Merging entities

If you have duplicate data records in the database that refer to the same person or organization, you can merge their information to create a single record. After the records are merged, all instances of the source entity are replaced by the target entity.

When you select a source entity to merge into a target entity, information is merged in the following ways:

• All information located in the main section of a data record (for example a contact's company, household, status, and tier) is copied directly from the first entity to the target entity. If there are conflicts (for example, both contacts have different values for the same field) then the target contact's data is kept. For service level management this means:
  • If the target has a service level already then no subsequent change is made to the source's service level and service model.
  • If the target has "None" as its service level then the target takes the source's service level and service model.
• The data on the following cards in the Detail tab is copied from the source entity to the target entity:
  • Addresses
  • Communications
  • Custom fields
  • Coverage
  • Lists
  • Categories

  All addresses and communications copied from the source to the target entity have the word merged displayed in the address/communication description. For example, a copied over mobile phone number is displayed on the Communications card as Mobile - merged.
  Duplicate categories and lists are not copied over, but all addresses, communications, and custom fields are copied, even ones with duplicate values. Duplicate coverage (for example, a user who has the same coverage role for both contacts) is not copied.

  

  If you have set a coverage role as unique, and two different users have that role for the two entities being merged, you must change the coverage role of one entity before merging the two entities.

• All activities, which includes tasks, schedule items, activity plans, and documents, are copied from the source to the target. The For field information from the source replaces the information in the target entity. If the two entities are both in the For field of the activity, a duplicate one is not added to the target; the activity is updated so that the source no longer appears in the For field.
• The following NexJ CRM related items are copied from the source entity to the target entity:

  • Opportunities

  • Documents created in and emailed from the Document Manager workspace

Merging source entities into target entities

To merge one entity into another, both entities must be the same type as the source (contact, company, or household).

Determine which entity should be the source entity and which entity should be the target entity. On the selected source entity's banner, or in the source entity's record in the data table on the Contacts workspace, click the More Actions button,

To view the status of your merge request, navigate to the Batch Processes workspace:

• Click the User settings button in the application toolbar and select the Batch Processes option from the menu.
• Click the Batch Processes icon

  

  or workspace name in the navigator sidebar.

To easily find the relevant results, set the Type filter on the Batch Processes workspace to Merge Entity.