There are three options available for creating duplicate record groups:
■ Use DUP_MATCH_KEY from Name Table
■ Select fields which will be used to identify potential duplicates
■ Specify two known IDs to Merge option to directly merge two IDs
Status column
For all options, the initial table of information about the potential duplicates includes the Status column, which contains either OK or reasons why a record cannot be discarded. The following table describes the reasons.
|
Status column information |
Description |
|
This record cannot be deleted while an open order exists |
An open Order is associated with this Contact. |
|
This record cannot be deleted while an invoice with a non-zero balance exists |
An open Invoice is associated with this Contact. |
|
This record cannot be deleted while an active subscription exists |
An active Subscription record is associated with this Contact. |
|
This record cannot be deleted while a dependent referral record exists |
A Referral record dependency is associated with this Contact. |
|
This record cannot be deleted while a dependent Name_Fin record exists with this ID as the Bill To ID |
This Contact is designated as the Bill To on the Name_Fin record for another Contact. |
|
This record cannot be deleted while a dependent Name record exists with this ID as the Bill To ID |
This Contact is designated as the Bill To on the Name record for another Contact. |
|
This record cannot be deleted while a dependent Name record exists with this ID as the Company ID |
This Contact is designated as the Company on the Name record for another Contact. |
To find possible duplicate records using the DUP_MATCH_KEY field
Select the Use DUP_MATCH_KEY field from Name Table option to find all possible duplicates based upon the value in the Name.DUP_MATCH_KEY field, which contains the value that was calculated based on the Duplicate Record Check Formula field in the Customer Setup – Advanced window at the time the customer record was added or last edited. If the Duplicate Record Check Formula field was blank when the customer record was added or last edited, iMIS uses the default formula (the first five characters of the preferred mail address zip code, the first four characters of the last name, and the first character of the first name) to populate the Name.DUP_MATCH_KEY field.
Note: When the Duplicate Record Check Formula is changed, iMIS does not go back and recalculate the Name.DUP_MATCH_KEY field for existing customer records. The Name.DUP_MATCH_KEY field is initially populated when a new customer record is added, and is updated when the customer record is edited in the Manage customers window.
1. From Customers, select Manage duplicates.
2. Click Find Duplicates. The Find Duplicates options display on the Duplicate Merge Manager window.
3. Click Build Tables. A message displays informing you that the process may take from 2 to 20 minutes.
4. Click Yes. The first duplicate group found displays on the Group tab in the Manage Groups view on the Duplicate Merge Manager window. As you review the groups, the Duplicate x of y and Sequence# information displayed in the lower left corner of the window will update.
5. If no duplicate groups are found, a message displays indicating that no duplicate groups were found.
To find possible duplicate records using selected fields
Select the Select fields which will be used to identify potential duplicates option to specify your own criteria to find duplicate matches. This option overrides the value entered in each customer’s Name.DUP_MATCH_KEY field, but does not update the Name.DUP_MATCH_KEY field in iMIS. You must choose at least one field from the Name table. For the best performance results, select the most unique fields first.
The Name.WORK_PHONE and Name.HOME_PHONE fields can be selected for display. Click Choose Columns on the Duplicate Merge Manager window.
1. From Customers, select Manage duplicates.
2. Click Find Duplicates. The Find Duplicates options display.
3. Select the Select fields which will be used to identify potential duplicates option. The Name table and any user-defined tables display in the Tables area.
4. Click the + symbol displayed to the left of the table name to expand the table and view all available fields.
Note: You must choose at least one field from the Name table.
5. Select the desired field using one of the following methods:
□ Double-click the field.
□ Select the field and click >.
□ Drag and drop the field onto the grid on the right side of the window.
Note: To remove a field so that it is not used when searching for potential duplicates, double-click the field or select the field and click <.
Note: For performance reasons, you should select the most unique field first and then select the remaining fields in descending order based on their uniqueness.
6. After the field displays on the selection grid on the right side of the window, click the corresponding Length cell and enter the number of characters to be used for the comparison.
□ A message displays if the length is not entered or if a non-numeric length is entered. Click OK and specify the Length.
Note: If you decrease the number of characters used for the duplicate search, the match key is rebuilt. However, if you increase the number of characters used for the duplicate search, the match key is not rebuilt and the minimum number of characters previously specified is still used for the match key. To increase the number of characters used for the duplicate search, deselect the field, add the field back and specify the number of characters to be used for the duplicate search.
7. A message displays if the length is not entered or if a non-numeric length is entered. Click OK and specify the Length.
8. Repeat the process to create additional fields.
9. Click Build Tables. A message displays informing you that the process may take from 2 to 20 minutes.
□ If you click Build Tables before selecting any fields, a message displays informing you that you must select at least one field to identify duplicates. Click OK, select one or more fields and specify the Length for each field, and click Build Tables.
10. Click Yes. The first duplicate group found displays on the Group tab in the Manage Groups view on the Duplicate Merge Manager window. As you review the groups, the Duplicate x of y and Sequence# information displayed in the lower left corner of the window will update.
11. If no duplicate groups are found, a message displays indicating that no duplicates were found. Click OK.
In this example, DMM will search for all Name records in which the first five characters of LAST_NAME are identical. Records with the same criteria value or match key will be grouped together.
To directly merge two known IDs
To skip the process of searching for possible duplicate records and directly merge two records which are known to be duplicates, you can use the Specify two known IDs to Merge option in the Find Duplicates view of the Duplicate Merge Manager window. See To Merge Two Known IDs.
To remove a duplicate group
You can delete a previously saved duplicate group without affecting any customer records in the group. This process involves viewing the Action tab for the group to be deleted, selecting any ID as the Retain ID, and moving all of the other IDs to the IDs to Keep list. When the Merge process is run, the duplicate group will be removed and the only changes that will be made to any of the customer records in the group are the Preferred Mail and Preferred Bill settings (if these settings have been changed).
1. From Customers, select Manage duplicates.
2. Click Saved Groups to display the Manage Groups view on the Duplicate Merge Manager window.
3. Click Find Group, GoTo Group, Previous Group, or Next Group to select the duplicate group to be removed.
4. Select the Action tab.
5. Select a Retain ID from the drop-down list of available duplicate record IDs.
Note: Any ID can be selected as the Retain ID since no customer records in this duplicate group will be merged or deleted.
6. Select the Preferred Mail option for the Address, Street Address, or Home Address for the Retain ID.
7. Select the Preferred Bill option for the Address, Street Address, or Home Address for the Retain ID.
8. Move all of the IDs from the IDs to Merge list to the IDs to Keep list. The IDs in the IDs to Keep list will be ignored during the Merge process.
9. Move all of the IDs from the IDs to Delete list to the IDs to Keep list. The IDs in the IDs to Keep list will be ignored during the Merge process.
10. Click Save.
11. Click First Group, GoTo Group, Previous Group, or Next Group to view all other previously saved groups to confirm that any specified actions for these groups are correct.
12. Click Merge. A confirmation message displays indicating how many duplicate groups have been defined for merging.
13. Click Yes. When the Merge process has completed, a message displays indicating how many duplicate groups were processed.
14. Click Yes to view the event log, or click No to skip viewing the event log. If you click Yes, an event log displays.
