When a new duplicate record is inserted it can be automatically merged into an existing record vs. blocking or reporting the duplicate. This option can be used with any object and any scenario. Its primary purpose is to auto-merge records being entered via an automated process that performs a single insert where no user interaction takes place. Combining this feature with the Scenario Filter option, deduplication Scenarios can be developed to auto-merge specific subsets of records.
Auto-merging is commonly used for Wed to Lead inserts. Scenario Filters can be created to subset based on a specific field in the Lead that identifies it as a web lead (e.g. Lead Source), and/or based on the current user that entered the Lead, assuming there is a specific user that creates web leads. Dual filters allow for triggering a scenario based on attributes of the incoming record allowing it to match to ANY existing record (e.g. Lead Source starts with Web will match to ANY record regardless of its' Lead Source value).
- More information on Filters can be found HERE.
- More information on configuring DupeBlocker to work with Web to Lead inserts can be found HERE.
Note: It is recommended that this option ONLY be used with relatively strict matching criteria to avoid merging records that are NOT duplicates.
The auto merge can be customized to:
- Select which existing record the new record should be merged into if there are multiple matches
- Oldest, Newest, or Last Updated Record
- Automate how the fields should be merged from the new record
- Ignore, Update if Blank, Overwrite, or Merge (for multi-select, text area & checkbox fields)
- Defaults can be set for all fields, and then overrides can be set for specific fields
- Ignore, Update if Blank, Overwrite, or Merge (for multi-select, text area & checkbox fields)
- Create tasks to track the data on the "new record" prior to the merge
- All fields can be included in the task or just specific fields
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 HERE.
Starting in version 3.10 all auto merges are tracked in the DupeBlocker Logs tab.
Auto-Merge and the End User
Auto-merge was designed for automated processes that insert records where no user interaction takes place. Therefore, 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. 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.
Selecting the Auto-Merge Option
In the DupeBlocker Scenario Details page, select Auto-Merge from the drop down list of options for Match on Insert Action.
Note: This option is ONLY available for inserts (not available to Match on Update).
Auto-Merge Settings
Click the Auto-Merge Settings button at the top of the Scenario Details Page to review the default settings and customize as needed.
Primary Settings & Field Mappings (Task settings described in next section)
1. Merge Target: If multiple matching records are found, specify which existing 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)
2. Merge Priority: This field specifies the order in which multiple auto-merge scenarios for the same object are acted upon. The lower the number the higher the priority. This is ONLY used when multiple scenarios set to auto-merge are matched for a single record.
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.
3. Default Mergeable and Non-Mergeable Field Action: Default settings for how fields should be merged. Can be overridden on a field by field basis using the Add New Mapping Field option, described in the next step.
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, e.g. "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, e.g. 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 the next 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, e.g. always overwrite the Email Address and Lead Source from the incoming record.
1. Merge Field: Select the Field to override default settings for
- All updateable fields on the table are available for merging, including custom fields
2. Merge Action: Select the Action: Ignore, Update if Blank, Overwrite or Merge (only available for mergeable fields)
- It is recommended that field history tracking be turned on for any key fields that may be overwritten in an auto-merge.
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
4. Click Add to add the selected mapping to the Current Field Mappings
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 comments of the task are hardcoded and cannot be changed (except for which tracked fields to include)
- DupeBlocker Auto-Merge Reports are based off these Tasks, so if a Task is NOT created when records are auto-merged there will be no way to report on how many and which records were auto-merged by DupeBlocker
- The scenario statistics will still count the total number of merged records, but that count also includes any records that were manually merged from a warning
Note: Formula fields are NOT included in auto-merge task by default. To include these in the task they need to be manually mapped with the “Include in Task” option checked.
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.
1. Save as Task: Check this box to have a Task Created
2. Task Subject: Enter the subject for the resulting task
- A DEFAULT subject of "DupeBlocker Auto-Merge" is provided but can be updated
3. Task Status: DEFAULT "Not Started", but can select any Task Status available in Salesforce via a drop down list
- Open Tasks will show on the users Salesforce home page
- Creating open tasks allow users to see if any new records were auto-merged into one of their existing records
- Assumes the Task owner was changed from current user to master record owner
4. Default Include in Task Value: Check this box to include all fields by default in the Task
- DEFAULT: checked
5. Task Due Date: DEFAULT "Immediate", but various options for future dates are provided via a drop down list
6. Task Owner: Select who the owner of the task should be
- Current User: DEFAULT - the user that was performing the insert
- Master Record Owner: The owner of the record the incoming data was merged into
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
Auto-Merge and Lead Assignment Rules
When Leads are auto merged by DupeBlocker they are first inserted (so the insert is committed) then they are merged. The Lead Assignment Rule is applied when the Lead is inserted just before it is merged. As a result:
- The Lead Owner that is retained on the merged record will depend on the Auto-Merge Setting for the Owner field
- Update if Blank (default): The existing Master Record owner will be retained
- Overwrite: The existing Master Record owner will be overwritten with the new owner assigned by the Lead Assignment Rule
Logic can be added to the Salesforce Lead Assignment Rule to NOT trigger when a Lead custom field, DupeBlocker_Insert_Action, contains the value "merge". This feature allows for round robin style assignment rules to be bypassed thus avoiding a user losing their "spot".
