisfied, go to the “Applicant Tracking” sheet and you’ll see all your applicants added automatically to the sheet in organized rows.

5. Enrich your applicant data

Now we’re at the fun part.

In the same “Applicant Tracking” sheet, you should see a column of checkboxes to the left of the names of the applicants you’ve added.

To enrich your applicant data, just tick the checkboxes to choose which applicants’ data you want to enrich and click the “Enrich” button.

Then, watch the magic happen.

For Sapiengraph’s applicant tracking template, the data that can be enriched are indicated in row 7 as “can be enriched” and the formulas for the respective data are indicated in row 8 as “see formula guide”.

Why we recommend this template

There are a few reasons why we’ve put Sapiengraph’s Ultimate Applicant Tracker Sheets Template at the top of our list (other than the fact that it’s our very own template):

1. Beginner-friendly and easy to use: Anyone can use this template, you don’t need to understand all the formulas to make your next hiring process 10x more efficient than it is now - you just need to know the very basics of how to use a spreadsheet.
2. Work within the already-powerful Google Sheets: Google Sheets is an incredibly versatile tool that allows you to freely feed any data into a spreadsheet and customize how the data is presented. As your hiring exercises grow in frequency, your copy of the Ultimate Applicant Tracker Sheets Template can scale too. Those who know their way around Google Sheets will even be able to experiment with the template and truly make it their own.
3. Fresh and accurate data - plenty of it:: By using the enrich function in Sapiengraph’s Ultimate Applicant Tracker Sheets Template, you can get access to a ton of data on your hiring pool that is guaranteed to be up-to-date. As long as it’s publicly available online, the template will give it to you.
4. One account, multiple users: There’s no need for everybody in your company’s HR department to sign up for Sapiengraph - as long as one person has an account, anyone they send the Ultimate Applicant Tracking Sheets Template will be able to use it.
5. Legally compliant: As reaffirmed by US courts in 2022, scraping public LinkedIn profiles is legal. On our part, Sapiengraph is committed to adhering to CCPA, GDPR, and SOC 2 regulations.

For further assistance or inquiries:

• Email us at [email protected]
• Chat with us directly via our homepage
• Stay informed by subscribing to the Sapiengraph newsletter

2. Smartsheet: Simple Job Applicant Tracking Template

The Simple Job Applicant Tracking Template, developed by Smartsheet, offers a straightforward spreadsheet solution for anyone seeking to recruit new personnel.

This template features columns to log applicant details, including names, email addresses, phone numbers, and current positions. On top of that, it helps you manage the interview process by providing sections to document candidate names, scores, and any post-interview notes.

A step-by-step guide to the Simple Job Applicant Tracking Template

The Simple Job Applicant Tracking Template is, well, simple.

1. Download the template

Head over to Smartsheet’s website and you’ll see a list of applicant tracking templates that the company offers.

Right at the top is the Simple Job Applicant Tracking Template.

Simply click either Excel, Google Sheets, or Smartsheet - whichever spreadsheet app you’d prefer to use this template on - and the template will begin downloading.

2. Populate the sheet with your applicants’ details

Once you’ve got the template downloaded, you can open it up and start using it. It’s that simple.

Why we recommend this template

1. It really is simple: No fuss, no frills, the Simple Job Applicant Tracking Template is highly user-friendly and can easily be customized to suit your needs. If you’re looking for the simplest solution, this is it.
2. Widely compatible: This template can be used on Excel, Google Sheets, and Smartsheet’s own spreadsheet app, which gives you the flexibility to use it on the platform of your preference.
3. A good base to build on: If you can’t find the exact ATS template for you, this is the best starting point to create your own template with whatever functionality you desire - though you’ll have to be fairly adept at spreadsheet formulas to be able to do that on your own.

3. ExcelDemy: Recruitment Tracker

For the spreadsheet geeks out there who want all the features that a spreadsheet can offer, ExcelDemy’s Recruitment Tracker might be the one for you.

On top of the usual sheet where you can log applicants’ information, this template also features a recruitment tracker (it’s in the name), which allows you to search for specific applicants, get an overview of your hiring pool, and track how many candidates have reached whichever stage of the hiring process.

A step-by-step guide to the Recruitment Tracker

1. Download the template

If you’re looking to build your own recruitment tracker in Excel, ExcelDemy has a helpful article detailing everything you need to know to do just that.

But for the purposes of this guide, you’ll want to scroll all the way down on that page until you see “Download Free Template” right at the end of the article.

Just click that and your download will begin.

2. Populate the sheet with your applicants’ details

When you open the Recruitment Tracker, you’ll see there are three sheets. Click on the second one, named “Applicants Info” and fill in the sheet with all your applicants’ details.

3. Get a snapshot of candidates’ status in the recruitment tracker

When you want to take a quick look at the status of the hiring exercise without having to scroll through a long list of names in the “Applicants Info” sheet, go back to the “Recruitment Tracker” sheet.

Here, you can easily get an overview of how many applicants you have, how many days are left until you need to make the hiring decision, and a breakdown of the recruitment endeavor so far.

In the top right corner, you can also click on the drop-down menu beside “Applicants ID” to select an applicant and see that prospective hire’s name, status, and reasons for rejection or date of offer, if applicable.

Why we recommend this template

ExcelDemy’s Recruitment Tracker is almost like an antithesis to Smartsheet’s Simple Job Applicant Tracking Template. Because of that, the reasons for featuring this template are vastly different.

1. Easy to keep track of the recruitment process: The Recruitment Tracker not only allows for a single place to keep all the information on job applicants, it also provides stakeholders with a brief rundown of how things are going. If the “Total days to hire” counter is getting a little high, but most of the applicants are still in level 1 of the recruitment process, they’ll know that things will have to speed up considerably - they’ll even know who to bug about it by just looking at the “Owner” field in the sheet.
2. Comes with a complimentary tutorial: It may be more complex than Smartsheet’s template, but that doesn’t make this template any less customizable. If you’re pretty much sold on using this tracker, but there’s just a few tiny things that you want to change about it, you can simply refer to the article on ExcelDemy’s website and you’ll be able to make the tweaks you need.
3. Made for Excel: Perhaps you’re just not into the many alternative spreadsheets available online and want to stick with the classic app that started it all. ExcelDemy’s Recruitment Tracker was made for Excel, which makes it the perfect template for you.

4. RotaCloud: Applicant Tracking Template

If you’re a hiring manager at a smaller company, you might have to do all the applicant tracking and interview management that comes with making a hire by yourself.

For those in this predicament, RotaCloud’s Applicant Tracking Template was made with you in mind.

Aside from the usual columns and rows where you can fill in applicant details, the headers of some columns have legends attached to them - super helpful for anyone who’s been tasked to execute a recruitment process on their own for the first time.

A step-by-step guide to the Applicant Tracking Template

1. Download the template

Go to RotaCloud’s website and click Download to get your own copy of the template.

2. Populate the sheet with your applicants’ details

Once your applicants start coming in, just fill in the template with their relevant information, making sure to take heed of any comments on the headings of each column.

3. Maintain the sheet regularly

As the hiring process goes along, make sure to update the fields - especially in columns I, K L, and N - on each prospective hire’s availability and notice period, whether they’ve passed the initial screening, their application score, whether they’ve been invited for an interview, and so on.

There’s also some text at the top of the template, where it says that you’ll need to delete personal data within 30 days of rejection or if a candidate asserts their right to data deletion.

Depending on where your business is based, the timeline and personal data regulations may vary, so make sure to check up on what is required of you.

Why we recommend this template

1. Perfect for first-time recruiters: Hiring someone for the first time can be almost as daunting of a task as attending your first job interview. It can be especially challenging if you’re not in HR or recruitment, but simply a hiring manager that’s been asked to step up. This template helps do away with any potential anxiety with a concise yet detailed how-to right at the top of the template along with comments on column headers explaining potentially jargon-filled terms.
2. Made with hiring managers in mind: For those of you who have a hundred other things to do in a day on top of making a hire for your growing team or company, this template makes it incredibly easy to just spend time in between tasks updating as you go. No need to spend hours at a time staring at a spreadsheet wishing it would make sense.
3. Fairly compatible: The Applicant Tracking Template works with both Excel and Numbers (for all you Mac users out there), and it appears to work fine on Google Sheets as well. Depending on your device and spreadsheet app, you may have to replace some fonts that might not be available to you, but that’s an easy enough fix.

5. Indzara: 2024 Recruitment Tracker

If you’re more of a visual person and looking at too many rows of text gives you a headache, you may want to consider Indzara’s 2024 Recruitment Tracker.

Its main dashboard comes with bright colors that give a breakdown of how many candidates have passed certain parts of the recruitment process, how long it took to get all the applicants through each stage, where candidates were referred from, and more.

A step-by-step guide to the 2024 Recruitment Tracker

1. Download the template

On Indzara’s website, scroll down until you see “Recruitment Tracker 2024” under the “Downloads” section. Clicking that should open a PDF file in your browser.

Click the first link in the document to open the template.

2. Make a copy of the template

Indzara’s 2024 Recruitment Tracker is made for Google Sheets - just like Sapiengraph’s Ultimate Applicant Tracking Sheets Template - which means you’ll need to make a copy of it before using it.

To do that, go to File, then click Make a copy in the drop-down menu, and you can choose where you want to save your copy of the applicant tracking sheet within your Google Drive.

3. Enter your settings

Once you’ve got your own copy to work with, you’ll want to change the settings of the sheet.

Click on the “Settings” sheet and fill in the columns titled “Stages”, “Application Sources”, and “Decline Reasons” - this will help make it easier for you to select these parameters once the hiring process is underway.

4. Populate the sheet with your applicants’ details

Once applications start hitting your inbox, you’ll want to transfer all the available information into the “Applications” sheet within the 2024 Recruitment Tracker - don’t forget to fill your own details in at the top so anyone who sees the spreadsheet knows you own it.

5. Check the dashboard every now and then

As the hiring process kicks off, make sure to keep tabs on the “Dashboard” sheet so you can get a quick overview of how things are going.

Why we recommend this template

1. It’s easy on the eyes: With the bright contrasting colors across the entire template, it’ll be hard for you to miss any details. Plus, the dashboard allows you to take a quick look at how things are going and determine whether you need to action anything to make sure the hiring process goes smoothly.
2. Comes with a manual: The “Info” tab on the template contains a link to the 2024 Recruitment Tracker’s product page, which you can scroll through if you need to troubleshoot anything or just want to remember how certain things work.
3. Made for Google Sheets: I might sound like a broken record at this point, but Google Sheets is an incredibly powerful and versatile tool. If you need to, you can make tweaks to any template built on Google Sheets - including this one - provided you’re familiar with how the formulas work.

Which one is the right template for me?

The short answer is “It depends.”

Hiring isn’t a one-size-fits-all activity. HR professionals will have very different needs and SOPs from recruiters, and hiring managers as well will have varying proficiency levels when it comes to executing a hiring exercise.

The best thing you can do is try using each template to find out which feels like a good fit.

That said, don’t forget to try out Sapiengraph’s Ultimate Applicant Tracking Sheets Template. Sign up for Sapiengraph now and get 100 free credits, which you can immediately use to start enriching your applicants’ data.

If you’ve decided you like it enough, you can get 12,500 more credits at just $49 or check out Sapiengraph’s pricing page for more options.

For further assistance or inquiries:

• Email us at [email protected]
• Chat with us directly via our homepage
• Stay informed by subscribing to the Sapiengraph newsletter