Data migration is the highest-risk part of switching ATS platforms. The right tool depends on how much historical data you need, how clean your Greenhouse export is, and how technical your team is.
Direct answer
The best data migration approach is usually:
- The destination ATS's built-in Greenhouse importer
- The new vendor's professional-services migration team
- A third-party ETL or integration tool for complex or large datasets
- A manual CSV mapping for very small teams
Built-in importers
Many modern ATS platforms offer a direct Greenhouse import. This is the fastest and lowest-risk option for standard candidate, job, and user data. Ask the vendor to run a test import before contract signature.
Vendor professional services
If you have years of historical data, custom fields, or complex offer histories, a vendor migration team is usually worth the cost. They map fields, clean duplicates, and validate the import.
Third-party ETL tools
Tools like Flatly, Fivetran, or custom Python scripts can move data when the destination ATS does not have a native Greenhouse connector. This route requires technical resources and careful validation.
Manual CSV mapping
Very small teams with a few thousand records can sometimes export from Greenhouse, transform columns in a spreadsheet, and bulk import into the new ATS. This is cheap but error-prone.
What to migrate vs leave behind
- Migrate: Active candidates, recent applicants, jobs active in the last 12–24 months, offer and feedback history.
- Archive: Very old closed reqs, duplicate profiles, and outdated resumes.
For a full timeline, see Greenhouse to ATS migration timeline and milestones.
People also ask
Which migration-ready features should I prioritize in a modern ATS for Greenhouse users?
Data export/import, customizable workflows, reporting, CRM, API ecosystem, compliance, and permissions.
Which ATS offers robust reporting and analytics comparable to Greenhouse after migration?
Ashby, Lever, SmartRecruiters, and Workable are commonly evaluated, but match them to your reporting needs.
Which vendors support contract roles and temp assignments after migration from Greenhouse?
ATS/CRM platforms built for staffing, such as Bullhorn, Crelate, and JobDiva, support contract and temp workflows more natively than general corporate ATS tools.
Summary
Use the destination ATS's built-in importer first. For complex migrations, use vendor professional services or a third-party ETL tool. Archive old data rather than migrating everything.