Workshop Plan: Build a Candidate Screening Micro-App (No-Code) — Template + Walkthrough

Hook: Solve screening delays and compliance headaches in one half‑day workshop

HR teams and hiring managers are drowning in manual eligibility checks, scattered documents and slow time‑to‑hire. In 2026, you don’t need engineering tickets or months of IT prioritization to close that gap — you can run a reproducible workshop and leave with a working, no‑code candidate screening micro‑app that enforces eligibility rules, collects documents, and flags compliance risks.

The evolution (brief) — why a micro‑app matters now

Through late 2025 and into 2026, no‑code platforms matured from form builders to intelligent, enterprise‑grade builders with LLM copilots, native connectors and privacy controls. These advancements let HR teams create small, targeted applications — micro‑apps — that solve one hiring workflow end‑to‑end without heavy dev cycles.

Micro‑apps are ideal for screening workflows because they are focused, fast to iterate, and can be embedded into existing HR stacks. This workshop plan gives facilitators everything needed to run a reproducible, results‑focused session that builds a candidate screening micro‑app in a single workshop.

Who this workshop is for

• HR operations teams and TA leads who want to automate initial eligibility and document readiness checks.
• People operations and small business owners evaluating no‑code solutions for faster international hiring.
• Facilitators, consultants and internal builders who will run hands‑on sessions and deliver a working prototype.

Learning outcomes (deliverables by workshop end)

• A deployed candidate screening micro‑app (no‑code) with: eligibility rules, document checklist, status tracking and automated notifications.
• Exportable dataset and schema (CSV / Airtable / Dataverse) and a test dataset with 20 sample candidates.
• Acceptance criteria and QA checklist for rollout.
• Roadmap for integrations: ATS, e‑signature, and compliance recordkeeping.

Formats — choose your session

• Half‑day (4 hours): Build MVP screening app, minimal integrations, quick test cases.
• Full‑day (8 hours): Build, test, integrate with e‑sign and ATS, add reporting dashboard.
• Two‑day (recommended for enterprise): Add jurisdictional rule variants, role‑based access, and audit logging.

Pre‑work for participants (required)

1. Complete a short intake form: hiring country, role type (temporary/permanent), expected documents, current ATS/HRIS.
2. Collect representative job postings (3) and samples of common documents you accept (passport, diploma, work permit, offer letter).
3. Sign up for the chosen no‑code platform (e.g., Airtable + Softr/Glide, Microsoft Power Apps, or Bubble) and any trial accounts for e‑sign (DocuSign) or messaging (Twilio).

Workshop Agenda — reproducible, timeboxed

Half‑day (4 hours)

1. 00:00–00:15 — Welcome, objectives and success criteria.
2. 00:15–00:30 — Context: common screening failure modes and jurisdictional checkpoints (HR Ops quick brief).
3. 00:30–01:00 — Data model & wireframe: define candidate record, eligibility flags and document checklist.
4. 01:00–02:15 — Build session: create base tables, forms and conditional logic (guided build).
5. 02:15–02:30 — Break & facilitator check‑ins.
6. 02:30–03:15 — Automations: notifications, status changes and basic reporting.
7. 03:15–03:45 — Test cases: run 6 scenarios including edge cases and compliance fail flags.
8. 03:45–04:00 — Debrief, next steps, rollout checklist and ownership assignment.

Full‑day (8 hours) — adds integrations and role security

1. Morning — as half‑day.
2. Afternoon — integrate e‑sign, ATS sync, add role‑based views, audit logs, and KPI dashboard. Run broader test matrix and plan pilot rollout.

Facilitator kit — scripts, templates and talking points

Use the following facilitator script snippets verbatim to keep time and expectations tight.

Kickoff script (5 mins)

"Our goal today is to leave with a working screening micro‑app that reduces manual checks, centralizes candidate docs and flags eligibility risks. We’ll focus on the minimum logic you need to reliably triage candidates and operationalize that in your HR screens."

Data model template (copy into your platform)

Core tables/collections:

• Candidates — candidate_id, name, email, phone, role_applied, country_of_employment, work_authorization_status, eligibility_flag, document_status, notes, assigned_recruiter.
• Documents — doc_id, candidate_id (rel), doc_type (passport, visa, diploma, offer), issued_country, expiry_date, file_link, verified_by, verification_date, doc_status.
• Rules — rule_id, name, jurisdiction, rule_logic (human readable), severity (info/warn/block), last_updated.
• Audit / Activity — event_id, candidate_id, actor, action, timestamp, details.

Sample eligibility rules (expressed in plain language)

• Rule: "Work authorization required" — If country_of_employment != candidate_nationality AND work_authorization_status != 'Valid', set eligibility_flag = 'Needs Review'.
• Rule: "Expiring Document" — If any document expiry_date is within 90 days, set document_status = 'Expiring' and create notification to recruiter.
• Rule: "Missing Mandatory Doc" — For international hires, passport AND work permit are required; if missing, document_status = 'Missing'.

Sample dataset (20 rows) — quick CSV to import

Use this minimal CSV to seed your workshop app. Replace values per participants' jurisdictions.

candidate_id,name,email,phone,role_applied,country_of_employment,candidate_nationality,work_authorization_status
C001,Anita Kumar,anita@example.com,+44...,Senior Dev,UK,India,Valid
C002,Jose Alvarez,jose@example.com,+34...,Data Analyst,Spain,Spain,Valid
C003,Kai Chen,kai@example.com,+1...,PM,USA,China,Pending
C004,Sarah O'Neill,sarah@example.com,+353...,Recruiter,Ireland,USA,Valid
C005,Marc Dupont,marc@example.com,+33...,Designer,France,France,Valid
... (total 20 rows)

Step‑by‑step walkthrough — build the micro‑app

Step 1 — Choose a platform and starter template (15–30 mins)

Pick a no‑code platform your organization supports. Recommended 2026 choices for HR micro‑apps:

• Airtable + Softr/Glide — fastest to prototype with flexible data model and UI.
• Microsoft Power Apps + Dataverse — enterprise security, RBAC and Azure AD integration.
• Bubble — more UI control for complex workflows.

Use a 'form+list+dashboard' starter template so you can focus on rules and integrations.

Step 2 — Import the schema and sample data (10–20 mins)

Import the CSV into your base table and create relational links to Documents and Rules tables. Confirm column types (date, enum, relation, attachment).

Step 3 — Build the candidate intake form (20–40 mins)

• Make fields required where legally necessary (e.g., name, email, country_of_employment).
• Add conditional fields: show 'work permit expiry date' only if work_authorization_status != 'Valid'.
• Attach document upload widget with enforced file types and size limits.

Step 4 — Encode eligibility rules (30–60 mins)

Most platforms let you implement logic via formulas, no‑code rule editors or LLM copilots. Translate the plain language rules into platform actions:

1. Create computed fields or automations that set eligibility_flag based on logic.
2. Use rule severity to drive UI badges (green/yellow/red).
3. Log every rule evaluation to the Audit table for traceability.

Step 5 — Notifications & automations (15–30 mins)

• Send email/SMS to recruiter when a candidate's eligibility_flag moves to 'Needs Review'.
• Auto‑create a task in ATS or project board for manual verification if severity = 'block'.
• Schedule a daily digest of expiring documents within 90 days.

Step 6 — Add verification & e‑signature (30–60 mins)

Integrate with an e‑signature provider (DocuSign / Adobe Sign) or use built‑in agreement components. For verification, create a 'verified_by' workflow where HR records checks and uploads a verification artifact.

Step 7 — Dashboards and KPIs (20–30 mins)

Create a simple dashboard showing:

• Number of candidates by eligibility_flag
• Documents missing / expiring
• Average time from intake to verification

Testing matrix — scenarios every facilitator must run

Execute these cases and mark pass/fail:

1. Domestic hire with valid passport — should pass automatic checks.
2. International hire without work permit — should create 'Needs Review' and task.
3. Candidate with expiring passport in 60 days — should flag 'Expiring'.
4. Upload invalid doc type — should reject and request re‑upload.
5. Multiple documents where one expired and others valid — should show per‑doc status and overall candidate status = 'Partial'.

Governance & compliance notes (2026 considerations)

In 2026, privacy and compliance features are non‑negotiable. During the workshop:

• Ensure PII is stored in encrypted fields and that retention policies are defined.
• Enable role‑based access to documents and audit logging for every rule evaluation (use platform audit features or export logs to SIEM).
• Build jurisdictional rule variants: e.g., EU GDPR retention limits vs. local HR record rules; for immigration specifics, always consult legal counsel — the micro‑app should codify policy, not legal interpretation.

Facilitator tip: aim for defensible automation — make it clear when the app is suggesting vs. deciding. Humans should own final decisions for high‑severity cases.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them

• Over‑engineering: Keep the first version focused on triage flags and document readiness. Advanced integrations come later.
• Ambiguous rules: Use human‑readable rule descriptions and acceptance criteria. Capture rule owners and change history.
• Missing stakeholders: Include compliance, TA, and local HR for country‑specific rules during the workshop.
• Data quality: Seed with realistic examples and run negative tests (missing fields, wrong file types).

How to scale the micro‑app post‑workshop

1. Run a 2‑week pilot: 2 recruiters, 20 live hires. Collect metrics on time saved and manual checks avoided.
2. Iterate rules using real error patterns found in pilot cases. Maintain a rule backlog and prioritize by impact.
3. Formalize integrations with ATS and HRIS for single source of truth.
4. Institutionalize governance: schedule quarterly rule reviews and an annual audit of data retention and access.

KPIs & measurement (what to track)

• Reduction in manual eligibility checks per hire (target: 50% in pilot).
• Average time from intake to verification (target: < 48 hours).
• Number of hires advanced to offer without manual compliance escalations.
• Accuracy of rule evaluations — false positives/negatives rate from audited samples.

Case study excerpt — quick wins seen in 2025 pilots

Example (anonymized): A 200‑employee scale‑up piloted a screening micro‑app on Airtable + Softr in late 2025. Pilot results: 60% fewer manual checks, a 40% reduction in time‑to‑verify documents, and 90% recruiter satisfaction with the triage accuracy. They expanded to 10 hiring countries after 6 weeks.

Workshop materials: downloadable checklist & templates (copy into session)

• Facilitator checklist: objectives, pre‑work confirmation list, timing script.
• Data model CSV templates for Candidates, Documents, Rules and Audit.
• Testing matrix spreadsheet and sample test cases.
• Rule library starter pack: 12 common rules across common hiring jurisdictions.

Advanced strategies & future trends (2026+)

As no‑code platforms added LLM copilots and explainability features in 2025–2026, facilitators can now scaffold rule creation with generative prompts — but validate and capture human approvals. Expect these trends to speed up future workshops:

• LLM‑assisted rule drafting: generate jurisdictional rule drafts from a policy doc and have legal sign off within the tool.
• Auto‑classification of documents: AI extracts passport numbers, expiry dates and matches them to candidate records, reducing manual tagging.
• Embedded compliance audits: automatic generation of audit reports to satisfy IR35/immigration audit requests.

Wrap up — checklist for facilitator before leaving the room

• Working micro‑app deployed (link and access verified).
• Seed dataset imported and 6 test cases passed.
• Ownership assigned for rule maintenance, integration work and pilot measurement.
• Rollout plan and pilot KPIs documented and shared with stakeholders.

Call to action

Ready to run this workshop with your team? Download the facilitator kit (data CSVs, rule library and testing matrix) and schedule a 60‑minute planning call with one of our HR automation specialists to tailor the template to your jurisdictions and ATS. If you want hands‑on help, book a guided workshop where we co‑facilitate the build and deliver a production‑ready micro‑app by the end of the day.

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