Merge Record
Contents
[hide]Why a Merge feature is necessary
The obvious requirement for a Merge feature is when duplicate records have been created by accident, for example if a person has two Client records. This can happen if users enter them on the system without checking first to see if they're already there. Or, because users usually view people by Type, somebody might be added to the list of Clients, and then later added to the list of Volunteers. In this way, they end up with two records.
There is another less common requirement, which is to be able to merge entries in lists. You might use this if your reporting criteria change, or if duplicate list entries are created - this is more common with long lists. For example, the same disability might be added to the list twice, once as "cerebral palsy" and once as "CP".
In both cases, the Merge feature doesn't just delete or hide one of the records. If you're merging Organisations/People, then certain things will be kept from both records. If the two records to be merged both have Referrals linked to them, then all the Referrals will be kept, and none will be deleted or overwritten. Similarly, if you're merging options in a drop-down list - option A and option B - then any people using either option will be changed so that after the merge, they both use the option that has been kept.
For example -
- Person A is in postal district A
- Person B is in postal district B
If you go to the list of Postal Districts and merge postal districts A and B, then you'll need to choose one of them as the option to be kept - let's say you keep postal district B. Person B's record will not appear any different after the merge, but person A's record will be amended so that they are now in postal district B.
How to merge Organisations and People
You should always start the merging process with the record that you want to keep - usually the oldest or most complete record.
In the screenshot below, we can see that the same client has been entered twice. One entry looks like it has all the details; the other has only been entered with a first name, surname and postcode.
Start with the one that you want to keep (in this case it would be the one with the correct spelling), and click on the name of the person.
"Merge" link on the Details screen
At the top of their Details screen, there will be a button, as shown.
What to do if no "Merge Record" button is visible - click "Expand" to show
Specifying the duplicate
Once you click the "Merge Record" button, you will be taken to a search form, where you can search for the record that you want to merge into the one that you are keeping. The search screen will default to searching by ID number as this is the preferable way to find the duplicate record. If you do not have an ID number, you can click on Search Criteria and it will reveal options to search by surname, first name, etc.
If you searched by name, address etc you will be shown results that match. You can select the appropriate record by clicking on the Merge button as seen below.
Merging the duplicate
If you searched by the ID number, or selected a result from the manual search options, you will then see this screen which compares the results.
The record displayed on the left is the one which will remain (the primary record). The record in the middle indicates the final version and the record on the right (duplicate record) will be removed. Note that where there is a conflict, e.g. different dates of birth, the field from the primary record will be used.
If you wish to swap the primary and duplicate, you can click on Swap Primary & Duplicate and this will alter what is kept and deleted. You will still see the finished merged record in the middle column.
Once you are satisfied, click on Confirm Merge and you will be given a warning, indicating that merging is final and cannot be undone. Pressing OK will complete the process. Pressing Cancel will return you back to the Merge Duplicates options.
After you click OK you will return to the record you started with.
Merging options in a drop-down list
Suppose you want to merge the "North" and "Central" postal districts. You can see from the list editing page that there are 10 people listed as being in the "North" district and 2 listed as being in the "Central" district.
If a drop-down list has a merge feature available, you will see a "click here to merge" link when you edit any of the options.
When you click on this link, you will be shown the other options that exist in the list, so you can choose the one that you want to merge with.
You will then be shown a warning popup - click "OK" to continue with the merge;
You will then be returned to the drop-down list. Any organisation/person that was using the option which has not been kept will have had their records updated to use the option that has been kept - so the two people who were previously in the "Central" district are now in the "North" district.
Rob Kay - manual author (talk) 09:58, 25 August 2017 (BST)
