Potential duplicates can be merged/converted directly within the DupeBlocker application from a warning object. DupeBlocker uses the APEX merge/conversion calls to process Account, Contact and Lead merges and Lead to Contact/Account conversions. The APEX calls DO NOT require the user to have Delete permission on these objects in order to complete a merge (which is typically needed to merge directly in the User Interface). Except for the delete permission the merges/conversions run with the user's privileges, therefore users who cannot merge/convert directly in the Salesforce user interface due to profile permissions, will not be able to merge/convert from a DupeBlocker Warning.
If wanting to prevent users from merging/converting:
- Take away all access to Warnings for non-admins by unchecking "Read" on the users profile for the DupeBlocker custom object DupeBlocker Duplicate Warnings. In this case the user will NOT be able to view the Warning with the Potential Duplicates either.
- Create a "DupeBlocker End User Page Layout" for Warnings and remove the "merge/convert" button and assign this page layout to the non-admins. This would allow them to still view the Warnings and the duplicate records, but just not allow them to merge/convert via DupeBlocker.
Merging non-standard objects, e.g. Opportunities, custom objects etc., will require a minimum of read, edit and delete permissions. Depending on the object being merged and related object dependencies, additional permissions may be required on the related objects. Determining the exact permissions needed per object will be trial and error.
Note: When merging non-standard objects the merge is done 100% with custom APEX code. Completed Activities will only be moved if they are less than a year old. By default, Salesforce archives activities that are greater than a year old and marked as "complete". Due to APEX code limitations, archived activities ARE NOT moved to the master record. Prior to merging, non-master records should be checked for archived activities (closed activities with created dates greater than 1 year). Any that exist should be manually re-parented to the master record, then the records can be merged. Failing to do so will result in the archived activities remaining on the non-master record and when it is deleted when the merge is complete the archived activities will be deleted also (Salesforce cascading delete). THIS IS ONLY AN ISSUE WHEN MERGING NON-STANDARD OBJECTS.
Starting in version 3.10 all merges and conversions are tracked in the DupeBlocker Logs tab.
Accessing the Warning
Warnings can be accessed a number of ways:
- From the DupeBlocker Potential Duplicates related list on the object record
- From the Inline Duplicates List on the object record
- From the DupeBlocker Potential Duplicates Lightning Component on the object Lightning page (version 3.10 and up)
- From the DupeBlocker Warnings Tab
- From the DupeBlocker Warnings related list on the DupeBlocker Scenario Object
More details on monitoring/accessing warnings can be found HERE.
Select the desired warning and review the potential duplicates
Classic
Lightning
To merge/convert all duplicates, select the Merge/Convert Duplicates button. If only a portion of the potential duplicates should be merged/converted (e.g. have determined only 2 of the 3 should be merged), then delete any potential duplicate records that should not to be merged/converted from the DupeBlocker Potential Duplicate list, then select Merge/Convert Duplicates. Records can also be deselected from within the Merge/Convert window, but this will not delete the warning when the merge/conversion is complete (as one record still remains as a potential duplicate).
If it is determined that NONE of the records should be merged then select the Delete button to delete the warning and the related Dupeblocker potential duplicate records.
Note: The duplicate records themselves are not deleted when Delete is selected for the warning, only the warning and the Dupeblocker potential duplicate records (that link the objects records to the warning) are deleted.
Merging Records
Select the Merge/Convert Duplicates button from the warning to review the duplicates. When merging like objects, the user will be brought to the following merge screen.
More than 3 records can be merged at a time. To see additional records use the scroll bar on the bottom. For additional fields use the scroll bar along the right hand side of the screen. Only populated fields will be shown.
By default, the first record in the list is selected as the master and all fields populated on this record will be selected as the fields to keep. If a field is populated on a non master and blank on the master, then the field from the non master will be selected (update fields where master is empty). Changing the master record, will change the fields to be kept. Manual overrides can be made to keep specific fields from each record.
Multiselect, text area and boolean (true/false fields) fields can all be merged. For boolean fields, a "true" value will always be pre-selected over a "false" value. Mergeable fields will be noted by a selection box vs. a single selection radio button and multiple boxes can be checked to concatenate these fields when the records are merged. The default is to keep all values from all records, but this can be overridden manually by unchecking a particular box.
Executing the Merge
Select Merge Selected to execute the merge.
Note: Once records are merged, they cannot be unmerged. All DupeBlocker related lists will be deleted when the records are merged (e.g. Warnings, Warning Tasks, and DupeBlocker Potential Duplicates). All other related lists will be merged onto the record that is being kept (e.g. Tasks (non DupeBlocker), Campaigns, custom objects etc.).
Once the merge is complete, the "merged" record is displayed.
Converting Leads to Contacts/Accounts
Select the Merge/Convert Duplicates button from the warning to review the duplicates. When converting Leads to Contacts or Leads to Accounts the user will be brought to one of the following conversion screens:
One to One Match
Multiple Matches
- Different renderings for one to one matches vs. multiple matches
- A list of selected fields are shown
- The selected fields/order shown are set in the conversion settings on the right
- Details on selecting fields for display and conversion settings below
- Hover over the Lead or Contact to show all populated fields
Conversion Settings & Select Displayed Fields
- Select displayed fields in Conversion Settings
- Click the Lead/Contact/Account tab to show fields from that object
- Drag and Drop fields from Available Fields to Displayed Fields
- All standard and custom fields are available for display
- Displayed Fields will be shown on the convert screen ONLY if the data is populated on the record
- Drag and drop fields to desired order
- Click Save to preserve any changes
Converting the Leads
Select the Convert button to execute the conversion. DupeBlocker uses Salesforce's conversion code to execute the conversion.
In a conversion, if a field is populated on both the Contact and the Lead the Contact field will be retained (same for Lead to Account conversions). If the field is empty on the Contact but populated on the Lead, the value from the Lead will be merged onto the Contact.
Note: Contact and Account fields ALWAYS take precedence over Lead fields. There is NO option to "custom" convert.
Unlike merging for Leads/Contacts/Accounts, multiselect, text area and boolean fields CANNOT be concatenated. These fields will be updated on the Contact if empty, but if populated on both records, the value from the Contact will be retained.
Conversion options are listed on the right hand side of the screen. Just like converting a Lead to a Contact or Account in Salesforce the following options are available:
- Select Lead Status: A drop down list is provided for all available statuses for converted Leads as defined in Salesforce.
- Overwrite Lead Source: Checking this box will overwrite the Lead Source on the Contact with the Lead Source from the Lead.
- Create Opportunity: Checking this box will create an Opportunity upon conversion. The default in DupeBlocker is NOT to create an Opportunity since the Lead has already been identified as matching an existing Contact. The Opportunity Name can be customized or the Company Name can be selected.
- Create Task: Checking this box will create a Task for the Contact owner notifying them that a duplicate Lead was found and converted. The default is NOT to create a task. Task subject and detail can be customized.
Note: Once Leads are converted, they cannot be unconverted. All DupeBlocker related lists will be deleted when the Leads are converted (e.g. Warnings, Warning tasks, and DupeBlocker Potential Duplicates). All other related lists will be merged onto the Contact (e.g. Tasks (non DupeBlocker), Campaigns etc.). Custom objects linked to Leads ARE NOT linked to the Contact and Account AFTER conversion.
Once the conversion is complete the Contact will be displayed.
