A Production-to-Test (P2T) refresh brings production data into your lower environment. But before you start testing Oracle Recruiting, there is one detail worth checking: candidate email addresses.

If the original addresses remain in the refreshed instance, activities such as moving a job application or testing candidate communications could trigger emails to actual candidates.

The Business Scenario

Your team needs realistic candidate records to test recruitment processes. However, those records may still contain the candidates’ personal email addresses.

Manually updating each candidate becomes difficult when the instance contains thousands of records. A repeatable approach is useful, especially after every refresh.

The Solution

Use a ready-to-use report to generate candidate email updates in HDL format.

The report adds XX_ at the beginning of the email’s mailbox name and _XX immediately before @.

Original: alex@example.com
Updated: XX_alex_XX@example.com

Emails already carrying both markers retain their existing value, avoiding repeated prefixes and suffixes.

How to Use It

1. Download and Import the Report

Download the report package and import it into your lower environment’s Reports and Analytics catalog.

2. Run the Report

Run the report to generate the email updates for eligible external candidates.

Review the output before proceeding. Running the report alone does not update any candidate records.

3. Prepare the HDL File

Save the generated plain-text output as Candidate.dat and compress it into a ZIP file.

Use the supplied output layout to preserve the required file format.

4. Load the File

Upload the ZIP through My Client Groups > Data Exchange > Import and Load Data.

Start with a small sample, review the results and resolve any errors before loading the complete population.

5. Validate the Update

Open the candidate profile and confirm that the email contains the masking markers. Check the relevant job applications and validate the intended communication recipient before continuing your testing.

Before You Resume Testing

This solution covers the selected current email address of eligible external candidates. Internal candidate emails, phone numbers and separately stored draft application details need their own assessment. Oracle supports external candidate loads through Candidate.dat.

The markers keep the original address recognisable, so this is not anonymisation. They also do not guarantee that an email cannot be delivered. Keep outbound email delivery restricted in the lower environment while testing.