Sterling integrations: Managing background check orders

Initiate and manage background checks with Sterling

Use the Sterling integration to initiate and manage background checks throughout the procurement and onboarding process. Depending on your role and organization configuration, background check activities can include reviewing available packages, initiating background check orders, requesting background check bypasses, reviewing screening results, and approving bypass requests.

Sterling Integration Capabilities

Depending on your role and organization configuration, you can use the Sterling integration to:

• Initiate a background check during candidate submission.
• Initiate a background check during offer acceptance.
• Request a background check bypass.
• Review available background check packages during candidate submission.
• Review available background check packages during onboarding.
• Review background check results when additional evaluation is required.
• Complete background check bypass approval activities.

Before you begin

Before initiating a background check:

• Verify that the candidate's email address is accurate.
• Confirm that the appropriate Sterling background check package is available for selection.
• Determine whether a background check should be initiated or bypassed, if bypass requests are enabled for your organization.

Review available background check packages

Background check packages can be reviewed before a background check is initiated.

Review packages during candidate submission

1. Open the candidate submission.
2. Navigate to the background check section.
3. Review the available Sterling packages.
4. Review package details, if available.

Review packages during onboarding

1. Open the candidate's onboarding workflow.
2. Navigate to the background check information.
3. Review the available Sterling packages.
4. Review package details, if available.

The packages available for selection are determined by your organization's Sterling configuration.

Initiate a background check during candidate submission

Suppliers and client users can initiate a Sterling background check while submitting a candidate to a requisition.

Before initiating a background check, verify that the candidate's email address is accurate. Sterling uses this email address to send screening instructions and required actions to the candidate.

1. Open the candidate submission.

2. Complete the submission details.

3. Navigate to the background check section.

4. Review the available Sterling background check packages.

   Available packages are retrieved from Sterling and may vary by organization.

5. Select the appropriate background check package.

   The selected package determines the screenings ordered for the candidate.

6. Review the candidate's email address.

   Sterling uses this email address to communicate directly with the candidate during the screening process.

7. Submit the candidate.

A candidate record and background check order are created in Sterling. Screening instructions are sent to the candidate using the email address provided.

Initiate a background check during offer acceptance

Suppliers and client users can initiate a Sterling background check while accepting a candidate offer.

1. Open the Candidate Offer Pending task.
2. Select View Details.
3. Open the offer approval action.
4. Select Accept Offer.
5. Review the value in the Email field.
   The email address is used by Sterling to communicate directly with the candidate during the screening process.
6. Verify that the candidate's email address is correct.
7. Select Email Confirmed. Selecting Email Confirmed verifies that the email address has been reviewed before the background check is initiated.
   TIP: Depending on your organization's process, either select a background check package to create a background check order or select Bypass Background Check to request approval to proceed without creating an order.
8. In Background Check to Initiate, select the appropriate Sterling background check package.
   Available packages are retrieved from Sterling and may vary by supplier organization. The selected package determines the screenings that are ordered for the candidate.
9. Optional. Enter comments.
   Comments can be used to provide additional information about the background check request.
10. Select Accept Offer.

A candidate record and background check order are created in Sterling. Screening instructions are sent to the candidate using the confirmed email address.

Bypass a background check

If your organization allows background check bypasses, a bypass request can be submitted instead of creating a background check order.

1. Open the Candidate Offer Pending task.
2. Select View Details.
3. Open the offer approval action.
4. Select Accept Offer.
5. Review and confirm the candidate's email address.
6. Select Bypass Background Check. 
   Selecting Bypass Background Check requests approval to proceed without creating a background check order.
7. Enter the required comments or justification.
   Comments are used to document the business justification for requesting the bypass and may be reviewed during the approval process.
8. Select Accept Offer.

The bypass request is routed for approval.

Review background check results

Program Office users can review background check results when additional evaluation is required.

1. Open the Candidate Background Check Review task.
2. Review the background check information and any available supporting documentation.
3. Determine whether the candidate can continue through onboarding.
4. Complete the review task.

The onboarding workflow proceeds according to the review decision.

Approve or reject a background check bypass request

Program Office users can review pending bypass requests and determine whether onboarding can continue without a background check.

1. Open the Candidate Background Check Bypass Approval task.
2. Review the candidate information and bypass justification.
3. Approve or reject the bypass request.
4. Complete the task.

The onboarding workflow proceeds according to the approval decision.

View Background Check Information

Background check activity can be reviewed from the candidate resource profile.

1. Open the candidate resource profile.
2. Select the Background Check Management tab.
3. Review available information, including:
   • Package
   • Status
   • Result
   • Order ID
   • Initiated date
   • Completion date
   • Reference URL

The Reference URL provides access to the Sterling report. Authentication in Sterling may be required before the report can be viewed.

After you submit a background check

After a background check is submitted, a candidate record and background check order are created in Sterling. Screening instructions are sent to the candidate using the confirmed email address.

As the screening process progresses, background check information is synchronized and made available in the Background Check Management tab.

Sterling screening results can affect the onboarding workflow:

• Clear results allow the candidate to continue through onboarding without additional background check review.
• Consider results route the candidate to a background check review task, where the results can be evaluated before onboarding continues.
• Bypass requests route the candidate to a background check bypass approval task before onboarding can continue.

Related articles

• Background Checks: Overview
• Review Background Check Notifications, Orders, and Statuses