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Clean Up Your PDS Data

Combine Duplicate Records

Why is this required? Over time, duplicate families and members may have been introduced to your database. You should combine any duplicate records in PDS prior to your migration. Otherwise, you'll have the same potentially duplicate families and members in MinistryPlatform.

What will this process do? The program can automatically locate and combine any families or members who match 100% of information between records. Then, you can review a list of any potential duplicate records that you may need to combine.

How long will this take? This process can take some time, so be sure to plan accordingly. If you're not able to complete this process all at once, we recommend dedicating some time each day to work on it until it's done.

Combine Duplicate Families:
  1. On the File menu in your PDS program, click System Processes > Combine Families.
  2. If this is the first time you're using this process, options display to build a list of duplicates. If you've built a list before, click Rebuild This List of Families to see these options.
  3. Select how you want to match duplicate families, then click Build List.
  4. Click a record in the grid to see why it's listed as a possible duplicate.
  5. For each family you want to combine, click Review Details Before Combining Families. The information that doesn't match between the records shows in red.
  6. Select the checkbox beside the data you want to keep. The mismatched information (the data you don't select) will be deleted.
    Note: If you need to do more research to determine what the correct information is for the family, click Print Worksheet, and come back to this process later.
  7. To combine the families into one record with the data you selected, click Combine Families.
  8. Click Yes when you're ready to combine the families.
    Once families are combined, you're prompted to combine the family members. You can do this now or separately via the Combine Members process
Combine Duplicate Members:
  1. On the File menu in your PDS program, click System Processes > Combine Members.
  2. In the top grid, select the family that has duplicate member records.
  3. In the bottom grid, select an action to take for each member.
  4. For each member you want to combine, click Review Details Before Combining Members. The information that doesn't match between the records shows in red.
  5. Select the checkbox beside the data you want to keep. The mismatched information (the data you don't select) will be deleted.
    Note: If you need to do more research to determine what the correct information is for the family, click Print Worksheet, and come back to this process later.
  6. To combine the members into one record with the data you selected, click Combine Members.
  7. Click Yes when you're ready to combine the members.
  8. Make a note of the date you completed this process.

There are no duplicate Family records and no duplicate Member records.

After you've combined duplicate records, you can review your fund activities.

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Last updated: November 24, 2025

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