Thank you for trying Duplicate Check! In this article, you will find a step-by-step getting started guide, to make sure everything in Duplicate Check, from duplicate prevention to batch deduplication, is covered and well-configured.
Some of the features described are only available in the Advanced or Premium edition. Not on a paid subscription or trial yet? Apply for a free 14-day trial now.
1. Configure Duplicate Check Attributes
After installing Duplicate Check, you need to configure some settings. Duplicate Check offers the "DC Check", "DC Merge," and "DC Convert" buttons, which you can decide to add to your page layout. Duplicate Check also offers the "DC Live" lightning component, and a "Disable Duplicate Check"-field. Read what each of these attributes does, and decide if you want to configure them in Salesforce.
Adding these attributes is optional and has to be done manually.
DC Buttons
DC Check button |
This button can be added to a page layout. After clicking the button, Duplicate Check will search for duplicate records for the record you're coming from in a new screen. |
DC Merge button |
This button can be added to a list view. After manually selecting two or more checkboxes in a list view, clicking "DC Merge" will take you to the merge page directly. |
DC Convert button |
This button can be added to a Lead page layout. After clicking the button from a Lead, DC will take you to a conversion page in which you can convert a Lead into an existing Contact or Account, or create a new one. |
DC Tools
Disable Duplicate Check |
Users with access to this field can override the prevention message that Duplicate Check can trigger when manually inserting a duplicate record. |
DC Live Lightning Component |
This Lightning Component can be added to a page layout. DC Live shows potential duplicate records in the page layout itself, for the record the user is working in. From the page layout, a user can directly merge or convert a duplicate record. Only in Advanced & Premium. |
2. Do a Record Analysis + Set up Scenarios
Duplicate Check works with "scenarios" (similar to the "matching rules" in Salesforce) that determine how Duplicate Check compares records, and what Duplicate Check will label as a duplicate record. We advise doing a record analysis before setting up a scenario. A record analysis will give you input for building scenarios that perfectly suit your needs.
Do a record analysis
We suggest creating a simple spreadsheet for keeping track of all relevant information.
- List all objects that need deduplicating
Note if you need to deduplicate within the object or cross object as well (for example, leads vs. leads and leads vs. contacts) - List relevant fields for identifying duplicates for each of those objects
List fields that indicate an individual record, such as name, email, address, birth date, phone number. Fields like city, country, and language are not suitable. - List frequent words to ignore
Frequent words are especially important for the Account object. Organization names are sometimes listed with their legal entity (inc, LLC, plc, etcetera) and sometimes without. The legal entity should not be considered in order to find a duplicate. Duplicate Check already contains an extensive list of such words, but be sure to identify your local or specific frequent words to ignore. - List synonyms to find as duplicates
Especially important for Leads, where all kinds of formats can be used for first names, country names, department names, etc. For example, Bob Starr from the US and Robert Starr from the U.S.A. could very well be the same person, but will not score high as potential duplicates if their differing first names and country names aren't listed as possible synonyms of each other.
Set up a scenario
For setting up the scenario, we've created a helpful video that explains into detail how to translate your record analysis to a robust scenario. Rather read a text-article instead? Find it here.
Please note that the use of custom fields, frequent words, and fuzzy matching is only available in our Advanced & Premium edition. Apply for a free 10-day trial here.
3. Implement Duplicate Prevention
After configuring Salesforce with the DC buttons and components you want to use, and configuring the right scenarios, you can start thinking about what prevention features you'd like to implement. Think about how you create records in Salesforce, and follow the instructions to set up duplicate prevention for that entry point.
| Prevention feature | Description |
Manual insert/update |
When users manually enter records via an entry form, Duplicate Check can show a notification if that user is about to create a duplicate record. Also known as "DC Entry". |
Web to Lead |
In Salesforce, it's possible to set up a web-to-lead form, which allows creating a new Lead if someone fills out a webform. Duplicate Check will check if the new incoming record already exists in Salesforce. If it does, we will not block the record from being inserted in Salesforce (and therefore potentially lose information), but we will create a duplicate check job in which we show the duplicate record. You can then take action and process the duplicate, without losing any vital information. The web to lead feature is only available in our Advanced & Premium edition. |
Import |
Duplicate Check can compare your imported records with existing records in Salesforce, to determine if there are duplicates between the two. If it finds duplicates, Duplicate Check will not block them from being inserted in Salesforce (and therefore potentially lose information) but will put them in a Duplicate Check Job for you to review. The Unique Import feature is only available in our Advanced & Premium edition |
API insert/update |
Duplicate Check can identify duplicate records that are inserted or updated via the Salesforce API, Marketing integrations, web-forms, synchronizations with a different CRM - if it comes in via the API, we can identify the duplicate. Duplicate Check will not block the record from being inserted in Salesforce (and therefore potentially lose information) but will put them in a Duplicate Check Job for you to review. The API insert/update feature is only available in our Advanced & Premium edition |
Direct Processing |
Duplicate Check's Direct Processing feature can automatically merge or convert duplicate records that come in via an automated process: web to lead, import, and API insert/update. It works with a threshold level, which enables you to automatically merge the obvious duplicates, and allow you to take a look at the less obvious duplicates manually. The Direct Processing feature is only available in our Premium edition. |
4. Run a Duplicate Check Job
Duplicate Check can run a batch job, or as we'd like to call it, a "Duplicate Check Job", to find all existing duplicate records in any object. Run a Duplicate Check Job within one object, or look for duplicates across two different objects.
| Duplicate Check Job | Description |
In native Salesforce |
Run the job on the Salesforce servers, without any data transfer at any time. Typically used for smaller batch jobs. |
DC Local |
Run the job on your local computer, using the processing power of your local machine. Recommended when working with high data volumes. DC Local is only available in our Advanced & Premium editions. DC Local download | How to run a Duplicate Check Job with DC Local |
5. Integration (Optional)
Duplicate Check offers integration features to implement Duplicate Check into your projects. In addition, use our plugins to execute custom apex code at important DC events.
The integration features are only available in our Premium edition.
| Feature | Description |
Apex Plugins |
Execute your own Apex code during important Duplicate Check events: search, merge, convert, prevention, direct processing, and merge rules definitions. |
Apex API |
Use Duplicate Checks Apex API to integrate duplicate check features into your projects. Search for duplicate records, present them, apply merge and/or convert methods, match methods, configuration methods, and much more. |
Rest API |
Duplicate Check offers a Rest API which can be used to search for (duplicate) records in Salesforce, or insert/update records in Salesforce via the Data API. |
