Bulk Operations let you change many records at once, including editing fields, setting a Record Type, changing a status, tagging, reassigning owners, deleting, adding to a Job, List, or Sequence, submitting to a Job, enriching, emailing, texting, starting a campaign, and updating labels. You can use them from the Jobs tab, the Companies tab, the Contacts tab, Search, and the Job dashboard.
What bulk actions can I use?
After you select records, a drop-down shows the actions you can run on all of them. On the Contacts tab, the drop-down is named for your selection, such as 6 Selected contacts, and it includes these actions:
Action | What it does |
Edit | Changes fields, including custom fields, on all the selected records. |
Set Record Type | Replaces the Record Types on all the selected Contacts. |
Change Record Status | Sets the same status on all the selected records, such as Active, Inactive, or Do Not Use. The list shows the statuses your organization has set up for that record type. |
Tag | Adds a tag to, or removes a tag from, all the selected records. |
Reassign | Assigns an owner to all the selected records. |
Delete | Deletes all the selected records. |
Block | Blocks the selected records. |
Add to Business Development Opportunity | Adds the selected Contacts to a Business Development Opportunity. |
Add to Job | Adds the selected Contacts to a new or existing Job. |
Add to List | Adds the selected records to a new or existing List. |
Add to Sequence | Adds the selected Contacts to a Sequence. |
Create Activity | Creates an Activity for the selected Contacts. |
Submit to Job | Submits the selected Contacts to a Job. |
Enrich Contacts | Enriches the selected Contacts. Each enrichment uses 20 AI Credits when a match is found. |
Send Bulk Email | Sends an email to all the selected Contacts. |
Send Bulk Text | Sends a text message to all the selected Contacts. |
Start Campaign | Starts an email campaign for the selected Contacts. |
The menu changes depending on where you start. On a Job dashboard, the drop-down is named 6 Selected Contacts, and it includes these actions that are specific to that Job:
Action | What it does |
Submit | Submits the selected Contacts to this Job. You do not choose a Job, because you are already on it. |
Change status | Changes the status of the selected Contacts on this Job. |
Edit Labels | Updates the label for the selected Contacts. |
Remove from this Job | Removes the selected Contacts from this Job. |
How do I select records and open the bulk actions?
You select the records, and then open the drop-down that shows how many you selected. You can do this from the Jobs tab, the Companies tab, the Contacts tab, Search, and the Job dashboard.
Open the Jobs tab, the Companies tab, the Contacts tab, Search, or the Job dashboard.
Select the records you want to change. To learn how to highlight or select several records, see Selecting Multiple Candidates.
At the top of the page, open the drop-down that shows the number you selected, such as 6 Selected contacts.
Choose the action you want.
What is the difference between Edit and Set Record Type?
Edit adds a Record Type to the types a Contact already has, and Set Record Type replaces the Record Types on the Contact.
Edit: Opens the Bulk Edit window, which includes a Record Type field. The field appends to the existing types, so a Contact that is already a Candidate and is also set to Client Contact becomes both.
Set Record Type: Replaces the existing types with the one you choose, so a Contact that was both a Candidate and a Client Contact becomes only the type you set.
The Bulk Edit window reminds you of this: “Appends to existing types. To replace, use ‘Set Record Type...’”
💡 Pro Tip: To change only a Contact’s Record Type, use Set Record Type. To keep the types a Contact already has and add another, use the Record Type field in Edit.
How do I bulk edit fields, including custom fields?
Use Edit to change the same fields on many records at once. The Bulk Edit window lists the fields you can change, such as Record Type, Salutation, Suffix, Preferred Contact Method, Salary, Salary Details, Nickname, Job Types, Source, and Ethnicity. You can also edit Custom Fields.
Select the records and open the drop-down at the top of the page, such as 6 Selected contacts.
Select Edit. The Bulk Edit window opens, and its title shows how many records you selected, such as Bulk Edit 6 Contacts.
Fill in only the fields you want to change.
Select Save.
Bulk Edit cannot change every field. See How do I edit many contacts, companies or opportunities at once from a grid or Search? for what it cannot change.
How do I bulk set the Record Type on Contacts?
Use Set Record Type to replace the Record Types on many Contacts at once, such as making them all Candidates or all Client Contacts.
Select the Contacts and open the drop-down at the top of the page.
Select Set Record Type.
Choose the Record Type, and confirm.
This replaces the Contact’s existing types. To add a type without removing the others, use Edit instead.
How do I bulk change the record status?
Use Change Record Status to change the status of many records at once. The submenu lists every status your organization has set up for that record type, such as Active, Inactive, and Do Not Use.
Select the records and open the drop-down at the top of the page, such as 6 Selected contacts.
Select Change Record Status. A submenu opens with the statuses available for the type of record you selected.
Select the status you want. It applies to all the selected records.
Your organization’s statuses can differ from the examples above, and each record type has its own list. A Contact, a Company, and a Job can each show a different set of statuses.
💡 Pro Tip: Check which statuses your organization uses before you change many records. A status such as Do Not Use changes how those records are treated, so review your selection before you choose it. See Do Not Use for more details.
How do I bulk tag records?
Use Tag to add the same tag to many records, or to remove the same tag from many records. You can tag up to 200 Contacts at once.
Select the records and open the drop-down at the top of the page.
Select Tag. A window opens.
If you created custom tag categories, you can add tags to each of your categories.
Slide the blue bar to choose whether you are adding or removing the tags below it.
Type or select the tags you want to add or remove.
Select OK.
💡 Pro Tip: Check the position of the blue bar before you select OK. It decides whether the tags are added or removed.
How do I bulk reassign ownership?
Use Reassign to assign an owner to many Contacts, Companies, or Jobs at once.
Select the records and open the drop-down at the top of the page.
Select Reassign.
Choose the owner, and then confirm.
To remove a user as an owner from many records, or to add a user as an owner to many records, select Switch to Advanced Mode.
How do I assign an owner to every Candidate who does not have one?
You filter for Contacts without an owner in Advanced Search, select them, and then use Reassign.
Open Advanced Search.
Add the Owners filter and set it to “Has no Data.” This shows only records without an owner.
Optional: Add a Record Type filter and select “Candidate,” so that only Candidates appear.
Review the results, and select the Candidates you want to update.
Open the drop-down at the top of the page, and select Reassign.
Choose the user who should own them, and confirm.
How do I bulk delete records?
Use Delete to delete many records at one time. Be sure you want to delete all the selected records before you confirm.
Select the records and open the drop-down at the top of the page.
Select Delete.
Confirm the deletion.
Delete deletes records. To delete several documents at once, use the Documents section of a record or the Compliance Center. See Deleting Documents on a Record and What is the Compliance Center?
How do I bulk add Contacts to a Job?
Use Add to Job to add many Contacts to a new Job or to a Job you already have. The Contacts are added to the first stage of the Job’s workflow.
Select the Contacts and open the drop-down at the top of the page, such as 6 Selected contacts.
Select Add to Job. A submenu opens.
Choose how to pick the Job:
New Job: Create a new Job and add the Contacts to it.
Select Job: Search for a Job that you already have.
My Recent Jobs: Choose one of the Jobs you worked on recently from the list.
How do I bulk add records to a List?
Use Add to List to add many records to a new List or to a List you already have.
Select the records and open the drop-down at the top of the page, such as 6 Selected contacts.
Select Add to List. A submenu opens.
Choose how to pick the List:
New List: Create a new List and add the records to it.
Select Lists: Search for a List that you already have.
My Recent Lists: Choose one of the Lists you used recently.
To find the List later, open the drop-down in the top left, such as All Contacts, and select your List. The drop-down can also read All Recent Contacts, Candidates, My Recent Contacts, Customers, All Companies, Active Companies, Inactive Companies, All Jobs, Open Jobs, or Closed Jobs, depending on where you are.
How do I bulk submit Contacts to a Job?
Use Submit to Job on the Contacts tab, or Submit on a Job dashboard, to submit many Contacts to a Job at once. On a Job dashboard, you are already on the Job, so Crelate skips the step where you choose a Job and submits the Contacts to that Job.
Select the Contacts and open the drop-down at the top of the page, such as 6 Selected contacts.
On the Contacts tab, select Submit to Job, and then choose the Job. On a Job dashboard, select Submit. There is no Job to choose.
Your submittal template email appears.
Edit the email if you would like, and then send it.
How do I bulk remove Contacts from a Job?
Use Remove from this Job on a Job dashboard to remove many Contacts from that Job at once.
Open the Job dashboard and select the Contacts you want to remove.
Open the drop-down at the top of the page, such as 6 Selected Contacts.
Select Remove from this Job.
How do I bulk enrich Contacts?
Select the Contacts, open the drop-down at the top of the page, and select Enrich Contacts. The menu shows the cost: 20 credits per enrichment. It is available on the Contacts tab and on a Job dashboard.
For the full steps, see Bulk Contact Data Enrichment.
How do I send a bulk email, send a bulk text, start a campaign, or add Contacts to a Sequence?
Select the Contacts, open the drop-down at the top of the page, such as 6 Selected contacts, and choose Send Bulk Email, Send Bulk Text, Start Campaign, or Add to Sequence. Each option works on all the selected Contacts. For the steps, see the article for each option:
Send Bulk Email: Sending A Bulk Email. Bulk emails have limits. See Bulk Email Limits.
Send Bulk Text: Sending a Bulk Text using RingCentral.
Start Campaign: Creating and Sending an Email Campaign.
Add to Sequence: Sequencing.
How do I bulk update the Label column?
You update the label for many Contacts at once from a Job dashboard, using Edit Labels. The Label column is a free-text field that you can use on the Recruiting Workflow when you are in List View.
Open the Job dashboard and go to the Recruiting Workflow in List View.
Select the Contacts you want to label.
Open the drop-down at the top of the page, such as 6 Selected Contacts.
Select Edit Labels.
Enter the label, and then save. [Verify: the steps after Edit Labels opens, and whether List View is required.]
Edit Labels appears on a Job dashboard, so you do not see it in the drop-down on the Contacts tab.
Troubleshooting
Why do I not see the bulk options?
The drop-down with the bulk options appears after you select at least one record. Select the records first, and then open the drop-down at the top of the page that shows the number selected.
Why does my Contact still have its old Record Type after I used Edit?
The Record Type field in Edit adds to the types a Contact already has. To replace the types, use Set Record Type.
Why did Tag not tag all of my Contacts?
You can tag up to 200 Contacts at once. Select fewer Contacts, and run Tag again for the rest.
Why were my Contacts added to the first stage of the Job?
The Add to Job option always adds Contacts to the first stage of the Job’s workflow. Move them to another stage afterward.
Why can I not change a field in bulk?
Some fields cannot be changed with Bulk Edit. See How do I edit many contacts, companies, or opportunities at once from a grid or Search?.
What to share if it still does not work: the bulk action you used, where you started (the Jobs tab, the Contacts tab, Search, or the Job dashboard), how many records you selected, a screenshot of the window, and any message you saw.
Why do I not see Edit Labels, Remove from this Job, or Change status?
These options appear only in the drop-down on a Job dashboard. Open the Job dashboard, select the Contacts, and open the drop-down at the top of the page.
Why does the menu show different options on the Contacts tab and on a Job dashboard?
The options depend on where you start. The Contacts tab shows actions for any Contact, and a Job dashboard adds actions for that Job.
Key takeaway
Select your records, and then use the drop-down at the top of the page that shows the number you selected. Edit changes fields on many records, and its Record Type field adds to a Contact’s existing types, while Set Record Type replaces them. Change Record Status sets the same status on all the selected records, using the statuses your organization has set up. Tag works on up to 200 Contacts at once, and Delete deletes records, so check your selection first. The options change by location. For example, Edit Labels and Remove from this Job are on a Job dashboard. To delete documents, use the Documents section of a record or the Compliance Center.