How Actief Werkt! switched to a new ATS in 7 weeks

Why this transition couldn't wait

An ATS is essential for a staffing agency. Job openings must go online, applications need to land in the right place, and data must be passed on to systems for invoicing and payroll, among other things. If that part falters, it directly impacts the work of teams and revenue. The time pressure at Actief Werkt! was therefore high. Fortunately, Actief Werkt! Belgium was already working with Carerix 2.0. That experience helped us to make choices faster and speed up the process.

Switching quickly without grinding to a halt

The challenge was not just in migrating to Carerix 2.0. The website, login environment, and integrations with external job platforms also had to keep working. Candidates had to be able to apply and employees had to be able to continue their work. That is why the focus from the very beginning was on what was truly needed to go live: first make sure the foundation was reliable, then improve further.

Together with Actief Werkt!

This integration succeeded thanks to a strong collaboration between Actief Werkt!, Freshheads, and the partners involved. Maurice, Process Manager at Actief Werkt!, and Marion, Manager Marketing & Communications at Actief Werkt!, guarded the priorities, kept up the momentum, and ensured that choices could be made quickly.

From Freshheads, Jaap, Backend Developer, among others, took on the technical side. He already knew the Actief Werkt! environment well and was therefore able to switch gears quickly. That combination of sharp steering and technical focus ensured that the team could keep building in a targeted way under high pressure.

The tech behind the transition

Behind the scenes, a lot had to come together. Carerix 2.0 was linked to the website and to Kentro, the back-office system that Actief Werkt! uses for processes like invoicing and payroll. Job data and applications also had to keep flowing smoothly between the ATS, the website, and external channels like Indeed.

Thiel Partners supported the integration between Carerix 2.0 and Kentro. As a result, the different systems could talk to each other faster and more reliably. This created an ecosystem where data is exchanged instantly and key processes continue to run automatically.

From months to 7 weeks

An ATS integration often takes months. Logical, because there are many dependencies. Data must be correct, links must be stable, and teams must be able to trust the system. At Actief Werkt!, the integration was up and running within 7 weeks. Not by skipping steps, but by smart phasing and working with a dedicated team.

What the team thought of it

Representing Actief Werkt!, Maurice looks back on a process in which sharp choices and trust were key. “What I am particularly proud of is how everyone took responsibility to get this done together. Due to the tight deadline, there was no room for endless discussions. We had to choose sharply what was needed for phase 1 and what could wait. Our goal was clear: to realize the transition to the new ATS without halting daily operations. That was exciting, especially since we depended on partners and migration data. But by thinking ahead and having alternative scenarios ready, we could keep adapting. From the very first moment, it felt familiar. Freshheads was honest about it being challenging, but also said: we are going to fix it. And they delivered.”

Jaap, Backend Developer at Freshheads, also saw how important focus was in this process. “The lines were short and because of the tight deadline we could make decisions quickly. We had to, as the go-live date of June 22 was set in stone. At the same time, it was exciting whether the new ATS would connect well with the existing environment and whether we could build all the integrations in time. A lot had to happen in a short time.” Because Jaap already knew the Actief Werkt! environment well, he could switch quickly and build in a targeted way on what was needed.

According to Sepp, New Business Developer at Freshheads, the strength of this project lay mainly in the combination of focus, collaboration, and speed. “Normally, you spend easily six months on an ATS integration like this. Now everything had to come together in a much shorter time: Carerix 2.0, the website, Kentro, and all the integrations around it. That worked because Actief Werkt!, Freshheads, and partners were all right on top of it.”

What other staffing agencies can learn from this

The project at Actief Werkt! shows that an ATS transition can be done faster than often thought. But speed doesn't happen by itself. You need clear priorities, short lines between business and technology, and a team that understands where the real impact lies. A new ATS is not an end in itself. It should help the organization work smarter, faster, and smoother.