Search you can trust
Recruiters find the right candidate in your own database before paying for another search.
For agencies on Bullhorn, Crelate & Big Biller
Bullhorn database cleanup and ATS data management
A recruiter who doesn’t trust the ATS goes straight back to LinkedIn. We clean your database once, then keep it clean, so search, automation and AI work on data you can trust.
The short answer
A Bullhorn database cleanup merges duplicate records, archives stale ones, fills missing emails and phone numbers, and standardises fields such as status, skills and location so recruiters can search with confidence. AffinitySteps does this work by hand inside your own ATS, for Bullhorn, Crelate and Big Biller, as a one-off project or as ongoing weekly maintenance.
Why it matters now
Clean data is no longer just tidiness. Automation and AI tools inside your ATS are only as good as the records they read.
Automation that fires correctly
Bullhorn Automation and other workflows depend on accurate statuses, owners and dates.
AI that gives useful answers
Matching and AI features return better shortlists from consistent skills and titles.
Bullhorn’s 2026 GRID report found that staffing firms using AI were 3.5 to 4.5 times more likely to have grown revenue in 2025, and data quality is the groundwork for that.
Want to see how this would work for you? Book a free 20-minute call
What a cleanup covers
- Audit: how much of the database is usable, reachable and recently engaged
- Duplicate candidates and contacts merged, keeping the best record as primary
- Missing emails and phone numbers found and verified
- Stale records archived to your own rules
- Statuses, owners, skills, titles and locations standardised
- Old category and skill codes mapped to the current ones
- A short data rulebook so new records stay clean
- Weekly upkeep, if you want it
Is it right for you?
An honest check before you book a call.
A good fit if
- Recruiters say "it’s not in Bullhorn" when it is
- You are about to switch on automation or AI features
- You merged with another agency or moved ATS
- Mass emails bounce or reach the wrong people
Probably not a fit if
- You want software to do it automatically with no people involved
- Your ATS holds only a few hundred records
How it works
- 1
Audit
Measure duplicates, gaps and stale records, and agree the rules.
- 2
Clean
Merge, fill, archive and standardise, in agreed batches.
- 3
Check
Spot-check samples with your team before moving on.
- 4
Keep it clean
Weekly upkeep and a rulebook for new records.
Questions
Something else? Ask on WhatsApp or send a message. Replies within one working hour.
How do you clean up a Bullhorn database?
Start with an audit of usable, reachable and engaged records. Then merge duplicates, fill missing contact details, archive stale records and standardise key fields. Finish with rules and weekly upkeep so the mess doesn’t come back.
Is it safe to merge duplicates in Bullhorn?
Yes, if you choose the right primary record and check notes and placements first. We agree merge rules with you and spot-check samples before working in bulk.
Do you use a tool or do it by hand?
Both. Bulk changes use your ATS’s own tools where they fit; anything needing judgement, such as which duplicate to keep, is done by a person.
Do you work with Crelate and Big Biller too?
Yes. AffinitySteps works in Bullhorn, Crelate and Big Biller every day.
How long does a cleanup take?
It depends on the size and state of the database. The audit gives a timeline before any changes are made.
Next step
Find out how clean your ATS really is.
Book a 20-minute call. We’ll agree what to measure and come back with an audit plan.
Sources
Market figures are third-party estimates and change often. Checked November 2026.