Donor Duplicate Detection
The Duplicate Detection feature helps you identify and manage duplicate donor records in your campaigns. This powerful tool automatically finds donors who appear multiple times in your database and provides you with easy ways to merge them together, ensuring your donor data stays clean and organized
To navigate to the "Duplicates Table" click "Donors" under "CRM" on the main menu and click the "Duplicates tab".

Why use Duplicate Detection?
Common Scenarios
Multiple Registrations: A donor registers for the same campaign multiple times
Different Contact Methods: Same person uses different email addresses or phone numbers
Family Members: Parents and children with similar names get mixed up
Data Entry Errors: Typos in names, addresses, or contact information
System Migrations: Duplicate records created during data imports
Benefits
Cleaner Data: Maintain accurate donor counts and avoid inflated numbers
Better Communication: Prevent sending duplicate emails or mailings
Accurate Reporting: Get precise donation totals and donor statistics
Improved Relationships: Maintain complete donor history in one record
Time Savings: Automatically identify duplicates instead of manual searching.
Getting Started
1. Choose Your Campaign
Navigate to the Donors section
Select Duplicates tab
Choose the campaign/form you want to scan from the dropdown.
2. Run a Scan
You have two scan options:
Basic Scan
Best for Quick identification of obvious duplicates
Speed: Faster processing
Accuracy: Good for exact matches
Enhanced Scan
Best for: Comprehensive duplicate detection
Speed: Takes longer but more thorough
Accuracy: Finds subtle duplicates and variations.
3. Review Results
After the scan completes, you'll see:
Duplicate Groups: Donors that appear to be the same person
Confidence Levels: How certain the system is about each match
Match Reasons: Why these donors were identified as duplicates
Managing Duplicates
Viewing duplicate groups
Each duplicate group shows:
Primary Information: Username, email, and key details
Count: How many duplicate records were found
Oldest Record: When the first record was created
All Duplicates: Expand to see every record in the group
Selecting Primary Donor
Expand the duplicate group by clicking "Show Duplicates"
Review each donor record in the group
Select the donor you want to keep as the primary record
The selected donor will be marked as "Primary"
Merging Options.
Merge Selected
What it does: Combines all duplicate records into the primary donor
Data handling: Keeps the best information from each record
Relationships: Transfers all donations, commitments, and activities
Result: One clean donor record with complete history
Mark as Not Duplicate
What it does: Tells the system these are actually different people
When to use: When the system incorrectly identified them as duplicates
Result: Records remain separate and won't be flagged again.
Advanced Features

Custom Detection Rules
You can customize how the system detects duplicates:
Field Selection
Choose which fields to compare (names, emails, addresses, etc.)
Set importance levels for different types of information
Include or exclude custom fields you've created
Sensitivity Settings
High Sensitivity: Finds more potential duplicates (may include false positives)
Medium Sensitivity: Balanced approach (recommended)
Low Sensitivity: Only finds obvious duplicates (may miss some)
Cultural Settings
Western Names: Standard first name, last name format
Hispanic Names: Handles paternal and maternal surnames
Asian Names: Recognizes family name, given name order
International: Supports names from various cultural backgrounds
Incremental Processing
Smart Scanning: Only checks new or changed records
Faster Results: Reduces processing time for large databases
Merge History

Viewing History
Merge History Tab: See all merge operations you've performed
Batch Information: View details about each merge batch
Success Rates: Track how many merges completed successfully
Undo Functionality
Undo Merges: Reverse merge operations if needed
Restore Records: Bring back merged donor records
Safety Net: Provides confidence to merge without fear of data loss.
Best Practices
Before Merging
Review Carefully: Always check that donors are actually the same person
Verify Information: Make sure addresses, phone numbers, and other details match
Check Relationships: Ensure family connections make sense
Consider Timing: Look at creation dates to understand the sequence
After Merging
Verify Results: Check that the merged record contains all important information
Test Communication: Send a test email to ensure contact information is correct
Update Reports: Refresh any reports that might be affected
Document Changes: Keep notes about significant merges for future reference
Regular Maintenance
Monthly Scans: Run duplicate detection monthly to catch new duplicates
After Imports: Always scan after importing new donor.
Troubleshooting
Common Issues
No Duplicates Found
Check Settings: Verify detection rules aren't too strict
Review Data: Ensure donor information is consistent
Try Enhanced Scan: Use the more thorough scanning option
Too Many False Positives
Adjust Sensitivity: Lower the detection sensitivity
Review Rules: Check if detection rules are too broad
Manual Review: Use "Mark as Not Duplicate" for incorrect matches
Merge Errors
Check Permissions: Ensure you have proper access rights
Verify Data: Make sure donor records aren't corrupted
Contact Support: Reach out if technical issues persist
Getting Help
Documentation: Check this guide for detailed instructions
Support Team: Contact our support team for technical assistance
Training: Request additional training for your team
Feedback: Share suggestions for improving the feature.
Conclusion
The Duplicate Detection feature is an essential tool for maintaining clean, accurate donor data. By regularly using this feature, you can:
Improve Data Quality: Keep your donor database clean and organized
Enhance Communication: Avoid sending duplicate messages
Accurate Reporting: Get precise statistics and insights
Save Time: Automate the tedious process of finding duplicates
Build Better Relationships: Maintain complete donor histories
Remember, clean data leads to better donor relationships and more successful campaigns. Take the time to use this feature regularly, and you'll see the benefits in improved communication, accurate reporting, and better donor engagement.
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