> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.equip.co/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Duplicate Applications

> Choose whether a candidate can apply more than once, to the same role or to any role, and how Equip flags repeat applicants.

**Hiring rules** decide what happens when someone applies who already has an application with you. Equip matches candidates on **email** and **phone number**, and you set the rule once for your whole organization.

## Set Your Duplicate Rules

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Hiring rules">
    Go to [**Account > Organization > Hiring rules**](https://equip.co/recruiter/account/organization/hiring-rules/) and find **Block duplicate job applications**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pick a rule for each cell">
    The grid has a row for **Email** and for **Phone**, and a column for **Same Job Opening** and **Across All Job Openings**. Choose an option in each cell.
  </Step>
</Steps>

| Option | What it does |
| - | - |
| **Never block** | Accepts the application |
| **Block** | Treats any earlier application as a duplicate |
| **Block with a cool-off period** | Treats it as a duplicate only within 1 to 365 days of the candidate's last application. The default is 30 days. |

By default, the same email cannot be used twice on one job opening, and every other cell is set to Never block. **Reset all to default** brings these back.

<Tip>
  To let candidates return after a while, use a cool-off. For example, 180 days on **Same Job Opening** lets someone apply for the same role again six months after their last application.
</Tip>

<Note>
  Email matches are exact. Phone matches are exact and include the country code. "Same Job Opening" covers every job post under that opening.
</Note>

## What Happens to a Duplicate

| How they arrive | Same job opening, email rule | Any other rule that matches |
| - | - | - |
| **Applying from your job post or careers page** | They cannot apply again and see "You have already applied for this position." | The application is added with a **Possible duplicate** badge |
| **[Bulk CV Import](/bulk-cv-import)** | The CV is skipped and listed in the batch results | The application is added with a **Possible duplicate** badge |

For CV imports, a same-opening phone rule also skips the CV.

Hover over the **Possible duplicate** badge in the [applications dashboard](/candidates-and-cvs) to see whether the email or phone matched, and whether the earlier application is on this opening or another one.

## Related Resources

* [Bulk CV Import](/bulk-cv-import) - See which CVs were skipped as duplicates
* [Candidates and CVs](/candidates-and-cvs) - Find flagged applications in the dashboard
* [Application Form](/application-form) - Choose what candidates fill in when they apply
* [Organization Settings](/organization-settings) - Other organization-wide settings


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