Deleting candidate profiles in iCIMS might seem like a smart way to tidy up. You’ve got test records, duplicates, and partial applications from five hiring cycles ago. It’s tempting.
But before you start swinging the digital broom, let’s pause. Because sometimes what looks like clutter is actually holding up your compliance, your reporting, or your executive dashboards.
And once it’s gone—it’s gone.
What Actually Happens When You “Purge”
First, a technical clarification: putting a profile in the “Purge” folder in iCIMS doesn’t delete anything. It just flags it.
To fully remove the data, someone (probably you, or your admin) has to contact iCIMS Support and ask them to schedule a purge to run. The deletion only happens when that job runs.
This isn’t instant, and it’s definitely not automatic.
If you’re working with a partner like iCIMS Managed Services, this is the kind of request you can hand off and not think twice about.
When Deleting Might Be the Wrong Call
Some profiles may look useless at first glance—test records, ghosted candidates, duplicates. But they might come back into play.
Think:
- Compliance audits
- Executive reporting
- Historical trends or falloff tracking
Deleting them now means you’re committing to never needing them again. Ever.
If that feels like too much pressure, there’s a middle ground.
Archive, Don’t Annihilate
Rather than sending profiles to the digital void, consider moving them to a folder outside your standard reporting views. Think of it as long-term storage.
Create a folder like “Suppressed” or “Archived.” Then:
- Update reports and dashboards to filter that folder out
- Keep the data, lose the noise
This lets you stay clean and compliant—without the finality of a purge.
Need help configuring those folder filters or working this logic into your system? A good iCIMS consultant will know how to walk the line between visibility and audit-readiness.
How to Decide What Stays and What Goes
If you’re cleaning house, have a framework. It doesn’t need to be fancy.
Ask:
- Is this profile tied to any actual workflow?
- Could this data serve compliance or analysis later?
- Does it show up in reports where it shouldn’t?
If the answer to the last one is “yes” and the others are “no,” move it to the archive folder.
And if your team is stretched thin, you don’t have to figure this out alone. Our implementation and configuration services help clients set smart policies and automate cleanup so you can focus on actual recruiting.
Don’t Delete Your Way Into a Problem
We’ve seen this go sideways: a team purges thousands of “junk” profiles… only to realize they needed falloff metrics from six months ago.
The short version: purging in iCIMS should be intentional, scheduled, and part of a broader data strategy.
The longer version? We’d be happy to walk you through it.
Want more insights like these?
FAQ
Does putting a profile in the iCIMS “Purge” folder delete it?
Nope. It flags the record for deletion, but nothing happens until you submit a purge request through iCIMS Support and it runs.
Can deleted profiles be recovered later?
No. Once the purge runs, those records are permanently gone—no backups, no restores.
What’s a safer alternative to purging profiles?
Move them into an archived or suppressed folder, and exclude those folders from reports. This keeps your data accessible without cluttering up your dashboards.
How can I make sure I’m deleting the right profiles?
Use a simple decision framework: Is it active? Could it be useful later? Is it in the wrong report? When in doubt, archive.
Who can help with profile cleanup and reporting filters?
An experienced iCIMS consulting team or a partner offering iCIMS managed services can help you do this cleanly and confidently.
