The same person may appear in the CRM with two email addresses, a phone number written differently, or different names for their company. When the team consults separate records, it may lose context and repeat questions. Cleaning duplicate contacts requires reviewing both the identity and the associated history before modifying records.
This general procedure can be used to organize a review in an SMB. The available actions depend on the CRM and each user's permissions. Before transferring information, merging, or deleting a record, verify what your system supports and how to preserve related data.
1. Define what you will review and protect the information
Start with a limited group, such as contacts from a recent import. Identify who will coordinate the review and notify the team to avoid simultaneous changes to the same records. Cleaning in small batches makes it possible to test the procedure before applying it to an entire database.
Prepare a backup using the available and authorized options. Confirm what it includes: a contact export may contain names and email addresses but leave out conversations, files, or activities. Document these limitations and review how to recover information before carrying out changes that cannot be undone.
2. Identify candidates without assuming they are the same person
Look for matches in email, phone, name, and company. Consider formatting differences, such as spaces, telephone prefixes, or abbreviations. Use these matches to prepare a list of possible duplicates; final identification requires comparing the context of each record.
Two people may share an office phone number. A purchasing email address may be used by several people, and someone may change companies. If the evidence is insufficient, keep the records separate and flag the case for review. It is not advisable to resolve an identity question by deleting information.
3. Compare the histories before choosing a record
For each confirmed pair or group, review what information exists in each record. The record with the most recent data may lack important conversations. The oldest one may have a phone number that no longer works. Choosing a reference record means deciding which data will be preserved and how the context will be maintained.
- Datos de contacto: cuáles están vigentes y cómo se verificaron.
- Conversaciones y notas: fechas, acuerdos y preguntas abiertas.
- Tickets y actividades: solicitudes activas y responsables.
- Transacciones y archivos: referencias que deben seguir localizables.
- Etiquetas y segmentos: criterios vigentes y posibles contradicciones.
4. Carry out only changes you can verify
Consult the system's documentation or support to learn what happens to associated data. If a merge function exists, review its scope before using it. If the system does not allow an item to be transferred, keep the record that contains it and leave a clear reference between the records while you resolve the case.
Keep a review log: records involved, identity evidence, corrected data, responsible person, and date. This log may be kept in an authorized tracking sheet. Removing a contact should be the last step, after confirming that the necessary items remain accessible and that the action is allowed.
Hypothetical example: two records for the same buyer
Imagine that a distributor finds two records for Laura. One has her current corporate email address and the other an old email address, as well as an open ticket. The team confirms from the background information that she is the same person. Before making changes, review the ticket, associated files, and pending activities.
The current record is chosen as the reference for new contacts. If the system does not allow the ticket to be transferred, the team keeps the previous record with a clear note and retains the person responsible for the case. The immediate goal is to prevent further confusion without breaking the traceability of the request that remains open.
5. Check the result and adjust data capture
After each batch, search for the contact using their main details and confirm that the team can find the agreements, files, and pending items. Also review the lists used for communication: incomplete cleanup could leave two active records for the same person.
To prevent recurrence, ask people to search before creating a record and agree on data-entry formats. Define how to record branches, shared email addresses, and changes of company. In Onix Board, Audience includes contacts, histories, conversations, tickets, transactions, files, and activities; this variety of information makes it important to review relationships before changing a record.
Checklist before removing a duplicate
- Identidad confirmada con evidencia suficiente.
- Respaldo y límites de recuperación revisados.
- Historial y pendientes conservados o referenciados.
- Resultado validado por la persona responsable.
Looking for a more organized way to manage your contacts? Request a demo and tell us about your process so we can review how Onix Board's features fit with your business information: https://onixboard.com/contact