Eploy is widely used by UK recruitment agencies and employers, but its CV import can be fussy. Formatting quirks or hidden errors in CVs often cause data to misparse or get lost. If you're uploading dozens of CVs a day, these small issues quickly turn into a big headache.
TL;DR: Eploy struggles with inconsistent CV formats, tables, and certain text elements that break parsing. Fix formatting first: avoid tables, use simple fonts, and keep contact info clear. If you hit parsing or upload errors repeatedly, Distill can clean and format CVs automatically to Eploy's requirements.
What you need to know about CVs in Eploy
Eploy's ATS parses CVs to extract candidate details and populate fields automatically. It works best with clean, straightforward Word documents or PDFs. Complex formatting, graphics, and tables cause the parser to misread or skip data.
Common problems stem from:
- Tables: Eploy's parser often ignores or scrambles content inside tables.
- Fonts and styles: Unusual fonts or inconsistent heading styles confuse field detection.
- Contact details: Emails and phone numbers must be on separate lines and clearly labelled.
- Graphics and photos: These aren't parsed and can cause upload errors or misalignments.
- File formats: Use .docx or PDF; older .doc or scanned images don't parse well.
Understanding these basics saves you time fixing errors after upload.
Formatting guide
To avoid parsing errors, start with a CV formatted for Eploy's parser:
- Avoid tables: Use standard paragraph formatting and spacing instead.
- Use standard fonts: Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman in 10–12pt size.
- Keep contact info simple: Place name, phone, email on separate lines at the top.
- No graphics or photos: Remove logos or candidate photos before upload.
- Headings: Use consistent styles for section titles like "Work Experience" or "Education."
- Bullet points: Use standard bullet characters, not images or special symbols.
- Dates: Format as "Jan 2020 – Dec 2022" or "01/2020 – 12/2022" consistently.
- File type: Prefer .docx, but PDFs can work if they're text-based (not scanned).
If you need detailed guidance, see our Eploy formatting guide.
Parsing errors
Eploy's parser doesn't flag errors clearly. You'll notice missing fields or jumbled information after upload. Common parsing failures include:
- Candidate name not extracted: Usually caused by tables or unusual fonts in the header.
- Contact details missing or merged: Happens if phone and email share a line or use symbols like "☎".
- Work experience misaligned: Tables or inconsistent date formatting cause Eploy to skip or confuse roles.
- Skills lumped together: Bullet points replaced with commas or merged into a paragraph.
- Duplicate entries: When CV has repeated sections or inconsistent spacing.
Fixing these means cleaning the CV before upload or editing candidate details manually. Repeated manual fixes waste time and increase errors.
For a deeper dive, see Eploy parsing errors.
Upload issues
Beyond parsing, some agencies hit upload errors or slow processing times. These often relate to:
- File size: Large PDFs or Word files with images slow upload or cause timeouts.
- Unsupported formats: Older .doc files or scanned images are rejected or parsed poorly.
- Special characters: Non-standard symbols in names or addresses can trigger errors.
- Network timeouts: Uploading many CVs simultaneously can cause failures.
Best practice is to keep files under 2MB, use clean .docx or text PDFs, and batch uploads in manageable sizes.
More on this is in our Eploy upload issues guide.
Distill + Eploy
Distill automates the CV cleaning process for Eploy users. It strips photos, logos, graduation years, and sensitive data that Eploy can't parse reliably. It also reformats CVs into simple, table-free Word documents with standard fonts and clear contact details.
If you submit 20+ CVs weekly to Eploy, Distill saves hours of manual fixes. It doesn't integrate directly with Eploy but works as a pre-upload step, delivering clean exports ready for import.
Try Distill free to see how it streamlines your CV prep and reduces parsing errors with Eploy.
If you're spending too much time fixing CVs before Eploy upload, Distill formats them automatically to Eploy's spec. Start free Distill trial to clean CVs in seconds and cut parsing headaches.