Six signs the spreadsheet has stopped working
- A candidate waited more than three working days for an answer because nobody knew whose turn it was.
- Feedback on a candidate is spread over Slack, email and someone's notes.
- The same person was contacted twice, or applied twice, and nobody noticed.
- You open resumes one PDF at a time and have stopped reading all of them.
- An interviewer walked into a call without knowing what was already asked.
- A candidate asked you to delete their data and you were not sure where all of it is.
Spreadsheet, Notion and ATS compared
| Spreadsheet or Notion | Applicant tracking system | |
|---|---|---|
| Applications | Typed or pasted in by hand | Arrive from the careers page and from email, with the resume attached |
| Screening | Someone reads every resume | Each applicant checked against the role; in Evander with the evidence per requirement |
| In each person's inbox | On the candidate's profile, visible to the team | |
| Scheduling | Back-and-forth by email | Booking links tied to interviewers' calendars |
| Feedback | Chat messages | Scorecards per interview and a side-by-side debrief |
| Reminders | Memory | Automations and a list of what needs attention |
| Privacy | Copies everywhere | Consent recorded, retention period, one place to erase |
| Cost | Free | Free plans exist; paid from about $79 a month |
Moving over in an afternoon
- Export your sheet as CSV with one row per candidate: name, email, role, stage, notes.
- Import it and map the columns. Evander imports CSV files and maps common column names itself.
- Connect mail and calendar so open conversations and booked interviews attach to the right people.
- Publish each open role on the careers page and replace the "email us your CV" line with the link.
- Write a short screening brief per role so new applicants arrive already ranked.
Not ready to move yet? How to post a job and track applicants without an ATS sets up the sheet properly. To pick a tool, see how to choose an ATS for a startup and free ATS plans.
Questions
Do you actually need an ATS?
Not for your first one or two hires with a handful of applicants. You need one when more than one person gives feedback, a role gets more than about 20 applicants, or more than two roles are open at once.
Can I use Notion or a spreadsheet as an ATS?
Yes, for a few candidates. It breaks down when applications arrive by email and form at the same time, when several people give feedback, and when you must show where a candidate's data is stored and delete it on request.
Is an ATS worth it for a small business?
Yes once hiring involves more than one person. Free plans from Dover, Evander and Zoho Recruit remove the cost question; the benefit is faster replies to candidates and no lost applications.
How long does it take to move from a spreadsheet to an ATS?
About an afternoon: export the sheet as CSV, import it, connect mail and calendar, and publish your open roles on the careers page.