---
title: Auto-Reject Applications
slug: auto-reject-applications
docTags: HPFeBWXhC8Kw1bNkGE2JJ,0s-S8Ttf6TeSV-maF-z6a
createdAt: 2025-07-10T11:57:32.686Z
---

This guide covers how to streamline your application review process by using the auto-reject feature.

# Auto-Reject overview

Auto-Reject allows you to reject candidates whose application submissions match certain conditions automatically. Rejection conditions apply to the selected application form for a given job. For example, if you have a location-based application question, you can configure a rule within the job posting to automatically reject candidates located outside of the targeted area.

Auto-reject rules can only be configured to run at the point of the candidate's application submission and cannot run at other stages in the interview process.

Watch the following optional video for an overview of Auto-Reject, or follow the steps below.

::loom{url="https://www.loom.com/embed/a7ce4a7d139e4430af19e08d634d2a61"}

# How to set up an auto-reject configuration

To set up an Auto-Reject condition:

1. Navigate to **Jobs > Jobs** and select a job.
2. Navigate to **Job Postings**, then click on a listing to access the posting tabs.
3. Select the **Automation** tab. The tab contains job-specific automation options including automatic application confirmation emails and auto-reject.
4. Click `Create a Configuration`, then configure the fields below.

![The screenshow shows the Draft Auto-Reject Configuration page.](https://cdn.zappy.app/eaa9bc42e427728cab5a0927a5c45081.png)

**This screenshot highlights 6 key areas of auto-reject configuration setup:**

1. Conditions run in order. If a candidate is rejected by one condition, future conditions are skipped. If a rejection condition is empty, it is skipped.
2. The Rejection Condition is based on application questions. Select a question and configure the conditional behavior. For example, if the rejection condition is 'Application Form's Name contains A', 'Aaron' would be rejected and 'Bob' would not be.
3. The Archive Reason is added to the candidate profile when an application is auto-rejected using the rejection condition.
4. Configure the number of business days to delay the rejection email to candidates.
5. Select the rejection email template to send to the candidate. These must be preconfigured in **Email Templates**.
6. Select the from address the rejection email is sent from.

You can click `+ Create New Auto-Reject Rule` to create additional auto-reject rules. Ashby applies auto-reject rules to applications in the order they are listed.

![The screenshot shows the rejection configuration section with the Create New Auto-Reject Rule option highlighted.](https://cdn.zappy.app/fda16761e55c3eadbdc5faaeaea288c2.png)

Once configured and activated, Auto-Reject evaluates all new applications. Auto-reject does not currently support applying the rule to historical applications.

## Setting up a Rejection Condition

When setting up your auto-reject conditions, first click `Add Field to Match`. You can select a question on your application form and determine the answers that trigger the auto-reject tool.

Once you've selected your question, you see the following options for determining an answer that leads to automatic rejection. This example is for a question with a multiple-choice answer field.

![The screenshot shows a condition being configured using the equals options on an application form field. ](https://cdn.zappy.app/53991ba5f52e5ecdec7e62f12f165919.png)

**Is empty/unassigned:** No answer has been added or selected. Select this if you want to automatically reject a candidate if they have not answered the question.

**Is not empty/unassigned:** Any answer has been added in response to the application form. Selecting this automatically rejects any candidate who has answered the question.

**Equals:** Select or add a value here. If the candidate has responded with the exact same answer, they are rejected automatically.

Depending on the field type, you may see additional options. Here is another example where the field type is one that can be typed into directly, rather than selecting a specific answer, as above.

![The screenshot shows a rejection configuration being set up using the contains option.](https://cdn.zappy.app/47d900c578db43d7ac433bab0ece0da9.png)

**Contains:** The answer contains the text you add to the **Add text to match** field beside the drop-down menu. If the applicant's answer contains this text, they are rejected automatically.

**Starts with:** Ashby rejects the application if the answer starts with the text specified in the **Add text to match** field.

**Ends with:** Ashby rejects the application if the answer ends with the text specified in the **Add text to match** field.

**Similar to:** Ashby rejects the application if the answer is similar to the text in the **Add text to fuzzy match** field. For example, if *localization* is added to the **Add text to fuzzy match** field and the applicant includes the word *local* in their application, this constitutes a fuzzy match.

## Auto-Reject operators

While configuring your auto-reject rules, you see the operators **And**, **Or**, and **Not**.

![The screenshot shows rejection conditions being configured with the auto-reject operators highlighted.](https://cdn.zappy.app/9c10e5c763b72f0c1c2cb40fb061b735.png)

**And:** This option adds an **All are True** condition to the rule, so you can set multiple conditions and, as long as all conditions are met, the candidate is rejected. In this example, the candidate is rejected if they select No for both of the specified questions. If they select *Yes* for one of the two, they are not rejected automatically.

![The screenshot shows rejection conditions with the All are true operator.](https://cdn.zappy.app/7f8bc7bf26014835281029faac53de8b.png)

**Or:** This option adds an **Any can be True** condition to the rule. If any of the conditions listed are met, the candidate's application is rejected automatically. In this example, if the candidate selects No for either question, their application is rejected automatically.

![The screenshot shows rejection conditions with the Any can be true operator.](https://cdn.zappy.app/6d5512ddbf0e403178d7fc2331249e49.png)

**Not:** This option adds a **The following is not true** condition to the form. Candidates who do not meet the criteria specified in the rules are rejected automatically. In this example, if the candidate does not select Yes as their answer to the question, they are automatically rejected.

![The screenshot shows rejection conditions with the The following is not true operator.](https://cdn.zappy.app/7f4b00c3333497f5e5fe7efcabd85110.png)

You can also add these operators within one another! If you are using the *Not* operator and want to add multiple conditions the candidate needs to meet, select the `And` operator once you've set up your first condition to add another. In this example, both questions need to be answered *Yes* for the candidate to pass through to the **Application Review** stage. If a candidate answers Yes to one question and No to the other, they are rejected automatically.

![The screenshot shows rejection conditions with the The following is not true and All are true operators.](https://cdn.zappy.app/e08916b762be08263329d91fb031c593.png)

# How to edit an auto-reject configuration

When there is an active configuration and Auto-Reject is enabled, you need to create a new draft condition to make edits. The active condition continues to run until the draft condition is activated.

1. Click `View Current Configuration`.
2. Click `Create a New Draft...` and configure the draft condition.
3. Click `Activate`.

![The screenshot shows an auto-reject configuration with the Create a New Draft option highlighted.](https://cdn.zappy.app/02980bbc8a7c9e6f85d11893f3808d44.png)

# Turning off auto-reject on a job posting

To deactivate an active configuration, switch off the `Auto-Reject Enabled` toggle in the **Automation** tab of the selected job posting. 

![The screenshot shows Auto-Reject Applications with Auto-Reject Enabled on.](https://cdn.zappy.app/8b236d361a778d64d355282eb87c50d7.png)

Once disabled, the tag beside the **Auto-Reject Application** heading turns red and displays Disabled.

![The screenshot shows Auto-Reject Applications with Auto-Reject Enabled off.](https://cdn.zappy.app/c40e5108296fe4584d044a600ce52124.png)

# Search for candidates that have been auto-rejected

If you'd like to review rejected candidates, you can find all archived candidates within the candidate pipeline of your job in the **Archived** view. You can then add an advanced filter to display only auto-rejected candidates.

![The screenshot shows a job with the Archived section of the timeline open.](https://cdn.zappy.app/8df02919e16f4b11bde97dd84bc23158.png)

**To search for those candidates:**

1. Navigate to the **Archived** candidates view in the candidate pipeline.
2. Select the `Advanced` filter option.
3. Search for the `Auto-Rejected` filter and set it to equal Yes.

## Auto-reject information on candidate profiles

![The screenshot shows the candidate's profile with the feed showing that the candidate was rejected by Ashby Bot.](https://cdn.zappy.app/70a0f2a08088be9f254e397b6b9808f6.png)

**This screenshot highlights two key auto-reject activities on the candidate profile:**

1. For delayed emails, you find a Scheduled Email activity under **Current Activities**. You have the option to view the scheduled email, modify it, or delete it.
2. In the feed, you find a notification that the candidate was moved to the **Archived** stage by Ashby Bot.

# FAQ

### How do auto-reject rules interact with application requests?

If an application is submitted through an application request link, Ashby does not check those applications against auto-reject or application limit rules.

### Can I reject candidates who have applied multiple times?

You can set up application limits if you are seeing candidates apply multiple times for the same role or department. More on configuring these at [Application Limits](docId\:DTFh2I3HX_EkQBVgwW8FI).

### Can I configure auto-reject rules for interview stages?

No, auto-reject rules can only be configured on the job posting and so will only be applied to applications at the point of submission via your job board.

### I'm unable to select an archive reason when configuring auto-reject. Why?

Organization Admins have access to Archive Reasons by default. Users with Elevated Access roles do not automatically inherit this permission, so it needs to be granted separately under their Additional User Permissions. More on this at [Additional User Permissions](docId\:MHy0TXb4sxnqYe9XKvN8e).