Transferring Record Ownership in Bullhorn ATS

Learn how to transfer record ownership in Bullhorn ATS. Record ownership determines which user a record (candidate, contact, job, opportunity, or lead) is attributed to. You may need to transfer ownership when a user leaves your organization, changes roles, or when records have been automatically parsed to the Unassigned user and need distributing.

There are three methods available, each suited to a different scale of transfer. Use the table below to choose the right approach for your situation.

All notes, attachments, and email messages associated with a record are retained when ownership changes. None of this data is lost during a transfer.

Choosing the Right Method

Situation	Scale	Recommended Method
You need to update a single record's owner.	1 record	Method 1: Transfer a Single Record
A user is leaving and you need to move all their Contacts, Candidates, or Jobs to one person or to the Unassigned user.	All records, one entity at a time	Method 2: Transfer All Records via the Users Page
You want to move only some of a user's records, or you prefer to work in batches.	Up to 500 records at a time	Method 3: Transfer Records Using the List View
You want to distribute records among multiple new owners, or transfer records from automatically parsed resumes.	Selected records only	Method 3: Transfer Records Using the List View
You need to add, remove, or transfer the Assigned To field on jobs, opportunities, or leads.	Selected records	Method 3: Transfer Records Using the List View (Jobs / Opportunities / Leads steps).

Transferring Ownership of Placements and Companies

Placements: Bullhorn does not manage placement record ownership separately. When you transfer a job record, ownership of all related placements updates automatically.
Companies: Company record ownership is determined by the owners of the contacts associated with that company. To transfer a company, transfer its associated contacts.

Before You Begin: Disabled User Accounts

You can transfer records from a disabled user account using Method 2 (the Users page). You cannot transfer records from a disabled user account using Method 3 (the list view). If you need to use Method 3 for a user who has already been disabled, you'll need to temporarily re-enable their account first.

See Disable a User Account in Bullhorn ATS for re-enable steps.

If you re-enable an account to use Method 3, complete the transfer and re-disable the account on the same working day to minimize any billing impact.

Method 1: Transfer a Single Record

Use this method when you need to change the owner of one specific record, such as reassigning a candidate to a new recruiter who is taking over that relationship.

Open the record you want to transfer.
Select the Edit tab.
Find the Ownership field and change it to the new owner.

If you don't see this field, your user type may not have the required entitlement. Contact Bullhorn Support to have it enabled.
Click Save.

Method 2: Transfer All Records via the Users Page

Use this method when you need to move all records of one type owned by a user to a single new owner, for example, when a user is leaving and their records need to go to their replacement or to the Unassigned user. Records move in batches, which keeps large transfers running smoothly.

Requirements for Transferring Records via the Users Page

Only active, enabled users in your company can receive transferred records.
You transfer one record type at a time (Contacts, Candidates, or Jobs, shown with your company's custom names). All records of that type move together. Repeat the steps for each record type you need to transfer.
You can transfer Contacts and Candidates as primary or secondary owner. Jobs transfer only with primary ownership.
Deleted records aren't transferred.
Records Transfer on the Users page supports only Contacts, Candidates, and Jobs. To transfer Opportunities or Leads, use Method 3.

Steps to Transfer Records via the Users Page

Go to Menu > Admin > Users.
Click the pencil icon next to the user you want to transfer records from. The Edit User page opens.
Click Records Transfer at the top right of the Edit User page.
Select the record type you want to transfer (for example, Candidates). The Records drop-down shows how many Contacts, Candidates, and Jobs the user owns.
In the Transfer Ownership to field, search by first name, last name, or username, then select the user who will take ownership of the records.
- If no specific person is taking over, or you want to avoid attributing the previous user's work to the new user, select Unassigned User.
Click Transfer, then click Yes to confirm the action.
Bullhorn will begin moving the records in batches. When the transfer finishes, review the summary that shows how many records were transferred.
Repeat these steps for each additional record type you need to transfer.

What to Expect During a Records Transfer

Interrupted transfers: If a transfer is interrupted, records that were already transferred stay with the new owner. Resume the transfer to move the remaining records.
Shared records: If both users already own the same record, the new owner is listed once and owner counts are updated.
Record history: Record Edit History captures the ownership change, including who made the transfer and the old and new owners.

Method 3: Transfer Records Using the List View

Use this method when you need to transfer records in batches, distribute records among multiple users, or when you only need to move some of a user's records. The list view method transfers up to 500 records at a time and must be repeated in batches for larger volumes.

The steps differ slightly depending on whether you are transferring candidates or contacts versus jobs, opportunities, or leads. Both are covered below.

A Note on Joint Ownership for Candidates and Contacts

If the Owner field on your candidate or contact records is configured to allow multiple values (set in Field Mappings), more than one user can own a record at the same time. Be aware of this when transferring:

If you filter the list by a specific user and transfer those records, you're adding the new owner alongside any existing owners, not replacing them, unless you specify the user to replace in the Change Owner dialog.
- To replace a specific owner, set the From User field to the user you are replacing.
Jobs can be transferred together regardless of current ownership and won't create unintended joint ownership.

Transfer Candidates and Contacts via the List View

Go to the Candidates or Contacts list view and confirm no filters are active.
Click the Users filter at the top of the list to display your list of enabled users.
Select the user you want to transfer records from, then click Save.
- On the New Candidate List, click Apply.
You cannot transfer records from a disabled user account via the list view. If the user is disabled, re-enable the account first. See Disable a User Account in Bullhorn ATS.
Click the checkbox at the top left of the list to select all visible records. If the user has more records than the default page size, you'll repeat this process in batches.
Click the # Selected button.
Select Manage Ownership.

If Manage Ownership doesn't appear in the menu, your user type may not have the required entitlement. Contact Bullhorn Support to have it enabled.
In the Manage Ownership dialog:
- Set the Current Owner field to the user who currently owns the records. Leave this blank only if you want to replace all owners on the selected records regardless of who they are.
- Set the New Owner field to the user who will take ownership. If no specific person is taking over, select Unassigned User.
Click Save. The Owner field on the selected records updates immediately.
If required, repeat steps 1–8 until all records have been transferred.

Transfer Jobs, Opportunities, and Leads via the List View

Jobs, opportunities, and leads use a Manage Ownership dialog that offers more actions than the Candidates/Contacts flow, including the ability to manage the Assigned To field as well as the Owner field. Choose the action that matches what you need to do using the reference table below.

Action	What It Does	Notes
Transfer Owner	Replace the current owner of selected records with a new owner.	Leave Current Owner blank to replace the existing owner. Set New Owner to Unassigned User if no specific person is taking over.
Transfer Assigned To	Replace the user in the Assigned To field with a new user.	Leave Current Assigned To blank to replace the existing user for all selected records. Set New Assigned To to Unassigned User if no specific person is taking over.
Add Assigned To	Add a user to the Assigned To field without removing the existing user.	Set New Assigned To to the user you want to add.
Remove Assigned To	Remove a user from the Assigned To field without replacing them.	Set Current Assigned To to the user you want to remove.
Transfer All Owner/Assigned To	Replace a user in both the Owner and Assigned To fields in one operation.	Useful when the same user needs to be fully replaced across both fields at once.

To transfer jobs, opportunities, or leads:

Go to the Jobs, Opportunities, or Leads list view and confirm no filters are active.
Select the Users icon and choose the user you want to transfer records from, then click Save.
You cannot transfer records from a disabled user account via the list view. If the user is disabled, re-enable the account first. See Disable a User Account in Bullhorn ATS.
Click the checkbox at the top left of the list to select all visible records.
Click the # Selected button.
Select Manage Ownership.
If Manage Ownership doesn't appear in the menu, your user type may not have the required entitlement. Contact Bullhorn Support to have it enabled.
In the Select an Action field, choose the action you want to perform (refer to the table above), then fill in the relevant user fields.
Click Save.
If required, repeat steps 1–7 until all records have been transferred.

Troubleshooting

The Records Transfer via the Edit User page was interrupted before completing

Records move in batches, so records transferred before the interruption stay with the new owner. Open Records Transfer for the same user again and resume the transfer to move the remaining records. You don't need to transfer the records that already moved.

I can't find the new owner when I search in Records Transfer

Only active, enabled users in your company can receive transferred records, and the current owner is excluded from the list. Search by first name, last name, or username. A disabled user can't receive records, so re-enable the account or choose a different new owner.

The Change Owner or Manage Ownership option isn't visible in the Selected menu

This option is controlled by user type entitlements. Contact Bullhorn Support to have the relevant entitlement added to your user type.

I transferred records but colleagues still can't see them

Check that the transfer completed successfully and that the Owner field on the records has been updated. If the records belong to a disabled user and ownership wasn't transferred before the account was disabled, transfer the records using Records Transfer on the Users page (Method 2). You don't need to re-enable the account for this method.

I can't find the user I want to transfer from in the list view

The list view Users filter only shows enabled users. Re-enable the account before attempting the list view transfer. For steps, see Disable a User Account in Bullhorn ATS.

Jobs were transferred but related placements didn't update

Placement ownership updates automatically when a job is transferred. No separate step is required. If placements appear not to have updated, check the associated job records and verify the job transfer completed successfully.

FAQ

What record types can I transfer ownership of?

You can transfer ownership of candidates, contacts, jobs, opportunities, and leads. Company ownership is determined by the owners of associated contacts. To transfer a company, transfer its contacts. Placement ownership updates automatically when the associated job is transferred.

What happens to notes, attachments, and emails when a record is transferred?

All notes, attachments, and email messages associated with the record are retained. Nothing is lost during a transfer. Only the Owner field changes.

How many records can I transfer at once?

Records Transfer via the Users page moves all records of one type for a user in batches, and you can resume it if it's interrupted. Records transfer via the List View transfers 500 records at a time (200 for the New Candidate List) and must be repeated in batches for larger volumes.

What happens if a Records Transfer via the Edit User page is interrupted?

Records that were already transferred stay with the new owner. Resume the transfer to move the remaining records.

What happens to record history and shared ownership during a Records Transfer?

Record history captures the ownership change, including who made the transfer and the old and new owners. If both users already own the same record, the new owner is listed once and owner counts are updated.

Can I transfer records from a disabled user account?

Yes, if you use Records Transfer on the Edit User page. You can't transfer from a disabled user account using the list view. For the list view, temporarily re-enable the account, complete the transfer, and re-disable it on the same working day to minimize billing impact. See Disable a User Account in Bullhorn ATS.

I accidentally transferred records to the wrong user. Can I undo this?

There's no undo function. Run the transfer again, this time transferring ownership from the incorrect user back to the original owner or to the correct new owner.

Why don't I see a Manage Ownership option on the list view?

If you don't see a Manage Ownership option, your user type may not have the required entitlement. Contact Bullhorn Support to have it enabled.

Can I see who originally created an ATS record?

Yes. Open the record and go to the Activity tab, then expand Status History. The earliest entry in the list shows who first created the record. Check the Modifying Person column for their name.

If the list is long, sort the Date Added column in ascending order to bring the earliest entry to the top.