Oracle Fusion HCM HDL Candidate.dat File – Load Candidate, Address, Phone, Name & Profile (Sample Template)

 

🧾 Oracle Fusion HCM – Load Candidate Data using HDL (Candidate.dat)

If you want to load candidate details into Oracle Fusion Recruiting, you can use HCM Data Loader (HDL) with the file Candidate.dat.

This blog covers:

✅ Candidate basic data
✅ Candidate address
✅ Candidate phone
✅ Candidate name
✅ Candidate profile (Degree / Certifications etc.)
✅ Sample Candidate.dat file format

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📌 Prerequisites

Before loading Candidate HDL:

• You must have access to HCM Data Loader

• CandidateNumber must be unique

• Use valid codes for:

  • Country (US, IN, etc.)

  • LegislationCode

  • AddressType

  • PhoneType

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🎥 Step-by-Step Video Reference

You can see step by step video to load Candidate data using this Link:
👉  Link

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📂 Candidate.dat File – Full Sample Template

1️⃣ Candidate (Basic Candidate Record)

📌 HDL Metadata

METADATA|Candidate|CandidateNumber|CandPrefLanguageCode|StartDate|ConfirmedFlag|CountryOfBirth|DateOfBirth|RegionOfBirth|Source|SourceMedium|TownOfBirth|VisibleToCandidateFlag
✅ Sample Data

MERGE|Candidate|CT123|US|2019/03/20|Y||1980/08/05||direct Source|||Y

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2️⃣ CandidateAddress

📌 HDL Metadata

METADATA|CandidateAddress|CandidateNumber|EffectiveStartDate|AddressLine1|AddressType|AddressLine2|Country|PostalCode|Region2|Region1|TownOrCity|EffectiveEndDate
✅ Sample Data

MERGE|CandidateAddress|CT123|2019/03/20|1257 Test1|HOME|Test|US|12576|NC|Wayne|Pikeville|

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3️⃣ CandidatePhone

📌 HDL Metadata

METADATA|CandidatePhone|CandidateNumber|DateFrom|PhoneType|PhoneNumber|CountryCodeNumber|AreaCode|DateTo|Extension|LegislationCode|SpeedDialNumber|Validity|GUID
✅ Sample Data

MERGE|CandidatePhone|CT123|2019/03/20|H1|9605804|1|262|4712/12/31||US|||

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4️⃣ CandidateName

📌 HDL Metadata

METADATA|CandidateName|EffectiveStartDate|EffectiveEndDate|CandidateNumber|NameType|LegislationCode|FirstName|LastName
✅ Sample Data

MERGE|CandidateName|2019/03/20||CT123|GLOBAL|US|Amar|Test

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5️⃣ CandidateProfile (Degree / Profile Items)

CandidateProfile is used for things like:

• Degree

• Certifications

• Skills

• Previous employment

• Education details

📌 HDL Metadata

METADATA|CandidateProfile|CandidateNumber|ContentType|ContentItem|SectionContext|DateFrom|ItemDate7|ItemNumber9|ItemText2401|CountryGeographyCode|CountryCountryCode|ProfileItemId

✅ Sample Data

MERGE|CandidateProfile|CT123|DEGREE|BA - Bachelor of Arts|PERSON_DEGREE|2019/03/20|2019/03/20|||US|US|122

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✅ Best Practices (Important)

✔ Always Follow this Order in Candidate.dat

Recommended sequence:

1. Candidate

2. CandidateName

3. CandidateAddress

4. CandidatePhone

5. CandidateProfile

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✔ Date Format

Use:

• YYYY/MM/DD
  Example:

• 2019/03/20

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✔ Effective End Date

Use:

• 4712/12/31

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❌ Common Errors & Fixes

1) Candidate already exists

Error: Duplicate candidate number
✅ Fix: Use unique CandidateNumber

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2) Invalid country / legislation code

Error: Invalid CountryCode or LegislationCode
✅ Fix: Use valid values like:

• Country: US, IN

• LegislationCode: US, IN

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3) AddressType invalid

Error: AddressType HOME not valid
✅ Fix: Use correct address type based on setup:

• HOME

• MAILING

• WORK

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4) ProfileItemId issue

Error: Profile item not created
✅ Fix: Ensure ProfileItemId exists OR remove ProfileItemId for new inserts.

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🔗 Internal Links 

Add these links at the bottom or inside the blog:

• HDL Load Worker Data (Complete Guide)

• HDL Template – Benefit Enrollments

• HDL Template – Person Contact

• eText BIP Report

• Common HDL Errors and Fixes

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⭐ FAQ 

Q1. Which file is used to load candidate data in HDL?

Candidate.dat is used to load candidate records in Oracle Fusion Recruiting.

Q2. Can we load Candidate Address using HDL?

Yes, using CandidateAddress in Candidate.dat.

Q3. How to load candidate education or degree in Oracle HDL?

Use CandidateProfile with ContentType like DEGREE,Education etc.

Q4. What is the best Effective End Date in HDL?

Most implementations use 4712/12/31.