# Reference ## Background Check Flow Most background checks using the Checkr Dashboard and the Checkr-Hosted Apply flow step through the following sequence of events: ![Background check workflow](/assets/bgcworkflow.def09dfbbed0dc7f0c66ba7d77d65062abd9893f428ff01fb28bf1b60402b0f0.9c1bb791.png) Customer requests a report. Candidate receives an email. Candidate clicks the link in the email, enters their Personally Identifying Information (PII), and authorizes the search. Report is processed. Customer reviews the report in the Checkr Dashboard. Customer decides to engage or adverse action the candidate. For more information, see [Understand the screening process](https://docs.checkr.com/#section/Introduction/Understand-the-screening-process) in the Checkr API documentation. ## Checkr-Hosted Apply Flow The Checkr-Hosted Apply Flow, initiated by the `POST /invitations` call, automates PII and authorization collection from your candidates by presenting the following screens to them: **Welcome!**: Checkr populates a screen with fields to collect the Personally Identifiable Information required for the requested screenings. Your candidate enters their information, and clicks Next. **Your Rights**: Checkr presents your candidates with their rights under the FCRA, and asks that they acknowledge receipt. Your candidate clicks the "I agree" checkbox, and clicks Next. **Disclosures**: Your candidate is presented with all hiring-specific disclosures, elects to receive a copy of their report, and acknowledges receipt. **Authorization**: Candidate authorizes Checkr to proceed with their background check. Once collected, Checkr stores your candidate's PII, their acknowledgement of receipt of the required authorizations and disclosures, and their consent to proceed with the background check. ### Checkr-Hosted Apply Flow: API calls and webhooks The following diagram shows the API calls used to initiate the Checkr-Hosted Apply Flow, and the webhooks issued during the workflow. This diagram also shows the most common flow and webhooks issued during report processing and completion. [![Background check flow and webhook sequence](/assets/bgcflowwebhooksequence.7b7281141d93ef6c991d297e40d353cf5088465d2ca2a48d913f5076fd2db2a0.9c1bb791.png)](/assets/bgcflowwebhooksequence.7b7281141d93ef6c991d297e40d353cf5088465d2ca2a48d913f5076fd2db2a0.9c1bb791.png) ## Checkr Dashboard User Permissions Requesting and reviewing background checks requires users to view sensitive candidate data. While building your integration, please be aware that customers have assigned their users specific roles within the Checkr Dashboard, that may limit their access to view candidate data, including completed reports. Checkr provides our customers with the following roles and permissions to assign their users: * **Limited User:** Can view the Candidates list. Cannot see candidate or report details. This role is automatically assigned to all new users on an Account. * **User:** Can view Reports. Assign this role to staff who provide candidates with updates on their background check. * **Requester:** Can access, send, monitor, and cancel invitations to initiate background checks. This role can see the status of reports in the Candidates page, but cannot see the details or results of completed reports. This role can see candidate documents and exceptions, but cannot see completed report details. Assign this role to recruiters who initiate background checks. * **Adjudicator:** Can see candidate and report details. This role can adjudicate Reports, engage candidates, and send Pre-Adverse Action notices to candidates. Assign this role to adjudication staff. * **Restricted Admin:** Available for Account Hierarchy enabled accounts only, this role has all permissions of Adjudicators and Requesters for candidates in their Account Hierarchy node. This role can invite users to the account, and assign non-Admin user roles. This role can also view invoices and change developer settings. This role cannot update billing or settings. Assign this role to administrators for sub-nodes on your account. * **Admin:** Has full access to all functionality within the Checkr Dashboard. This role can update account settings (including billing information), assign all roles to any users in the account. Limit this role to core members of your team. ## Error codes Checkr's OAuth API offers a number of error codes to facilitate your building and troubleshooting. Some common error codes include: #### POST '/oauth/tokens' ##### 422 Unprocessable entity * missing param(s) * invalid code * application not found * user not found ## Glossary ##### Adjudication The process by which customers reviewing returned background check reports decide whether to proceed with the candidate’s hiring/engagement process. The adjudication process ends with either candidate engagement or candidate adverse action. ##### Adverse Action The process by which a customer, upon reviewing the results of the background check, informs the candidate that they may not move forward with the hiring process. When notifying candidates of this preliminary decision, customers must follow applicable Federal, State, and local laws. For employment purpose checks: including providing information on how to dispute any incorrect or outdated information in the report, before moving forward with or terminating the hiring process. Steps related to this process include: * **Pre-Adverse Action:** Process by which employer/platform notifies the candidate of their preliminary adverse engagement decision. This includes written notification to the candidate that the Adverse Action process has been initiated, provides the candidate with a copy of their background check and other applicable notices, and gives the candidate the opportunity to address any potential inaccuracies in their background check before the final engagement decision is made. Pre-Adverse Action applies only to employment purpose background checks, including independent contractor relationships. * **Post-Adverse Action:** Process by which the employer/platform notifies the candidate of their final adverse engagement decision. This notification completes the Adverse Action process and is conducted after a minimum of 7 calendar days from the dispatch of the Pre-Adverse Action notice. ##### Candidate Experience Checkr’s Candidate Experience team interacts directly with candidates. The team manages incoming phone calls, emails, and portal communications from candidates work to answer their questions and issues relating to their background check. ##### Candidate The individual on whom a background check is run. Sometimes also referred to as the applicant. ##### Certification The process by which customers certify to Checkr that proper consent (that is, disclosure and authorization) to run the requested background check has been obtained from the candidate and their use of background reports complies with all applicable laws. Certification occurs at the time of report request whether through API or manual orders in the Checkr dashboard. ##### Credentialing The process by which checkr confirms the validity of the business and its permissible purpose. New accounts must be credentialed by Checkr’s Customer Success team before they will be allowed to request background checks. ##### Customer The person or company ordering a background check. ##### Disposition The court’s determination regarding the outcome or status of a criminal charge. A criminal case contains one or more charges, and each individual charge contains its own disposition. For example: Charge 1: conviction; Charge 2: Dismissed. ##### Dispute Action of a candidate informing Checkr that there is information on their report that is potentially inaccurate, incomplete, or unreportable. ##### Engage To hire a candidate. ##### Exceptions Issued when a Report cannot be completed as initially run, exceptions usually require additional documents or information from the candidate to be resolved. ##### Invitations To initiate the Checkr Hosted Apply flow, Checkr issues email "invitations" to candidates to participate in the background check process. These invitations link to an automated flow which collects the required candidate Personally Identifiable Information (PII), presents relevant authorizations and disclosures, and asks the candidate to consent to the background check. ##### Package A defined group of screenings, offered as a set. ##### Partner A company with whom Checkr works to provide software and services to customers. ##### Partner application The application partner developers must configure within their Checkr account to obtain their Checkr Client ID, configure webhook URIs, and manage their interface with the Checkr APIs. ##### Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Any information that can be used to identify a specific individual, such as name, social security number, date of birth, or mother's maiden name. PII can be sensitive or non-sensitive. Sensitive PII is information which, when disclosed, could result in harm to the individual whose privacy has been breached. Non-sensitive PII can be gathered from public records, phone books, corporate directories, and websites. ##### Screening A specific background check search Checkr offers customers.