> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.keystn.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Candidate Pipeline > The candidate pipeline tracks every prospective hire from first contact through a hiring decision, capturing production history, licenses, and stage. Candidate pipeline ## Adding a candidate To add a new candidate to the pipeline: 1. Go to **Recruiting** in the sidebar. 2. Click **Add Candidate**. 3. Fill in the candidate form (described below). 4. Click **Save**. You will be redirected to the candidate's detail page after saving. ### Candidate fields #### Basic information | Field | Required | Description | | -------------------- | -------- | ---------------------------------------------------- | | **First Name** | Yes | The candidate's first name | | **Last Name** | Yes | The candidate's last name | | **Email** | No | Email address. Must be a valid email if provided. | | **Phone** | No | Phone number | | **Current Employer** | No | The company the candidate currently works at | | **NMLS** | No | The candidate's NMLS number for license verification | #### Recruiting information | Field | Required | Description | | ----------------- | -------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | | **Stage** | Yes | The candidate's current pipeline stage. Defaults to **Lead**. | | **Desired Role** | No | The role the candidate is being considered for | | **Target Branch** | No | The branch the candidate would be assigned to if hired | | **Source** | No | How the candidate was identified (Referral, Job Board, LinkedIn, etc.) | | **Source Detail** | No | Free-text field for additional source context (e.g., "Referred by Jane Smith") | #### Available roles The following roles can be assigned as a candidate's desired role: | Role | Description | | -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Loan Officer** | Originates mortgage loans | | **Loan Officer Assistant** | Supports Loan Officers with file management and borrower communication | | **Processor** | Manages loan files from setup through closing | | **Contractor** | Independent contractor providing services to the company | | **Branch Manager** | Manages a branch office and its team | #### Production history | Field | Required | Description | | -------------------------- | -------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Average Monthly Volume** | No | The candidate's self-reported or verified average monthly loan volume in dollars | | **Average Monthly Units** | No | The candidate's average number of loans closed per month | Production history is particularly important for Loan Officer candidates. This data helps you assess the candidate's potential contribution and is used as input for the compensation estimator. ## Pipeline stages Every candidate moves through a series of stages that represent their position in the hiring process. ### Stage definitions | Stage | Description | Typical actions | | ------------- | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- | | **Lead** | Initial identification. The candidate is in your system but has not been actively engaged. | Record basic info, identify source, begin outreach | | **Screening** | Active evaluation of qualifications. | Review resume, verify NMLS and licenses, conduct phone screen | | **Interview** | The candidate is interviewing with your team. | Schedule interviews, gather feedback, assess cultural fit | | **Offer** | An offer has been extended to the candidate. | Use the compensation estimator, prepare and send the offer | | **Accepted** | The candidate has accepted the offer and is awaiting onboarding. | Begin pre-boarding tasks, schedule start date | | **Hired** | The candidate has been converted to an employee record. Set automatically during conversion. | Complete onboarding checklist | | **Declined** | The candidate or company decided not to proceed. | Record reason in notes | | **Withdrawn** | The candidate withdrew from the process. | Record reason in notes | ### Moving candidates through stages To change a candidate's stage: 1. Open the candidate's detail page. 2. Use the **Stage** dropdown to select the new stage. 3. The stage change is saved immediately. Stage changes are also reflected in the candidate list view, where stage badges are color-coded for quick visual identification: | Stage | Badge color | | --------- | ----------- | | Lead | Gray | | Screening | Blue | | Interview | Yellow | | Offer | Default | | Accepted | Green | | Hired | Green | | Declined | Red | | Withdrawn | Muted | ### Terminal stages **Hired**, **Declined**, and **Withdrawn** are terminal stages. While the system does not strictly prevent moving a candidate out of a terminal stage, these stages represent the end of the pipeline under normal circumstances: * **Hired** is set automatically when you convert a candidate to an employee. * **Declined** should be used when either party decides not to move forward. * **Withdrawn** should be used when the candidate removes themselves from consideration. ## State licenses For roles that require state licensing (particularly Loan Officers), you can track the candidate's state-by-state licenses. ### Adding licenses Licenses are managed in the candidate form: 1. Open the candidate form (either when creating a new candidate or editing an existing one). 2. In the **State Licenses** section, add entries for each state. 3. For each license, provide: | Field | Description | | ------------------- | ------------------------------------- | | **State** | The US state the license is issued in | | **License Number** | The license number (optional) | | **Expiration Date** | When the license expires (optional) | Licenses are important for two reasons: * They help you verify the candidate's qualifications during screening. * When the candidate is converted to an employee, their state licenses are automatically copied to the employee record. ## Adding notes Notes provide a running record of interactions, observations, and decisions about a candidate. ### Creating a note 1. Navigate to the candidate's detail page. 2. Scroll to the **Notes** section. 3. Enter your note text. 4. Click **Add Note**. Notes are timestamped and attributed to the employee who created them. They are displayed in reverse chronological order (newest first). ### What to record in notes Common uses for candidate notes include: * Phone screen summaries and impressions * Interview feedback from different team members * Reference check results * Compensation discussion details * Reasons for stage changes (especially for Declined or Withdrawn) * Follow-up reminders and next steps ### Automatic notes The system automatically creates a note when a candidate is converted to an employee, recording the conversion event with a timestamp. ## Stage counts The recruiting dashboard displays counts of candidates in each active pipeline stage, giving managers a quick overview of pipeline health. These counts exclude archived candidates and are updated in real time as candidates move through stages.