Lead, Contact and Account scenarios now have an additional "Match on Insert Action" option, Auto-Merge.  If a record matches based on a Lead, Contact or Account scenario, it can automatically be merged to the matching record.

This option can be used with any Lead, Contact or Account scenario, however, its primary purpose is to auto-merge records being entered via an automated process that performs a single insert.  Combining this feature with the new Scenario Filter option, deduplication Scenarios can now be developed to effect just a subset of Leads, Account or Contacts  (i.e. Web to Lead inserts, filtering on Lead Source).  Filtering on custom fields is available, therefore, a flag could be set to identify records that are inserted via an automated process.

Note:  It is also recommended that this option ONLY be used with relatively strict matching criteria to avoid merging records that are NOT duplicates.

The merge can be customized as to which existing record the new record should be merged into if there are multiple matches: 

• Oldest Record
• Newest Record
• Last Updated Record

Additionally the merge can be customized as to how the fields should be merged from the new record: 

• Ignore
• Update if Blank
• Overwrite
• Merge (for multi-select, text area & checkbox fields) 
  

Defaults can be set for all fields, and then overrides can be set for specific fields. 

Tasks can also optionally be created to track the data on the "new record" prior to the merge.  All fields can be included in the task or just specific fields.

Since auto-merge was designed for automated processes that insert records where no user interaction takes place, no immediate "message" is sent to the Salesforce User Interface indicating that the record was just auto-merged.  If a user was entering a new record via the Salesforce user interface, it will appear that the new record was inserted.  However, as soon as they try to edit the record in any way (update a field, or add a task etc.), they will see a message that the record was deleted.



A search for the new record will need to be performed in Salesforce to find the master record the "new record" was merged into.  This master record will contain the Task indicating an auto-merge took place.

The auto-merge option is best used with DupeBlocker Scenario Filters as described above.  Scenarios that will be triggered for end users should ideally be set to either "Do Not Insert", "Redirect to Existing" or "Report Duplicate" where the user can be notified immediately that a duplicate was detected.

Note:  Auto-Merge will work with Person Accounts, however, special customizations are required to function properly.

More information on special considerations when auto-merging Person Accounts can be found in DupeBlocker Advanced Functions -> Person Accounts.

Note:  If a Lead matches to both a Lead scenario set to auto-merge and a Lead to Contact or Lead to Account scenario set to auto-convert, the auto-conversion will take precedence over the auto-merge.

Step 2:  Merge Target

If multiple matching records are found, specify which record the incoming data should be merged into:

• Oldest Record (based on created date) DEFAULT
  
• Newest Record (based on created date)
• Last Updated Record (based on last modified date)

Step 3:  Default Mergeable and Non-Mergeable Field Action

Default setting for how fields should be merged.  Can be overridden on a field by field basis using the "Add New Mapping Field" option, described in Step 4.

Mergeable Fields include any text area or long area text fields (NOT regular text fields), multi-select picklists, and checkbox (true/false) fields.  Merging a checkbox field will always keep a True value over a False value, i.e. "True always wins".  All other fields are considered non-mergeable fields.

Default Mergeable field options include:

• Ignore:  Do nothing with the incoming data.  Leave the field as is on the Master Record.
• Update if Blank:  If the field is empty on the Master Record, then update that field with incoming data.
• Overwrite:  Overwrite the field on the Master Record with the incoming data.  Blanks on the incoming data are ignored (will not overwrite data on the Master Record with a blank).

Note:  It is recommended that field history tracking be turned on for any key fields that may be overwritten in an auto-merge.

• Merge:  Combine the data on the Master Record with the incoming data, i.e. for a multi-select picklist field, if the incoming record contains "apples" and the Master Record contains "bananas", the merged multi-select picklist field will contain "apples;bananas".

THIS IS THE DEFAULT SETTING, but can be changed to any of the other options.

Default Non-Mergeable field options include:

• Ignore:  Do nothing with the incoming data.  Leave the field as is on the Master Record.
• Update if Blank:  If the field is empty on the Master Record, then update that field with incoming data.

THIS IS THE DEFAULT SETTING, but can be changed to any of the other options.

• Overwrite:  Overwrite the field on the Master Record with the incoming data.  Blanks on the incoming data are ignored (will not overwrite data on the Master Record with a blank).

Note:  It is recommended that field history tracking be turned on for any key fields that may be overwritten in an auto-merge.

Note:  As new fields are added to the target object they will take on the default settings unless overridden per the instructions in Step 4 below.

Step 4:  Overriding Default Settings for Specific Fields

Use this option if there are specific fields that should have a different merge setting than the defaults, i.e. always overwrite the Email Address and Lead Source from the incoming record.

Step 1:  Merge Field - Select the Field to override default settings for.  All updateable fields on the table are available for merging, including custom fields.
Step 2:  Merge Action - Select the Action: Ignore, Update if Blank, Overwrite or Merge (only available for mergeable fields).
Step 3:  Include in Task - Only applies if Tasks are being created per the Auto-Merge Primary Settings

• If "Default include in Task Value" is checked in the Auto-Merge Primary Settings, then this box will be checked by default.
• If "Default include in Task Value" is NOT checked in the Auto-Merge Primary Settings, then this box will be  unchecked by default.
• Check or uncheck to include or exclude the field in the Task.

Step 4:  Click "Add" to add the selected mapping to the "Current Field Mappings"
Step 5:  Current Field Mappings can be edit or deleted at any time.  Click "Save" to save changes

ONCE ALL MAPPINGS HAVE BEEN CUSTOMIZED CLICK "SAVE" IN THE PRIMARY SETTINGS TO SAVE ALL CHANGES.

Task Settings

Tasks can optionally be created to track the data that was on the incoming record.  All fields or selected fields can be included in the Task.

The task will be created on the record that the incoming data was merged into, and by default will be owned by the user that entered the incoming data.



Step 1:  Save as Task

Check this box to have a Task Created.

Step 2:  Task Owner

Select who the owner of the task should be:

• Current User:  DEFAULT
• Master Record Owner:  The owner of the record the incoming data was merged into.

Step 3:  Task Subject

Enter the subject for the resulting task.  A DEFAULT subject of "DupeBlocker Auto-Merge" is provided but can be updated.

Step 4:  Default Include in Task Value

Check this box to include all fields by default in the Task.  DEFAULT: checked.

Step 5:  Task Due Date

DEFAULT "Immediate", but various options for future dates are provided via a drop down list.

Step 6:  Task Status

DEFAULT "Not Started", but can select any Task Status available in Salesforce via a drop down list.

Example of a Task created from an auto-merged Lead.



Example of Object History related list entry after an auto-merge:  History Tracking enabled in Salesforce

See also