How to find duplicated data and merge it

In data management, handling duplicates is crucial to maintaining data integrity. When duplicates are detected, it is important to identify them based on key elements such as names or websites. For example, if there are duplicate entries for the company “Android” with different phone numbers like “+123” or “+666,” these variations can be grouped as related duplicates. Similarly, duplicates for “Emirates” can include versions with different websites, such as IT Solutions or DE domains.

Once duplicates are identified, users can select which records to merge. The merging process allows users to decide whether one record will be the destination, while others will be the source. Users can choose from various options for handling contacts and company data during the merge:

1. Overwrite: The source data completely replaces the destination data.
2. Merge: Only missing fields from the source are copied into the destination.
3. Keep original: No changes are made to the destination data.

However, there are limitations to merging. If a company already has active users or meeting requests, it cannot be merged to avoid disrupting active processes. The merging function is typically used during the initial stages of data entry, before a company’s data is published or used by users. Once a company’s data is published and active, merging is no longer possible to preserve operational continuity.

This merging process ensures that data is clean, organized, and ready for future use, but it requires careful handling of key identifiers like websites and emails to avoid unnecessary duplicates.