Sterling Seamless Enhanced (US/EMEA) integration

Sterling’s extensive partner ecosystem offers flexible pre-built integration options and a dedicated team of trusted experts making for a quick and easy implementation.

Integrating an HR system doesn’t have to take weeks. Together with their partners, Sterling helps clients activate a straightforward set-up for standard integrations in days. That's why 60% of Sterling’s global business is integrated with Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) or Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS).

You can count on Sterling to provide:

  • Hand-in-hand support delivering white-glove service.
  • Proprietary automated onboarding tools for fast integration.
  • Continued investment by consistently adding new integrations.

Teams can save time by configuring screenings to automatically trigger when their candidates reach a specific stage in the hiring process, removing the need to access their Client Hub dashboard for screening details.

Sterling’s integration with Greenhouse Recruiting allows recruiters to launch background screenings for candidates directly from Greenhouse.

Enable the Sterling Seamless Enhanced / Greenhouse Recruiting integration

Configure your webhook oauth credential

To integrate the Sterling’s Seamless Enhanced integration with Greenhouse Recruiting, you’ll first need to connect with your Sterling to review the integration process and receive a few data points you’ll need in order to set up the integration.

After connecting with Sterling, you’ll need to create the webhook oauth credentials to use when configuring the webhook

  • ConfigureDev CenterWeb HooksWeb Hook OAuth Credentials

Once on this screen, the user must input the below to configure OAuth for their client:

Click Create Web hook oauth credential when finished.

Create a webhook

After configuring your OAuth credentials for the Sterling Seamless Enhanced integration, you'll need to create a webhook.

Follow the steps in this article to create your webhook. As a standard, Sterling supports one webhook per integration, but can address a request for multiple web hooks on a client-by-client basis.

Use the values listed below to configure the webhook:

  • Name: A descriptive name for your integration. Most customers choose Sterling-Dynamic integration.
  • When: Candidate has Changed Stage
  • Endpoint URL: The Endpoint URL provided by Sterling
  • Secret Key: The Secret Key provided by Sterling

Once done, navigate to Advanced Settings and locate the Web Hook OAuth Credential field.

Set the webhook oauth credential to Sterling-Dynamic and click Create Web hook

Create a Harvest API key

A Harvest API key must also be created for the Sterling Seamless Enhanced / Greenhouse Recruiting integration. Follow the steps in this article to create the key, and verify that the permissions below are selected when configuring the integration.

  • Harvest API Type: Harvest
  • Partner: Sterling
  • Description: Sterling Harvest API Key

Note: You cannot access the full Harvest API key again after clicking I have stored the API Key. If you lose your API key and need to access it later, you must create a new API key, provide it to Sterling and then revoke access to the original key.

Permissions

On the subsequent page, very the following permissions are selected:

Applications

  • Get: Retrieve Application
Jobs
  • Get: Retrieve Job
Custom Fields
  • Get: Get Custom Fields
  • Patch: Update Custom Fields
Candidates
  • Patch: Edit Candidate
  • Get: Retrieve Candidate

When finished, click Save.

Your Harvest API key for the Greenhouse Recruiting / Sterling Seamless Enhanced integration is created and configured. 

Use the Sterling Seamless Enhanced integration with Greenhouse Recruiting

Initiate an order

To initiate a background check, navigate to the All Jobs tab in Greenhouse Recruiting and select a job.

From the job dashboard, select the Candidates tab from the left-hand menu panel to view the your applicants.

Candidates tab selected showing candidates for selection.png

Select a candidate to place the order for and navigate to the candidate profile. 

Advance the candidate into the designated Sterling Background Screening stage.

Advance candidate window displaying stage options.png

Note: The Sterling Seamless Enhanced integration is configured to automatically send the candidate a Sterling e-invite once candidates have been moved into a designated integration stage, configured per client, typically titled Background Check.

View order status and results

After successfully submitting your order, the order status will update in Greenhouse Recruiting. Select the Private tab on the candidate profile to locate an order status update.

The Candidate Details tab will update the Sterling Status, Sterling Comments, and Screening Level Results/Score as the candidate’s background screening is being fulfilled.

Fields_for_the_Sterling_integration_highlighted_in_marigold_within_candidate_details.png

Once the order is complete, Sterling will post the Order Status, Order Result/Score, Screening Level Result/Score, Sterling Comments, any PII and the Sterling Report URL back to Greenhouse Recruiting. 

To view the detailed final report, click the link under Sterling Report URL.

The report URL will redirect you to Sterling for you to Log in. Once signed in, access the Order Manager to view the order and report details.

Note: To view the order status and results within a candidate's Private tab, a user must be either a Site Admin with the additional permission to see private notes, salary info, manage offers, request approval, and approve jobs/offers assigned or a Job Admin who can view and edit private candidate and application fields.

Additional considerations 

Generating integration users

The Sterling Integration team will be responsible for creating the initial client user, who will then become the Super User and can add new integration users via Sterling. Sterling requires the following fields to create new users:

  • First name
  • Last name
  • Email address

Configuring additional packages as custom fields

To add the list of packages, you will need to get the package names from Sterling and then do the following:

Sterling_package_options_configured_in_custom_options.png

Optional custom fields can be added to the Sterling Seamless Enhanced integration and can be used for posting back additional data points from Sterling upon the client’s request, configuring sub-accounts/billcodes, etc. Reach out to Sterling support or your Sterling AM for any questions.

  • Login to Greenhouse RecruitingConfigureCustom Options
  • The user can determine what aspect of the integration they’d like to add the custom field.
  • Custom Options → Jobs (or you can select any Company Custom Fields)

Reviewing order status and score information

Status

The following statuses are supported within the Sterling integration with Greenhouse Recruiting:

Sterling status Description Status in Greenhouse
Initiated Background Check Order is launched.

Note:This status indicates that the order is successfully initiated. An e-invite is sent to the candidate to come to Sterling’s Candidate Hub and provide the required information.

Initiated
Error The Background Check Order request errored out. Error
Pending Candidate received the e-invite and successfully submitted the required information to Sterling. Sterling has started fulfilling the order. Pending
Complete Background Check Order is fulfilled. Complete
Pre-Adverse Action Initiated Client has initiated Adverse Action. Pre-Adverse Action Initiated
Pre-Adverse Action Sent Pre-Adverse Action Letter is sent to the candidate. Pre-Adverse Action Sent
Adverse Action Paused Client has paused the Adverse Action. Adverse Action Paused
Adverse Action Resumed Client has resumed the Adverse Action. Adverse Action Resumed
Adverse Action Sent Final Adverse Action is sent. Adverse Action Sent
Adverse Action Cancelled Client has cancelled Adverse Action. Complete

 Scores

The following scores are available within the Sterling Seamless Enhanced / Greenhouse Recruiting. Order scores are available both with Sterling’s Client Matrix Application (CMA) and without CMA.

Client Matrix Application (CMA) based order scores are available both at the order and screening levels. Sterling provides 2-Level and 3-Level scores with CMA.

The following scores are supported with 2-Level CMA:

  • Passed
  • Review

The following scores are supported with 3-Level CMA:

  • Level 1
  • Level 2
  • Level 3
Results/Scores Description Results/Scores in Greenhouse Recruiting
Clear Indicates all screenings are completed and meets client criteria Clear
Passed Passed
Level 1 Level 1
Consider Indicates all screenings are completed and order has discrepancies Consider
Review Review
Level 2 Level 2
Level 3 Level 3

The following scores are supported without CMA:

  • Clear
  • Consider

Status and results post back

Custom Fields have been pre-configured to post back the Sterling Order Status, Order Result/Score, Screening Level Results/Scores, Comments, and Report URL.

Additional resources

For additional information not covered here, reach out to your Sterling Account Manager or email client.support@sterlingcheck.com.