Before you begin
From the Tests section of your dashboard, open the assessment you want to send. Inside the assessment, click into the Candidates tab.
This is where every invitation for this assessment is managed, from adding candidates to sending invitations and tracking responses over time. You can return to this tab anytime to add more candidates to an existing assessment. There's no limit to how many invitation batches you can send from a single assessment.
Invitations are sent from your Colare account. The person who created the workspace (the Lead) can invite more teammates from Settings → Team.
Add candidates to your assessment
Click Add Candidate to open the candidate-adding flow. You'll have two options for getting candidates into the system.
Option 1 · Add individually
Enter first name, last name, and email directly. Fastest path for small batches.
Option 2 · Bulk upload via CSV
Drop a CSV with your full candidate list. Best for larger groups.
Adding candidates individually
Enter the candidate's first name, last name, and email address directly into the form fields. This is the fastest path when you only have a few candidates to send to.
Add candidates
×Bulk upload via CSV
If you're sending an assessment to a larger group, upload a CSV with your candidate list. The bulk-upload dialog offers a downloadable template you can fill in, or you can build your own file. The required format is simple:
email(required)firstNameorfirst_name(optional)lastNameorlast_name(optional)
Column names are case-insensitive, and any extra columns in the CSV will be ignored. If a row has formatting issues or invalid data, that row will be skipped during the upload, and the rest of the candidates will still be added.
Drop your CSV here, or click to browse
Up to 10,000 rows · max 5 MB
Preview and customize the invitation email
Once your candidates are added, click Preview and Send to review the invitation email before it goes out. The Preview Invitation screen lets you customize the email candidates will receive.
You'll see the following fields:
- Subject. The subject line of the invitation email. The default is "Your Invitation to Complete a Hiring Test."
- Email body. The Colare logo, greeting, "Start Assessment" button, and footer are always included as fixed elements. You can edit the sections directly above and below the Start Assessment button.
- Above "Start Assessment" button. Your opening message. Default text thanks the candidate for applying and explains the purpose of the assessment.
- Below "Start Assessment" button. Practical instructions and expectations: the completion deadline, time required, and whether the test is completed in one sitting. It also covers internet stability and the requirement to complete on a computer. Make sure the deadline you state here matches the invitation expiry you set for these candidates. For the full device and browser requirements, see Preparing for your Colare assessment.
- CC. Optionally copy a recruiter or hiring manager on the invitation email.
Assessments are usually completed in one sitting, though that can change by assessment type. For example, take-home assessments let candidates close and reopen the test within the time limit you set. The limit starts counting when they first click Start and the assessment submits automatically when it runs out. Write the instructions below the button to match the type you're sending.
Editable fields
Customize any of these fields to match your team's voice or to add specific instructions for the role. When the email looks the way you want it, click Send invites. After sending, you'll see a confirmation showing the number of candidates invited.
Invitations were sent to 27 of 27 candidates. Track progress in the Insights tab.
After sending: track and follow up
Back in the Candidates tab, each invited candidate has a row showing their status, who invited them, and when their link expires.
- Invitation expiry. Each invite has a window in which the candidate must start. The default comes from the test's Settings (2 days unless you change it), and you can override it per candidate when inviting. The expiry date shows in the candidates list so you can follow up before access lapses.
- Send a reminder. For candidates who haven't started, send a reminder from the candidate's row or their invite history.
- Invited by. The Invited by column shows which team member sent each invitation.
- Resend. Resending re-issues the candidate's link. If a candidate's name was entered wrong, correct it when you re-invite and the new name overwrites the old one.
Send assessments through your ATS
Colare connects to Ashby, Greenhouse, and 100+ other ATS platforms. Step-by-step setup guides are available for Ashby and Greenhouse.
With an integration in place, candidates flow into Colare directly from your hiring pipeline, and Colare scores sync back into the candidate's profile in your ATS. For Ashby and Greenhouse, connect from Settings → Integrations inside Colare; the Ashby and Greenhouse guides walk through each step. Don't see your ATS? Email support@colare.com and we'll guide you through setup. For an overview of how the integration works, see ATS integrations.
Editing an assessment after sending
You can edit an assessment after invitations have gone out. What each candidate sees depends on where they are when you make the change:
- Invited, not yet opened. They see the updated version when they open it. No new invitation is needed.
- Already opened or in progress. They finish the version they began with, and their work is scored against that version's rubric.
- Completed. Their result stays as it is.
- Invited after the edit. They receive the updated version.
To give a candidate who has already started or completed the assessment an attempt at the updated version, return to the Candidates tab and resend the invitation using the mail icon next to their name. They receive a new attempt on the current version, and their earlier attempt stays on record.
Archiving an assessment
When a role is filled or you no longer want to invite candidates, archive the test from its row menu in the Tests list. You'll be asked to confirm. Archiving closes the test to new candidates; existing results stay on record. Archived tests are hidden by default, so use the archived filter to find them, and you can unarchive a test at any time.
What's next
Once your invitations are out, candidates begin moving through the pipeline. You can track their progress (who's been invited, who's started, who's completed, and who's ready for review) from the Insights page of your assessment.