ATS Identity Matching 101 for Referral Credit and Duplicates

You did everything right. You found the role, asked a current employee for a referral, and even used the referral link. Then the message lands: “You already applied”, “Draft application exists”, or “Candidate already being considered.” A week later, your referrer says they never got credit.

This usually isn’t personal, and it isn’t random. It’s ATS identity matching: the behind-the-scenes logic that decides whether you are “the same candidate” as a prior application, draft, or profile, and whether a referral can attach.

This guide breaks down how identity matching commonly works across Workday, Greenhouse, SuccessFactors, and Workable, why drafts and duplicate profiles cause referral misses, and what you can do safely to fix it without hurting your candidacy.

Big idea: A referral “attaches” when the ATS can confidently connect your referral event (link, code, employee submission) to the exact candidate record that owns the application.

Takeaway: If your referral didn’t attach, your job is to figure out which candidate record the ATS thinks you are, then route the referral to that record (or merge records when appropriate).

How ATS identity matching really works (and why referrals miss)

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Most people assume an ATS matches candidates by name. Some do use name as a secondary signal, but almost every modern system relies more heavily on a handful of identifiers that are easier to normalize.

The signals ATS systems commonly use

While each platform has its own rules, identity matching often uses a combination of:

• Email address (primary key in many flows)

• ATS account login (for candidate portals like Workday)

• Phone number (varies by formatting and country code)

• Name + date created + cookies (especially around referral links)

• Resume parsing fingerprints (less common as a “hard match,” more as a suggestion)

• Internal recruiter merges and overrides (human actions matter)

The biggest surprise is how often email wins. If you apply with jordan.lee@gmail.com and later try a referral with jordan.lee+referral@gmail.com, you might think it’s “the same inbox.” The ATS might treat it as a totally different person.

At the same time, some systems or integrations may normalize “plus addressing” and treat it as the same email. Others do not. That inconsistency is a major source of confusion.

Why a referral event doesn’t always attach

A referral is usually created in one of these ways:

1. Employee submits your email via a referral portal

2. You click a referrer link and start an application

3. You enter a referral code (less common)

To attach, the ATS needs a clean handoff from “referral event” to “candidate + application.” Failures happen when:

• You already have an existing candidate record under a different email

• You have an open draft application on the same job or requisition

• You applied in the past and the company policy prevents duplicates (the ATS blocks the new referral)

• The referrer submitted you to a different job or a similar requisition

• A recruiter moved your application to another req, and the referral stayed behind

Drafts and “already applied” are not just annoying, they’re identity problems

A draft often creates a partial candidate record and a placeholder application. Then when you come in through a referral link, the ATS says:

• “You already have an application in progress”

• “A draft already exists on this job”

• “Candidate already exists on this job”

What’s happening is the ATS thinks: this job already has an application owned by candidate record A. Your referral is trying to create candidate record B (or attach to candidate record B). The system refuses.

Real-world scenario: the “same inbox” problem

• You created a candidate portal account years ago using your school email.

• You later apply with your personal email.

• Your referrer submits your personal email.

• The ATS already knows you as the school email account, so it routes you into the old record.

• The referral attaches to the “new” record, but the application is on the “old” record.

Result: your application exists, your referral exists, but they live in different places.

Takeaway: When you see “already applied,” don’t assume you’re stuck. Assume there is another record or another application state the system considers canonical, and your referral needs to land there.

Email choices, draft applications, and safe identity hygiene

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If you want referrals to attach consistently, think of your ATS identity like a single, stable account you protect. Most referral errors come from “identity drift,” meaning you accidentally create multiple identities across time.

Safe email rules for applications and referrals

Use these as a default policy:

1. Pick one primary job-search email and use it everywhere.

2. Avoid switching between:

   • personal email and school email

   • firstname.lastname@... and firstlast@...

   • aliases and forwards

3. Be cautious with plus addressing (name+tag@gmail.com). Some ATS flows treat it as different.

4. Keep your phone number formatting consistent (include country code if you always do).

If you already have multiple emails in play, your goal is not to “hack” the system. Your goal is to choose the record the company already recognizes, then align everything to it.

How drafts quietly block referral attachment

A draft can be created in several ways:

• You clicked “Apply,” created an account, and stopped.

• You started on mobile and didn’t finish.

• You uploaded a resume, got redirected, and never submitted.

• The system saved a draft after a session timeout.

The problem is that a referral link often wants to create a fresh application path. But the ATS says: the job already has an in-progress application. That draft becomes the gatekeeper.

What to do if you suspect a draft is blocking you

Try this sequence:

1. Log in to the same candidate portal account you used before.

2. Go to My Applications (or equivalent).

3. Look for the job in:

   • “Draft”

   • “In Progress”

   • “Not Submitted”

4. Either:

   • finish and submit that draft, or

   • withdraw/delete the draft if the portal allows it, then re-apply through the referral link

If the portal does not let you delete a draft, don’t keep making new accounts. That often creates duplicates. Instead, move to the “official fix” path described later: ask recruiting ops to attach or merge.

Case study: draft application vs referral link

Scenario:

• Sam starts an application on Workday using sam@email.com and stops.

• A week later Sam gets a referral link, clicks it, and tries to apply.

• Workday says: “You have already applied” or reroutes Sam to the existing flow.

• The referral was associated with the new session but the application is owned by the existing draft record.

Sam’s safe fix:

1. Sam signs into the existing Workday account.

2. Sam completes the draft and submits.

3. Sam asks the referrer to confirm the referral submission used the exact same email.

4. If credit still doesn’t show, Sam sends a short note to the recruiter: “My referral didn’t attach, can you connect it to my existing application?”

Takeaway: Drafts are not harmless. Treat them like a live application that can block referral events from attaching to the correct record.

What happens in Workday, Greenhouse, SuccessFactors, and Workable

ATS platforms differ, but the patterns repeat. Here’s how identity and referral attachment commonly show up in each system, along with safe moves that don’t create more chaos.

Workday: portal accounts, “already applied,” and duplicate profiles

Workday is heavily account-based. Candidates often have a portal login tied to an email, and many organizations treat that account as the “truth.”

Common symptoms:

• “Workday referral already applied” style block

• You can’t restart an application because one exists (submitted or draft)

• You have multiple Workday accounts across different company tenants (normal) and sometimes within the same tenant (problem)

Safe approach:

1. Find the original portal account by trying password reset on emails you may have used.

2. Locate the job under your submissions or drafts.

3. If you must change email, do it inside the portal (if allowed) rather than making a new account.

4. If you suspect duplicates, ask recruiting ops about workday duplicate candidate profile merge rather than creating a fresh application.

Workday organizations vary, but merges are often something only internal teams can do. Your goal is to provide enough identifiers (full name, emails used, phone, job req) for them to reconcile records.

Greenhouse: referrer link credit and the “who gets credit” field

Greenhouse can create confusion because referral credit may live in a field that’s visible to recruiters but not to candidates.

Common symptoms:

• The referrer says they sent the link, but their name never appears

• Recruiter sees you as “Sourced” or “Agency” instead of “Referral”

• You applied before and the system matched you as an existing candidate

Two common issues:

• Greenhouse who gets credit field: credit may be tied to the “source” or “referrer” attribution on the candidate profile or application.

• Greenhouse referrer link credit can fail if you were already in the database under a different email, or if you were added by a recruiter before you applied.

Safe approach:

1. Use the email your referrer used, exactly.

2. If you already have a profile in Greenhouse from a prior application, ask recruiting to update the source/referrer on the existing profile instead of reapplying.

3. If you were reached out to by a recruiter first, ask whether the company policy allows converting to referral source. Some companies do, some don’t.

SuccessFactors: “already exists on this job” and referral drafts

SuccessFactors often involves a candidate profile and job-specific applications, and candidates can get stuck in a loop when an application is started but not completed.

Common symptoms:

• “SuccessFactors refer a friend already exists on this job” message

• Referral submission creates an entry but doesn’t connect to your current application

• SuccessFactors referral draft application blocks resubmission

Safe approach:

1. Log into the candidate profile and check application status for that job.

2. If a draft exists, complete it instead of starting a new one.

3. If the referral was created after your draft, ask recruiting to attach the referral to your existing application record.

SuccessFactors implementations vary widely by company, so the “right” fix is often internal. The safe path is to avoid creating a second candidate profile.

Workable: “already being considered” and referral rewards not tracked

Workable is often used by smaller and mid-sized teams, and it can be strict about duplicate candidates.

Common symptoms:

• “Workable refer someone already being considered”

• Your referrer doesn’t see credit or referral reward status

• Workable referral reward not tracked because the candidate already existed

Safe approach:

1. Ask the referrer to submit the referral using the email already on your application.

2. If you previously applied to the company, tell recruiting: “I’m already in Workable, please attach this referral to my existing candidate record.”

3. Don’t try to “restart” by applying with a new email. That can create duplicates that get auto-merged or blocked.

Takeaway: Across all four ATS platforms, the safest move is usually the same: locate the existing record the ATS trusts, then route the referral to that record rather than creating a new identity.

Troubleshooting playbook that protects your candidacy

When a referral doesn’t attach, it’s tempting to keep trying random fixes: new email, new account, different browser, another application. That often makes it worse.

Use this playbook instead.

Step 1: Confirm what the ATS thinks is true

Before you change anything, answer:

• What email did you apply with?

• What email did the referrer use?

• Is there a draft on the job?

• Did you apply to a different requisition for the same role?

• Did you apply via a recruiter outreach link previously?

Write these down. You’ll need them if you contact recruiting.

Step 2: Try the “clean attach” path (lowest risk)

If you haven’t applied yet:

1. Ask your referrer what email they will use.

2. Choose that email as your application email.

3. Click the referral link once, then apply in that same session.

4. Submit the application fully, don’t leave it as a draft.

If you already applied:

• Don’t reapply immediately.

• Instead, proceed to Step 3.

Step 3: Align the referral to your existing application

If you already have an application, the goal is to attach the referral to the existing application record.

Do this:

1. Tell your referrer: “I already applied with X email. Please submit the referral using X email.”

2. If the referrer already submitted with a different email, ask if they can edit or resubmit per company policy.

3. If the company can’t resubmit, you’ll likely need internal help to merge or reassign credit.

Step 4: Use a short, polite message to recruiting ops

Send a simple note that makes it easy to fix:

• Your full name

• The job title and requisition ID (if available)

• The email used on your application

• Any other emails you may have used historically

• The referrer’s name and email (or at least name)

• A clear ask: attach referral, merge duplicates, or confirm policy

Example message:

Hi team, I have an existing application for [Role] (req [ID]) under [email]. An employee referral was submitted by [Referrer Name], but it looks like it didn’t attach. Could you please attach the referral to my existing application, or merge any duplicate candidate profiles tied to my emails? Thank you.

This approach is “safe” because you’re not asking them to change your evaluation, you’re asking them to fix metadata.

Step 5: Know when not to create a new account

Avoid these unless a recruiter explicitly instructs you:

• Applying again with a new email

• Creating a second Workday portal account

• Using plus addressing to force a “new” identity

• Withdrawing a submitted application just to reapply (this can harm your candidacy or reset timelines)

If you think you’re stuck because of duplicates, this deeper guide can help you spot the patterns: Duplicate Candidate Profiles in ATS Workday Greenhouse Workable

Quick checklist you can use before every referral

• I’m using the same email everywhere (referral + application)

• I searched for existing accounts via password reset

• I checked for drafts and either completed or resolved them

• I’m applying through the referral flow only once, then submitting fully

• If I already applied, I’m asking for attachment, not reapplying

Takeaway: The fastest fixes are usually boring: align emails, finish drafts, avoid duplicate accounts, and ask internal teams to attach or merge when needed.

If you’re trying to keep your applications clean and referral-ready, start by making your identity consistent across every ATS you touch, and treat drafts as real applications. When things go sideways, don’t panic-attach. Collect your details, align the referral to the existing record, and ask recruiting to merge or reassign when appropriate.

If you’re dealing with a referral that didn’t attach and you want a practical, step-by-step troubleshooting path, this companion guide walks through the most common failure points: Referral Didn’t Attach Troubleshoot Workday Greenhouse Workable SuccessFactors

All images in this article are from Pexels: Photo 1 by SHVETS production on Pexels. Photo 2 by ready made on Pexels. Thank you to these talented photographers for making their work freely available.