To export your data from Bullhorn, use Selected > Export as CSV on each list view for records, and request a database backup for everything else. The CSV leaves out CVs, attachments and most activity history; the full backup with every attachment is offered when your contract ends, and costs a fee if you ask for it while still under contract.
Bullhorn documents several export routes, each built for a different job: quick lists, data protection requests, monthly safety copies and a final full copy. This guide walks through each one, what it misses, and how to time the request so nothing is lost. It is based on Bullhorn's own knowledge base and was last updated on 15 October 2026.
What are the ways to export data from Bullhorn?
| Route | What you get | Main limits |
|---|---|---|
| CSV export from a list | Records from Candidates, Contacts, Companies, Jobs and other lists | 5,000 to 20,000 records per export; admin only by default; no CVs or attachments; limited activity history |
| Export Management (per record) | A record's emails and SMS as text files, for data protection requests | Inbound messages only; CVs downloaded separately; needs GDPR/CCPA Support enabled |
| Standard backup | A free monthly backup of all records and notes | Only attachments added since the start of the previous month |
| Final full backup | All records, notes and attachments in their original format | Offered at termination; a fee if requested mid-contract; delivered as a SQL Server backup |
| API or Data Replication | Data pulled through the REST API, or synced to your own database | Depends on your edition; Data Replication is a paid add-on, according to a third party |
How do I export records from Bullhorn as CSV?
- Open a list view, such as Candidates, Contacts, Companies or Jobs.
- Tick the records you want to export.
- Choose Selected, then Export as CSV.
- Click Download Now.
Each export is limited to between 5,000 and 20,000 records, depending on your entitlement, so a larger database needs several batches. Export is available to administrators by default. The CSV contains record fields, not files: CVs and attachments are not included, and activity history is limited.
CSV exports are useful for a quick copy of your lists, but they are not a full migration export on their own.
What does Bullhorn's Export Management do?
Export Management exports a single record's emails and SMS messages as text files, and is designed for data protection requests rather than bulk moves. It includes inbound messages only, not outbound ones, and CVs are downloaded separately. It needs Bullhorn's GDPR/CCPA Support to be enabled. Use it for a subject access request, not to leave Bullhorn.
How do I get a full backup from Bullhorn?
Bullhorn offers two kinds of database backup:
- Standard backup: free, at most monthly. It includes all records and notes, but only the attachments added since the first day of the previous month.
- Final full backup: includes every attachment in its original format. It is offered automatically when your contract ends, and is chargeable if you request it while still under contract. Bullhorn does not publish the fee.
Backups arrive as a compressed Microsoft SQL Server backup file through Bullhorn's secure FTP, and you can request at most one every 30 days. Only authorised account or support contacts can ask for one, with signatures from at least two of them. To open the file you need SQL Server or a migration partner.
When should I request the Bullhorn export?
Early, while your account is still live. Bullhorn says it "may not retain your data past 60 days of your contract ending", so request the final backup before the end date rather than after. Work back from the end of your contract:
- Check your contract end date and notice terms.
- Confirm who your authorised contacts are, since two signatures are needed.
- Take CSV exports of the lists you rely on as an interim copy.
- Request the final full backup in time to check it before access ends.
- Check a sample of records with their CVs, notes and placements before you close the account.
What does a Bullhorn export usually miss?
- Files: CSV exports have no CVs or attachments, and standard backups only carry recent attachments.
- Activity: CSV exports carry limited activity history, and Export Management covers inbound messages only.
- Configuration: workflows, automations, reports and data held in marketplace apps do not move as data.
A third-party source estimates migration costs away from Bullhorn at $5,000 to $10,000, though your cost depends on the destination and the work involved.
How does Crumblelead's free migration work?
If you are moving to Crumblelead, migration is free on any paid plan. Tell us what you have and roughly how much, and we come back the same business day with a plan. Where the source supports it we use the official API; otherwise we work from your exports. We map candidates and CVs, clients and contacts, jobs and pipeline stages, notes, owners and placements into Crumblelead, then load a dry run into a sandbox for you to check before the final import.
Most teams cut over in about a week, and you keep working in Bullhorn the whole time. See migration help, how to switch ATS without losing data, and Crumblelead vs Bullhorn.
FAQ
How many records can I export from Bullhorn at once?
Between 5,000 and 20,000 records per CSV export, depending on your entitlement. Larger databases need several exports or a database backup.
Does a Bullhorn CSV export include CVs?
No. Bullhorn's CSV export does not include resume files or attachments. They come with the final full backup, or are downloaded separately.
How do I open a Bullhorn backup file?
The backup is a compressed Microsoft SQL Server backup, delivered by secure FTP. You need SQL Server or a migration partner to restore and read it.
Sources
Bullhorn knowledge base, exporting data. Checked 15 October 2026.
https://kb.bullhorn.com/ats/Content/BHATS/Topics/exportingDataFromBullhorn.htm
Bullhorn knowledge base, Export Management. Checked 15 October 2026.
https://kb.bullhorn.com/ats/Content/BHATS/Topics/exportManagement.htm
Bullhorn knowledge base, requesting a data backup. Checked 15 October 2026.
https://kb.bullhorn.com/ats/Content/BHATS/Topics/requestingDataBackup.htm
Atlas, Bullhorn migration (API and Data Replication), 8 July 2025.
https://recruitwithatlas.com/blog/bullhorn-migration/
Pin, Bullhorn pricing (migration cost estimate), updated 6 June 2026.