An Applicant Tracking System is only as useful as the data recruiters put into it. Over a few months, small gaps accumulate: a candidate entered twice, a vacancy that was filled but never closed, a source field left empty, a client contact who changed employer. Each gap looks harmless on its own, but together they make searches unreliable and turn time-to-fill and source reports into guesswork. A short, recurring data quality check once per quarter keeps the database trustworthy without a large clean-up project. This article describes what to check, who does it and how to keep the check small.
The emphasis differs per segment. Recruitment agencies rely on clean client and contact records next to the candidate pipeline, so submissions and follow-up reach the right person. Staffing and secondment teams need accurate availability and assignment end dates to plan people. Executive search firms depend on complete search histories and longlists that remain usable for years. In-house recruitment teams report to management and need figures that hold up to questions. The same quarterly routine supports all of them.
Agree on a short list of checks
A data quality check fails when it tries to cover everything. Choose five to eight checks that matter most for your work and write them down, so every quarter compares the same things. A practical starting set: duplicate candidate records, candidates without a recorded source, open vacancies without an owner or target date, candidates stuck in one stage for too long, closed vacancies without a close reason, and client contacts without a current role. Saved filters in the Applicant Tracking System make each check repeatable in minutes instead of hours.
Candidate records: duplicates, sources and retention
Start with the candidate side. Search for likely duplicates on name, email address and phone number and merge them instead of keeping a second record, so history and notes end up in one place. Filter on candidates without a source recorded at first application; every gap here weakens the comparison of sources by placements. Check that profiles past their retention date have been renewed, anonymised or deleted. Profiles that have gone quiet belong in the routine for keeping dormant candidate profiles up to date rather than in this check.
Vacancies and pipelines: owners, dates and stuck stages
Next, look at open work. Every open vacancy should have a single owner and a target fill date. Vacancies that were filled, cancelled or paused but still show as open inflate the workload and distort reporting: close them with a documented reason or mark them on hold with a review date. Filter on candidates stuck in a stage beyond your agreed norm and on active candidates without a next action date. These are usually signs of forgotten follow-up rather than deliberate choices.
Client and contact records next to the pipeline
For teams that keep client and contact management beside the candidate pipeline, include the client side in the check. Confirm that each active client has a current main contact with a recorded role, that agreed terms are present before new submissions, and that off-limits agreements are still accurate. Outdated contact details lead to submissions and reports reaching people who have left the organisation.
Fix the cause, not only the record
Correcting records each quarter is useful; preventing the same errors is better. When one gap keeps returning, adjust the process. Missing sources often call for a mandatory field at the right pipeline stage. Inconsistent tags point to a shared skills and tag list. Repeated follow-up gaps can often be handled by automating repeated steps such as reminders. New colleagues benefit when the agreed conventions are part of recruiter onboarding. Smart suggestions, for example for possible duplicates, can help as a secondary aid, but the recruiter decides what to merge or change.
A practical start
- Pick five to eight checks and save each one as a filter
- Schedule the check once per quarter, with one named owner and a fixed time slot
- Merge duplicates and fill missing sources on candidate records
- Give every open vacancy an owner and a target date, and close what is no longer open
- Review stuck stages and active candidates without a next action date
- Record the number of issues per check, so you can see whether the gaps shrink over time
Data you can report on
A quarterly data quality check keeps an Applicant Tracking System reliable for daily searches and for the figures you share in a weekly pipeline review or a monthly report for management. With a short list of checks, saved filters, one owner and attention to the causes behind recurring gaps, the effort stays small and the database stays useful. Explore the product or book a demo — we will show how saved filters, pipelines and candidate and client records work in BoldATS for your segment.