Merging Duplicate Clients

Duplicate client records can creep into any CRM — different team members might add the same client, or variations in spelling create separate entries. Merging duplicates keeps your database clean and ensures all information about a client is in one place.

Why merge duplicates?

Duplicate records cause problems:

Incomplete picture — communication history split across records
Wasted effort — multiple team members contacting the same client
Poor service — missing context when information is fragmented
Inaccurate reporting — client counts and statistics are inflated

Merging combines everything into a single, complete client profile.

Finding duplicate clients

Automatic duplicate detection

Launchpad helps identify potential duplicates:

Go to Clients
Click Tools in the toolbar
Select Find Duplicates
Review the suggested matches

Duplicates are detected by:

Matching email addresses
Similar business names
Same phone numbers
Similar addresses

Manual search

If you suspect a specific duplicate:

Go to Clients
Search for the client name
Review results for duplicates
Note any records that should be merged

Merging two clients

Step-by-step merge

Go to Clients
Find one of the duplicate records
Open the client record
Click More (three dots) in the top right
Select Merge with Another Client
Search for the other duplicate record
Select it from the results
Review the merge preview

Choosing the primary record

You'll be asked to choose which record to keep as the primary:

Keep this one — the record you started from becomes primary
Keep the other — the record you're merging becomes primary

The primary record keeps its:

Client ID
Primary email address
Business name (though you can edit this)

Selecting data to keep

For fields that differ between records, choose which value to keep:

Field	Record A	Record B	Keep
Phone	07 1234 5678	07 9876 5432	Choose one
Address	123 Main St	456 High St	Choose one
Business Type	Accommodation	Hotel	Choose one

Select the most accurate or up-to-date value for each field.

What gets merged automatically

These items are combined from both records:

Contacts — all contacts from both records
Communications — complete email and message history
Notes — all notes preserved
Bookings — all booking records
Files — all attached documents
Tags — combined tags from both records
Activity history — complete timeline

Completing the merge

Review all merge decisions
Click Merge Clients
Confirm the action

The duplicate record is removed, and all data is consolidated into the primary record.

Bulk duplicate resolution

If you have many duplicates to resolve:

Go to Tools > Find Duplicates
Review the list of potential duplicates
For each pair:

- Click Merge to combine them - Click Not Duplicate to dismiss the suggestion

Work through the list

Setting duplicate rules

Configure how duplicates are detected:

Go to CRM Settings
Click Duplicate Detection
Adjust settings:

- Match sensitivity (strict, moderate, loose) - Fields to match on - Automatic suggestions vs. manual review

Undoing a merge

Merged records cannot be automatically separated. However:

Activity is preserved — all communications and notes are kept
Export first — if unsure, export both records before merging
Contact support — in exceptional cases, support may be able to help

Always review carefully before confirming a merge.

Preventing duplicates

Reduce future duplicates:

Search before adding — always check if a client exists
Use consistent naming — agree on conventions (e.g., "Pty Ltd" vs "PTY LTD")
Import carefully — check for existing matches during imports
Enable duplicate warnings — get alerts when adding similar clients

Enabling duplicate warnings

Go to CRM Settings
Click Duplicate Detection
Turn on Warn when adding similar clients
Save

You'll see a warning if you try to add a client similar to an existing one.

Merge permissions

By default, only team members with CRM Manager permissions can merge clients. This prevents accidental data loss.

To merge clients, you need:

CRM access
Edit permissions
Merge permission (granted by administrators)

Tips for clean data

Regular audits — run duplicate detection monthly
Train your team — ensure everyone knows to search before adding
Review imports — always check import data for duplicates
Standardise data — use consistent formats for phones, addresses
Act quickly — merge duplicates as soon as you spot them

What's next?

Keep your CRM data clean:

A clean database is a powerful database. Merging duplicates ensures every client interaction is captured in one complete record.