Symptoms

• Multiple versions of the same customer appear when searching.
• Customer Service agents see duplicate contacts linked to the same case.
• Reports overcount customers due to duplicated entries.
• Automated processes (e.g., email, routing) trigger multiple times for the same customer.

Root Cause

Duplicate records exist due to:

• Manual data entry without validation.
• Multiple source systems being merged.
• Poor migration logic or missing matching rules.
• Users unable to find existing customers before creating new ones.

Resolution Steps

1. Run a Duplicate Detection Report

1. Go to Advanced Settings → Data Management.
2. Select Duplicate Detection Jobs.
3. Choose New.
4. Select the record type (Account or Contact).
5. Choose the appropriate matching rule (e.g., email + name).
6. Run the job and review results.

2. Review Suggested Duplicates

• Open each potential duplicate pair.
• Compare key fields such as:
  • Full name
  • Email
  • Phone number
  • Address
  • Account relationships

3. Merge Duplicates

1. Open one of the records.
2. Select Merge on the command bar.
3. Choose which record will be the Master.
4. Select field-by-field which values to keep.
5. Confirm merge.

4. Create or Adjust Matching Rules (Optional)

• Go to Advanced Settings → Data Management → Duplicate Detection Rules.
• Rule examples:
  • Contacts: Email exact match OR Mobile + Last Name match.
  • Accounts: Account Name + Postcode.
• Publish the rule.

Validation

• Searching for a customer returns only one clean record.
• Merged record contains relevant historical activities and cases.
• Dashboards and reports show accurate counts.

Additional Notes

• Merging also reassigns related records (cases, activities) to the surviving entity.
• Always test duplicate rules in a non‑production environment.