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KI BMS: the GDPR-friendly alternative to Excel / Google Sheets

Plain-language privacy notice, standard German GDPR DPA available on request, self-serve export + delete.

GDPR alternative
ATS
Sheets
Recruiting
Finn Glas
Finn GlasCo-Founder + Engineering
·April 13, 2026·
2 min read

GDPR isn't a checkbox - it's a posture. If you're moving off Excel / Google Sheets because their AVV / DPA is opaque, KI BMS is what a clean alternative looks like: subprocessor list of two (Stripe + mail relay), self-serve export + delete from account settings, and a standard German GDPR DPA on request when your procurement team needs one.

At a glance

A spreadsheet is a fine ATS for one person, one role, roughly 30 applications. The moment any of those three doubles, the workflow breaks. KI BMS is the answer for exactly that point - before you're force-migrated into an enterprise tool.

GDPR posture

GDPR is a posture, not a checkbox

Three things matter under GDPR for a tool like this: (1) lawful basis for processing, (2) data subject rights (export, delete, port), and (3) the auftragsverarbeitungs­vertrag / DPA chain. KI BMS treats them as engineering invariants, not legal optics. Lawful basis is the contract you sign with us. Subject rights are self-serve from your account settings - no support ticket required. The subprocessor list has two entries (Stripe + mail relay). A standard German GDPR DPA is available on request from /sales whenever your procurement team needs one - we don't charge for it and don't gate it behind a plan tier. Where Excel / Google Sheets sits on each of these is the rest of this page.

KI BMS vs Excel / Google Sheets: GDPR comparison

Ours
KI BMS
Theirs
Excel / Google Sheets
Automated GDPR retention
Auto-send emails
Drag-and-drop pipeline
KI fit-score
Multi-user edits, no conflicts
In theory
Public careers page
Who-changed-what audit log
Version history
Zero setup cost
Free + €1

When to pick which

Pick KI BMS when

Two or more people work on the same recruiting.
Three or more roles open at once.
Applications arrive faster than colour-coding the sheet keeps up.
You have a GDPR audit incoming or an open retention question.

Pick Excel / Google Sheets when

Exactly one open role, one HR person, no more than 30 applications.
You're in find-yourself mode and don't know if you'll ever hire again.

GDPR questions

What customer data-protection teams typically ask before signing a DPA.

Start with KI BMS

Free plan, no credit card. We host in Germany. Export + delete are self-serve.

Finn Glas

Written by

Finn Glas

Co-Founder + Engineering

Finn is one of the Co-Founders. He owns the engineering side, the infrastructure, and most of the late-night fixes that ship before anyone notices.

finn.glas at aicuflow dot comLinkedInWebsite