By default, applicants in Dapple are not automatically notified when you move their submission to a new stage. They see the updated status the next time they sign in to their Applicant Account. If you want applicants to know about a stage change, send them a message via the Messages tab or set up a Stage Automation to send a templated message whenever a submission enters that stage.
Do applicants get an automatic notification when I change a stage?
No — not automatically. Stage changes happen silently from the applicant's perspective. The next time they sign in to their Applicant Account, the new stage label is visible. This is intentional: it gives you full control over when and how you communicate stage changes, so applicants only hear from you when you're ready.
Which actions trigger automatic notifications to applicants?
Action | Applicant notified automatically? | Notes |
Submission received | Yes | Confirmation email sent on successful submission |
Payment confirmed | Yes | Receipt sent by Stripe immediately after payment |
Status changed (e.g. New → In Progress) | No | Manual message required unless a Stage Automation is set up |
Stage changed | No | Manual message required unless a Stage Automation is set up |
Message sent by organiser | Yes | Email delivered immediately |
Submission recalled | No | Applicant is not notified automatically |
Submission deadline reminder | Yes | If automation is set or sent manually |
How do applicants see stage changes?
When an applicant signs in to their Applicant Account, their dashboard shows the current stage of every submission they've made. The stage label they see is the Display name for applicants you've set in the Edit stage panel — not your internal stage name.
There is no push notification or email triggered by a stage change alone. If you want applicants notified, you need to send a message or set up an automation.
How do I notify applicants when a submission moves stages?
You have two options:
Approach | Best for | How |
Manual message | Specific decisions where the message needs personal context | Open the submission → Messages tab → write or pick a template → send |
Stage Automation | "You've been shortlisted" or "Submissions are now closed" — any consistent bulk notification | Workflow & Reviews → stage column → + Add automation → Send Message → pick a template |
Stage Automations fire automatically every time a submission enters that stage, so they're the right tool for any consistent, high-volume communication.
Full automation guide: How to Set Up Stage Automations in Dapple
How do I customise what the applicant sees for each stage?
The label applicants see is set independently of your internal stage name. To update it:
Open your project → Workflow & Reviews.
Click the pencil icon on the stage you want to update.
Find the Display name for applicants field in the Edit stage panel.
Enter the label the applicant should see.
Click Save.
An internal stage called "Round 2 — Shortlist Review" can display to applicants simply as "Currently being reviewed". They don't need to see your internal naming. In the example below, the applicant would see In Progress.
What about Drafts?
Draft is an applicant-only status applied to submissions that have been started but not yet submitted. Drafts appear in the applicant's account so they can return and finish — your admin Submissions list only shows completed submissions. Applicants can resume, edit, and submit a draft at any time.
Draft is system-managed and can't be renamed or automated against — it sits outside your stage workflow entirely.
Can I stop applicants from being notified at all?
The only notification that can't be disabled is the submission confirmation email sent when an applicant successfully submits. Everything else — stage changes, status updates, feedback sharing — only fires if you trigger it manually or through a Stage Automation. To keep a stage completely silent, don't add an automation to it and don't send a manual message when submissions arrive there.
Best practices
Plan your applicant-facing stage labels before you go live — they're part of the applicant experience from the moment submissions open.
Use Stage Automations for the big transitions where every applicant should hear from you consistently — shortlisted, selected, not selected.
For multi-round programmes, send a final batch message after each round closes rather than per-decision messages — clearer for applicants and less overhead for your team.
Don't leave rejected applicants without a message. A short, kind rejection message is better than silence and protects your organisation's reputation.
If you're using a silent "holding" stage internally, make sure the applicant-facing label is reassuring — "Under review" or "In progress" rather than something that sounds like a dead end.
Where to go next