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Siebel Data Quality Administration Guide > Configuring and Using Data Matching >

Merging Duplicate Records

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Duplicate records can be merged using the Merge button or the Merge Records option from the menu list. There is a difference between these two types of merging operations:

Merge Records option. Performs the standard merge functionality available in Siebel applications for merging records. For more information, see Fundamentals in the Siebel Bookshelf.
Merge button. Performs a sequenced merge before performing the standard Merge Records option. It also performs a cleanup in the appropriate Deduplication Results table. This is the preferred method.

NOTE:  Cleanup removes the unneeded duplicate records that are stored in the results table.

When multiple records are merged, the child and grandchild records associated with the nonsurviving record or records are associated back to the surviving record.

When records are merged using a sequence merge, the following events take place:

All non-NULL fields from the surviving record are kept.
Any fields that were NULL in the surviving record are populated in the surviving record by information (if any) from the respective fields in the nonsurviving records, based on the sequence number of the nonsurviving record.
The children and grandchildren (for example, activities, orders, assets, service requests, and so on) of the nonsurviving records are reparented to the retained record.

For example, the number in the Sequence field is used when you want to merge multiple records into one record. If one field of the master record is empty, the Merge button copies the value to the master record from the other records that are going to be merged. The Sequence number prescribes the order of field values to pick from. It is especially useful if many fields are empty, such as when a contact record with a Sequence of 1 has a value for Email address, but its Work Phone # field is empty, and a contact record with a Sequence number of 2 has a value of Work Phone #. If the field Email address and Work Phone # in the retained record are empty, then the value of Email address is picked from sequence number 1 and the value of Work Phone # is picked from record of sequence number 2.

NOTE:  The retained record is based on the last record you selected using the keyboard or mouse, not the Sequence number entered. The Sequence number indicates only the sequence in which null fields should be populated from the losing records to the winning record.

To merge duplicate records

CAUTION:  Merging records is an irreversible operation. You should review all records carefully before initiating this function.

Click the resolution view tab for the type of record you have selected.

For example, if you have selected an Account record, click the Duplicate Accounts Resolution view tab.

If two records appear to be duplicates, enter a sequence number in the Sequence field for each record.

The last record selected is retained after the merge. Missing fields in the retained record are populated in ascending sequence number order from corresponding fields in the remaining record.

Edit the records, if necessary.
Click Merge.

The two records are merged to produce one new record.

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