Combining Object Information on the MIDM

When you determine that two or more profiles represent the same object, you can merge the profiles to form one profile that contains the object’s most current information. You can also merge source records within one profile or from one profile to another. The resulting profile of a profile level merge is called the Merge Result Record. The SBR for the surviving profile is automatically recalculated based on the source records involved in the merge. In a source record merge, the SBRs for all affected profiles are automatically recalculated based on the resulting source records in each profile.

You can display the object profiles to merge using the Search function or the Duplicate Records function. This section describes how to merge records using the Search function. For information about merging records using the Duplicate Records function, see Merging Potential Duplicate Profiles.

You can merge profiles from either the Duplicate Records page or the Record Details page. The following topics provide instructions for merging profiles or source records from the Record Details or Source Record page. For information about merging profiles from the Duplicate Records page, see Merging Potential Duplicate Profiles.

• Merging Object Profiles on the MIDM

• Merging Source Records on the MIDM

Merging Object Profiles on the MIDM

When you merge object profiles, all of the source records associated with the non-surviving object profiles are transferred to the surviving object profile. The non-surviving profiles are given a status of merged and are no longer active. The SBR of the surviving profile is recalculated based on the new source records that were added to the profile due to the merge. After merging profiles, review the source records in the active profile to determine whether any of them should be deactivated or merged.

Use caution when merging more than two object profiles, as the entire merge process cannot be reversed.

To Merge Object Profiles

1. Perform a search for the object profiles you want to merge using any of the search procedures described in Searching for Object Profiles on the MIDM.
2. In the results list, select the check boxes to the left of the profiles you want to merge.

   You can select from two to four profiles.

3. Click Compare.

   The Comparison page appears.

   
   

   Figure 60 Comparison Page - Merging Object Profiles

   
4. Determine which of the displayed profiles you want to keep, and then click the EUID of that profile.
5. Determine which of the displayed profiles you want to merge into the profile you just selected, and then click their EUIDs.
6. Click Preview.

   The merge preview profile appears so you can review the results of the merge before finalizing it.

   
   

   Figure 61 Comparison Page - Merge Preview

   

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   Caution - If you merge more than two profiles together, you can only unmerge the last two profiles that are merged (as determined by the master index application). Before proceeding, make sure that the profiles should be merged.

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7. Compare the highlighted field values to determine which to keep in the final profile. Select each value you want to keep in the merge preview profile.

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   Note - Selecting a value to keep in the merge result profile creates a link from the SBR to the source record field that populated the field. For example, if the first name field from Record A is populated from Source Record 1, and you merge Record A into Record B and select the first name value from Record A, a link is created from the first name field in the resulting SBR to the first name field in Source Record 1. For more information on linking SBR fields to source record fields, see Overriding the Survivor Calculator's SBR.

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8. Click Merge.
9. Click OK on the confirmation dialog box that appears.
10. Review the surviving profile of the merge to be sure no source records need to be deactivated or merged.

Merging Source Records on the MIDM

You can merge source records from one object profile into a source record from another object profile or you can merge source records within one profile, as long as both source records originated from the same system. You can also specify which, if any, information to save from the non-surviving source record. When you merge source records, the non-surviving source record is transferred into the object profile of the surviving source record and is given a status of merged. The SBRs of the surviving profiles are automatically recalculated.

To Merge Source Records

1. In the tabbed headings, select Source Record.
2. Click the Merge sub-tab.
3. In the Source Record search fields select the source system for the records, enter two local IDs for the source records you want to merge, and then click View Records.

   The source record comparison page appears.

   
   

   Figure 62 Source Record Page– Merging Source Records

   
4. Determine which source records you want to merge, and click their local IDs.

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   Tip - To learn more about the source records by examining the profiles to which they belong, click View EUID under the record you want to view. Once you are done viewing the profile, click Back to return to the Source Record page.

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5. Click Keep LID#, where # is the heading number of the source record you want to retain after the merge.

   The merge preview record appears.

   
   

   Figure 63 Source Record Page – Merge Preview Record

   
6. Compare the highlighted fields in the source records to determine which value you want to keep. Click a highlighted value to add it to the merge preview record.
7. At the bottom of the page, click OK.
8. On the confirmation dialog box that appears, click OK.

   After you merge two source records, the surviving source record is updated, and the non-surviving source records are transferred to the “merge to” profile and is marked as merged. The SBRs for the object profiles involved in the merge are recalculated. If a “merge from” profile no longer has any source records, it is deactivated.