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Tools

Combine Contacts Tool

With the Combine Contacts Tool, you can combine separate Contact records into a single record. You can also add a similar-to relationship to Contact records.

  • The Tool is available on the Contacts page and any filtered version of the Contacts page. You can launch it from an open record or the Grid Layout, with or without a selection of records.
  • SPoCs should regularly use the Combine Contacts Tool to keep data clean.
  • The drop-down list shows potential duplicate Contacts that you can choose from.
    • If you launch it for an open record, that record displays at the top of the list. Additional potential duplicates display after the open record.
    • If you launch it from a selection of at least two records, the selected records display at the top of the list. Additional potential duplicates are listed after the selected records.
    • If you launch the tool from the grid without making a selection, you can make a selection from the list of potential duplicates. These are only potential duplicates, so don't be surprised if the list is long. Be sure to check the Duplicates view on the Contacts Relationships page to see actual duplicate Contact records.
  • Each column displays data fields from the Contact record, as well as from any associated Household, Participant, Donor, and User records. Each field is listed as its own row, but only fields that are populated on at least one of the loaded records will display. This means the Tool may show different lists of fields depending on the records you compare and how much data they contain.
  • The Donor, Household, and User records you select in the grid are kept and associated with the newly-merged Contact record. Those that are not selected are merged or eliminated.
    • If you select a different Address and/or Congregation in the merge process, these changes reflect in the Household selected in the Tool.
    • If any unselected Household(s) become empty as a result of the elimination of a Contact record through the merge process, the newly-empty Household(s) is eliminated.
  • The Audit Log records any changes made to the kept record as a result of combining.
  • Need to find more duplicates? Check the Duplicates view on the Contacts Relationships page to see actual duplicate Contact records.
  • The Tool combines Contact, Participant, Donor, and User records. It does not combine Household or Sacrament records. Need to combine Households? Check out the Combine Households Tool for more information. If the contacts have conflicting Sacrament records, you'll see a warning that lets you know which Sacrament record(s) need to be cleaned up later.
Combine Contacts Tool example showing two potential duplicates and which data to keep
Note: SPoCs can grant user access to this tool.

Combine Contacts

Make sure none of the following are true before you run the tool:
  • One of the email addresses is invalid and/or has a comma in it.
  • The Users are part of the same User Group.
  • The Users are in the same Security Role.
  • The Users have an Identity record with the same Provider Name.
  • The Contact has a comma in the Suffix or Last Name fields.
  • If Contacts both have attached images, the default file displays twice and the Record displays twice.

Before combining contacts, edit the records so the above scenarios are no longer true, then run the tool again.

  1. Launch the tool from any page that references Contacts or Participants by:
    • Tools > Combine Contacts > choose a name in the Selected Records drop-down. This process allows you to combine Contacts marked as "Duplicate Of" or identified by the Duplicate Finder routine.
    • Select two or more duplicate records > Tools > Combine Contacts.
    • Open the record > Tools > Combine Contacts.
  2. Review the records to be combined.
    Note: The tool only displays selection options for standard database fields, not any custom fields. However, the values for any custom fields are kept for the Contact record you choose to keep.
  3. If needed, check the box for any additional Contacts that "will be merged" that might be grayed out.
    Note: If the column for a Contact is grayed out and not selected, it will not be part of the combined action.
  4. If you'd like, select the alternate option to change the Contact to Keep.
  5. If you prefer to keep information other than what's included in the Contact to Keep, select the alternate option.
  6. Click Merge.

As a part of this process, any Participant and Donor Notes combine into the surviving record. The tool automatically shortens values that exceed the default field length.

Note: If you are using the Red Flag Alert Routine and you choose to keep a Contact record that is green while the merged record is red, the remaining record remains green. To turn the record indicator to red, make an edit to the Red Flag Note on the Participant record to trigger the routine.

Handle Contacts that Aren't Duplicates

Occasionally the system or a user may incorrectly identify records as duplicates, such as a father and adult son who have the same name. When you indicate the records as "similar records", it tells the system and other users to ignore these as possible duplicates.

If you find this situation while using the Combine Contacts tool:
  1. Clear the selected records.
  2. Select Mark un-selected records as similar to merged record.
  3. Click Combine Contacts.
To preemptively add a "similar records" relationship:
  1. Open one of the Contact records.
  2. Go to the Relationships sub-page.
  3. Click New.
  4. Choose the Similar Records relationship.
  5. Indicate the appropriate Related Contact.
  6. Click Save.

Accidentally Combined Contacts

Deleted data is not stored anywhere. If you accidentally combine contacts, the only way to retrieve the information is for a SPoC or Professional Services to restore a database backup from before the merge took place. You should act on this quickly since backups may be limited to a recent time frame. Depending on your backup strategy, this could be as little as two weeks. Admins, it may be helpful to review the Delete Record Research Report (accessible from Administration > Users) to identify any records deleted in error.

Handle Contacts with "APIUser (Do Not Edit)" in the Audit Log

Sometimes records duplicate as a result of someone creating an account through a MinistryPlatform application. Any record created this way will list the user as "APIUser (Do Not Edit)" in the Audit Log. You can use the Combine Contacts Tool on these duplicate records. The "Do Not Edit" notation lets you know that you shouldn't edit the APIUser record itself, but you can edit records created by the APIUser.

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Last updated: November 26, 2024