Consolidating Duplicates
Duplicate contacts build up over time - typos, different formatting, or two people adding the same customer. DrillerDB's Merge tool combines them into one clean record and moves every linked project, invoice, and work order to the record you keep.
Quick Start: Merge Duplicates
- Search Contacts and confirm the two records are the same customer
- Open the record you want to keep (the primary)
- Click Merge
- Search for the duplicate and select it
- Review the side-by-side preview and click Merge Contacts
Only admins see the Merge button. If you don't have it, ask an account admin to run the merge.
Why Duplicates Occur
| Cause | Example |
|---|---|
| Name variations | "John Smith" vs "J. Smith" |
| Business vs personal | "ABC Construction" vs "John Smith (ABC)" |
| Phone formatting | "(555) 123-4567" vs "555-123-4567" |
| Address abbreviations | "123 Main Street" vs "123 Main St" |
| Two people entering the same customer | Duplicate record created |
Finding Potential Duplicates
Search is the fastest way to surface duplicates. Phone number and email are the most reliable, because they are usually unique to one customer.
Step-by-Step: Find Duplicates
- Open Contacts
- Search by phone number
- If more than one record appears, compare them
- Also search by email and by address
The same phone or email showing up on two records is a strong sign they are the same customer.
Verify Before Merging
The merge cannot be easily undone, so confirm the records really are the same customer first.
Comparison Checklist
| Compare | What to Check |
|---|---|
| Names | Same person or business? |
| Address | Same location? |
| Phone / email | Any matching values? |
| Project locations | Same properties? |
When NOT to Merge
| Scenario | Keep Separate |
|---|---|
| Same name, different cities | Likely different people |
| Family members at one address | Different individuals |
| Business partners | Track separately |
People can share names or even addresses (family members, partners). Check that project locations line up before you merge.
How the Merge Works
Merging keeps the contact you opened (the primary) and removes the duplicate. Specifically:
- Every value already filled in on the primary is kept
- Empty fields on the primary are backfilled from the duplicate
- All of the duplicate's linked records - projects, invoices, work orders, and more - transfer to the primary
- The duplicate record is then removed
Because the merge only backfills empty primary fields, open the primary first and make sure the details you want to keep are already there.
Step-by-Step: Run a Merge
- Open the primary. Open the contact you want to keep.
- Start the merge. Click Merge in the header.
- Find the duplicate. Search by name, company, phone, or email, then select the matching contact.
- Review the preview. The wizard shows the two records side by side and lists the records that will transfer. Fields highlighted on the primary are the ones being kept.
- Confirm. Click Merge Contacts. When it finishes, the linked records are on the primary and the duplicate is gone.
After Merging
- Open the primary and confirm its Timeline and Invoices show the transferred records
- Spot-check that the project count went up as expected
- If any detail from the duplicate was missing on the primary, add it via Edit
Preventing Future Duplicates
| Step | Action |
|---|---|
| 1 | Search Contacts by phone before adding anyone |
| 2 | Also search by email |
| 3 | Create a new contact only when there is no match |
Consistent formatting (phone numbers, company suffixes like "Inc." or "LLC") makes duplicates easier to catch before they happen.
Troubleshooting
No Merge button?
- Merge is admin-only - ask an account admin to run it
Can't find the duplicate in the merge search?
- Enter at least two characters
- Try phone, then email, then name
Not sure the records are duplicates?
- Compare project locations
- When in doubt, keep them separate
Something looks wrong after merging?
- Open the primary and review Timeline, Invoices, and Details
- Add any missing detail via Edit
Related Topics
- Contacts Overview - Navigate the contact database
- Adding Contacts - Create new contacts
- Customer History - Projects, invoices, and communications
- Contact Types - Types and roles