Merge Duplicates en Masse | Scribe

    Merge Duplicates en Masse

    • Caitlin Lee |
    • 18 steps
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      This guide thoroughly covers merging duplicates but there is additional, useful information provided in the following EveryAction help video/articles: - [How to: Merge duplicate contact records](https://help.everyaction.com/s/article/2835322-merging-duplicate-contact-records) - [Bonterra CRM: Understanding Duplicates and Data Hygiene Tutorial](https://help.everyaction.com/s/article/2984241-video-duplicates-and-data-hygiene) - [Fundamentals: Understanding contact record matching](https://help.everyaction.com/s/article/record-matching-and-duplicates)
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      Merging duplicates in bulk can have significant implications on your database, and it's important to remember that this action is irreversible. Before proceeding, make sure that any spreadsheets containing VANIDs are considered, as this identifier may no longer exist after a duplicate merge. To avoid any data loss, confirm that this is the right time to merge duplicates.

      Define a pool of profiles

      1
      Click CREATE A NEW LIST.
      2
      Under the SUPPRESSIONS drop down, click REMOVE ALL SUPPRESSIONS.
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      You can further narrow the contacts here, but it's fine to keep it open to the full database if you're doing a basic clean up.
      3
      Click PREVIEW MY RESULTS.
      4
      Click RUN SEARCH.

      Search for duplicates

      5
      Click DUPLICATES.
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      Select SEARCH FOR DUPLICATES, and click NEXT.
      7
      Select the fields that need to match for a potential duplicate to show up for review.
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      There are 2 different options to Search Across: - All Contact Records: Compare contacts in the current active list to all contacts in the database - Use case: This is useful when you need to compare contacts across the entire database to check for duplicates - The Active My List: - Use case: This is useful when you need to check/compare contacts that are currently being worked on, ensuring consistency and accuracy within that specific list.
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      In this screenshot, FIRST NAME and LAST NAME must match. EMAIL is also being added as a requirement.\ \ First Name, Last Name, and Email are common criteria for duplicate identification since people are likely to have the same first & last name but not likely the same email too.
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      Click SEARCH.
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      If the search finds any potential matches, the resulting number will show up at the top of the page. This screenshot shows 18 potential duplicates as a result of those search parameters.
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      To improve the accuracy of duplicate searches, it’s important to refine your search criteria as much as possible. For instance, if you search using only the address field, you may encounter many matches that aren’t true duplicates. This is because an "address" search considers any address data, meaning that even partial or similar address entries could be flagged as duplicates, even if they belong to different contacts. To minimize this, try to include additional data markers, such as name or phone number, for a more precise search.

      Review potential duplicates

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      Start by reviewing the profile to make an informed guess on whether these two profile are indeed the same person or organization. - If you're sure they are not the same, click MARK AS NOT DUPLICATE. This will mark the profiles so next time they do not come up as a potential match. - If you're unsure, click SKIP. - If they are the same, continue on to the next step.
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      Merging duplicates ensures all data from BOTH profiles ends up on the final profile. The one exception to this is when a field can ONLY accept one answer. Watch out for the orange warning sign. These indicate that the section includes a field where there are more than one answers, and one must be chosen.