How it works & known limitations

SproutDB is fast and accurate the vast majority of the time — but it reads LinkedIn, and LinkedIn doesn't make that easy. Here's an honest rundown of how it works and the handful of spots where it can trip up, so nothing catches you by surprise.

How SproutDB reads a profile

SproutDB reads the profile page the same way you do — name, headline, current role, company, location, and contact details — and maps those into your own JobAdder account. It signs in with your JobAdder login and only ever acts when you click. Profile data goes straight from the page into your JobAdder; it never passes through our servers.

Why it isn't perfect

LinkedIn doesn't give apps a clean data feed for profiles, so SproutDB reads the visible layout of the page. That layout changes often, and it looks different from one person to the next — which is the root cause of almost everything below.

Known limitations

• Extra lines under the name can shift fields. When a profile shows pronouns (e.g. “She/Her”), an “Open to work” banner, or a verification badge right under the name, the job title or company can occasionally come across in the wrong box. It's a quick fix — see “The one habit” below.
• Contact details only when they're shared. Email and phone come across only if the person has shared them and your connection level lets you see them. If they're hidden on LinkedIn, SproutDB can't see them either — those fields will simply be blank.
• Duplicate detection matches names exactly. The “already in JobAdder” badge matches on email, phone, and profile link first, then on the name exactly as written. So “Matt Smith” on LinkedIn won't automatically match a “Matthew Smith” already in your database. Email and phone matches are the reliable ones.
• LinkedIn Recruiter profiles need a moment. Recruiter opens profiles in a side panel that loads as it scrolls. SproutDB waits for the work history to load before parsing, so give it a second or two on those pages.
• Company names can include extras. LinkedIn sometimes joins a company with a school or a secondary detail. SproutDB trims this where it can, but it's worth a glance.
• Standard profiles capture the essentials. From a regular profile, SproutDB pulls the core details — name, current role, company, location, and contact info — rather than the full work history, summary, or skills list.

The one habit worth building

Every field SproutDB fills in is editable in the side panel before you save. So give the details a quick glance and tidy anything that looks off — it takes a couple of seconds. Worst case is a field to correct, never the wrong person saved: SproutDB matches on email, phone, and profile link to keep duplicates out of your database.

When LinkedIn changes its layout

Because SproutDB reads LinkedIn's pages, a LinkedIn redesign can occasionally break parsing until we ship an update. We watch for this and turn fixes around quickly. If you notice something consistently coming across wrong, tell us — it genuinely helps us catch layout changes fast.

Found a problem?

Email us at hello@sproutdb.au — ideally with the kind of profile it happened on (regular or Recruiter) and which field was wrong. See also our terms and privacy page.