Unified Recruitment Platform
Replacing 14 spreadsheets with one system — from candidate intake to placement invoice
14h
Admin saved per week
Across 3 consultants — equivalent to 1.75 FTE days recovered weekly
3×
Faster time-to-placement
Average placement cycle reduced from 18 days to 6 days
0
Missed follow-ups since launch
Automated sequences replaced manual email tracking entirely
The Challenge
The agency was managing 340+ active candidates across 14 Excel files shared via OneDrive. Consultants were duplicating data entry across files, CV versions were overwritten without version control, and placement status lived in WhatsApp group chats. Every Friday afternoon, the operations manager spent 3.5 hours compiling a weekly report from five different sources. Two placements were lost in a single quarter because follow-up emails fell through the cracks. The agency was growing — adding a third consultant — but the existing system couldn't absorb the additional workload without breaking.
Existing Workflow
New candidate contacts agency via email or LinkedIn
Consultant manually adds row to shared Excel file
CV saved to OneDrive folder with inconsistent naming
Consultant emails client with CV as PDF attachment
Client feedback received via email or WhatsApp
Consultant manually updates Excel status column
Placement confirmed via email thread
Invoice created manually in Exact Online
Payment tracked in separate Google Sheet
Weekly report compiled manually every Friday (3.5h)
The Solution
Full-stack recruitment platform with unified candidate database, automated pipeline stages, client-facing portal, integrated email sequences, and a live reporting dashboard connected to Exact Online for automated invoicing on placement confirmation.
Unified candidate database with custom pipeline stages per vacancy type
Automated CV parsing — structured data extracted on upload
Client portal with live placement status and one-click CV approval
Automated email sequences for candidate follow-up at each stage
Real-time reporting dashboard — weekly report now generated in 90 seconds
Exact Online integration for automated invoice creation on placement
LinkedIn Recruiter API sync for candidate profile enrichment
Mobile-responsive interface for consultants working from client sites
System Architecture
Frontend
Next.js dashboard · Client portal · Mobile PWA
Backend
Supabase · PostgreSQL · Row-level security
Integrations
Exact Online API · LinkedIn API · DocuSign
Automation
Email sequences · SMS alerts · Webhook triggers
347
Active Candidates
23
Placements This Month
8
Pending Client Approvals
Activity (last 12h)
Implementation Timeline
Week 1–2
Discovery & Architecture
Process mapping, data migration planning, existing Excel audit, API access setup
Week 3–4
Core Platform Build
Candidate database, pipeline UI, user authentication, role-based access
Week 5
Integrations
Exact Online sync, email sequences, LinkedIn enrichment, DocuSign flow
Week 6
Client Portal & Reporting
Client-facing portal, live dashboard, automated report generation
Week 7
Migration & Launch
Historical data migration, staff training, parallel run, go-live
Integrations
Tech Stack
Timeline
7 weeks
Investment
€19,500 – €26,000
ROI
Significant admin time recovered (client-reported). The third consultant hired post-launch was fully productive from day one — no onboarding friction from the old Excel system. Note: exact annual saving figure and payback period require owner verification.
Business Impact
Consultant capacity increased by 40% without additional headcount
Client satisfaction improved — real-time portal replaced weekly status emails
Exact Online integration eliminated manual invoicing errors (previously 2–3/month)
New consultant onboarding reduced from 3 weeks to 4 days
Agency took on 6 new client accounts in the 6 months post-launch
Lesson Learned
The biggest resistance came from senior consultants who had "their own system" — personal Excel files they'd refined over years. We solved this by migrating their existing data on day one. They logged in and their candidates were already there, in the right pipeline stages. Adoption was 100% by end of week one. The lesson: never ask people to start from scratch. Migrate their history first.
We stopped losing candidates to disorganisation. The system does the follow-up, the reporting, and the invoicing. Our consultants just place people now. In the first month after launch, we placed more candidates than in the previous two months combined.
Managing Director
Managing Director · Staffing Agency, Antwerp
Client name withheld at their request.
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