Merging Duplicate Records

When you save a record, the system looks for duplicate records based on the data you entered in the name and address fields. If the system finds potential duplicate records, you can merge the duplicate records by following this procedure.

  1. Create or edit a record.
    Note: Duplicate detection is only available when you edit an existing record or create a new record using the New button. It is not available when you create a record using the Create shortcut.
  2. Save the record.
    Important: If you are using Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 SP1, you must click Save in order for the system to look for duplicate records. If you click Save & Close, the system will not check for duplicate records.

    The system automatically looks for records that are potential duplicates of the record you are saving. If the system determines that the record you are saving may be a duplicate of another record, the Duplicate Detection and Merging window appears, listing the records that may be duplicates. The first record, the one with no value in the MatchScore column, is the record you are saving. The other records are duplicates. The MatchScore column indicates how similar the duplicate records are to the record you are saving. An identical record has a score of 100. The lower the number, the less closely the record matches the record you are saving.

  3. Decide which record you want to be the surviving record. In the Action column of that record, choose Master. This record will be preserved and will contain the merged data, and the other record will be deactivated.
    Note: To view deactivated records, go to the list of active accounts, contacts or leads and switch to the list of inactive accounts. For example, to view inactive account records, click My Active Accounts then choose Inactive Accounts.
  4. For each record that contains data you want to merge into the master record:
    1. Choose Merge in the Action column.
    2. Click the fields that you want to merge into the master record. The fields that will be preserved in the master record are highlighted.
  5. To delete a duplicate record, choose Delete in the Action column.
  6. Click Submit.

The data from the records marked Merge is merged into the record marked Master. The records marked Merge are made inactive in Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

Example

In the following example, the first record is the master record and will be preserved after the merge. The account name from the second record, Pitney Bowes, will be merged into the master record, replacing Pitney Bowes Software. The second record will be deactivated. The last two records will be deleted.