Auto-rejection rules and knockout questions

Last updated: September 24, 2026

Auto-rejection rules let you automatically reject candidates who don't meet a job's must-have requirements, based on their answers to knockout questions on the application form. Kula compares each candidate's answers against the criteria you set and rejects candidates who don't meet them, without any manual review.

Who can do this: recruiters on the job, the person who created the job, and anyone with the Manage all jobs permission
Where to find it: the job's application form settings → Auto-rejection rules. You can also set rules on a form template under Settings → Candidates & Applications → Application forms

Before you start

Rules check the answers to custom questions on the application form. These field types work: single select, multi select, yes/no, number and date. Add at least one of these questions to the form first. See Configuring your application form.

Set up a rule

  1. Open the job's application form settings (or the form template).

  2. In Auto-rejection rules, turn on the toggle. Rules are off by default for every job.

  3. Click Set up auto-rejection, or Add rule if the job already has rules.

  4. In Rule name, describe what it screens for, such as "Requires 5+ years' experience".

  5. In Select criteria, choose the question to check, then a condition:
    - Single or multi select: Include any or Include all
    - Yes/No: Include any or Exclude all
    - Number or date: Greater than, Lesser than, Greater than or equal to, Lesser than or equal to or Equals

  6. Enter or pick the value. Click Add criteria to add another condition to the same rule.

  7. In Rejection reason and email, choose a rejection reason. To email the candidate, turn on Add rejection email and pick a template. To delay it, turn on Schedule rejection email and set Send after in weekdays.

  8. Click Create rule.

How rules decide

  • All conditions in a rule must match. Conditions in one rule combine with AND. There's no OR within a rule; for alternatives, create separate rules.

  • Rules run in order. Kula checks active rules from the top of the list and stops at the first one the candidate fully matches. Drag rules to change the order.

  • Unanswered questions don't reject. If a candidate skips a question, that condition doesn't count against them.

  • Kula blocks rules that can't work. Duplicate conditions, conditions no one could meet, and conditions that would reject everyone can't be saved.

When a rule matches, Kula rejects the candidate with that rule's rejection reason, sends its rejection email on its schedule, and logs the rule's name on the candidate's activity feed. If no rule matches, the candidate moves through the pipeline as normal

Managing multiple rules

You can add more than one auto-rejection rule to a job. Each rule appears in the Auto-rejection rules list, where you can:

  • Drag a rule by its handle to reorder it. Kula evaluates rules in the order shown here.

  • Turn a rule's toggle on or off to enable or disable it without deleting it.

  • Click the edit icon to change a rule's name, criteria, rejection reason, or email.

  • Click the trash icon to delete a rule permanently.

Note: If you delete or change the type of a custom field that a rule depends on, Kula disables that rule and flags it until you update the rule's criteria.

What happens when a candidate applies

When a candidate submits an application, Kula checks the job's active auto-rejection rules in the order shown in the rules list. It evaluates each rule in turn and stops at the first rule whose criteria the candidate fully matches. Kula then:

  • Marks the candidate Rejected (by Auto-Rejection Rule).

  • Applies the rejection reason set on that rule.

  • Sends the rejection email configured on that rule, on the schedule you set.

  • Logs the rejection on the candidate's activity feed, including which rule triggered it.

If a candidate doesn't fully match any active rule, Kula takes no action and the candidate moves through your pipeline as normal.

Good to know

  • Only applications are checked. Rules check answers given on the application form, so candidates you add by hand, source or import aren't checked.

  • Rules belong to each job. You can bring them in from a form template to save setup, but there's no single place to manage rules for every job.

  • Auto-rejected candidates are under Rejected. Filter the job's candidates by Rejected to find them.

FAQ

  • Can a candidate reapply after an auto-rejection? Yes. Candidates can submit a new application. Auto-rejection rules evaluate new applications the same way they evaluate any other application.

  • Can I manually override an auto-rejection? Yes. You can move a rejected candidate to a different stage from their candidate profile, the same way you would for any other candidate.

  • How do I see which rule rejected a candidate? Open the candidate's activity feed on their profile. Kula logs the rule name for every auto-rejection.

Need help?

If you have questions or need assistance, reach out to us at support@kula.ai or use the in-app chat.