Avoiding Duplicate Records

To determine whether a record is a potential duplicate, Microsoft Dynamics CRM uses duplicate detection rules Rules that specify criteria for identifying a record as a duplicate.. When publishing a duplicate detection rule, a matchcode A code that is created for every record that a duplicate-detection rule might apply to, used as part of the process of detecting duplicates. is created for each existing record. A matchcode is also created for a record when the record is created or updated. When a record is in the process of being created or updated, its matchcode can be checked automatically against the matchcodes of existing records.

By default, Microsoft Dynamics CRM has simple duplicate detection rules set up for accounts, contacts, and leads that are based upon records with the same e-mail address. More information: Work with duplicate detection rules

Important

After publishing a duplicate detection rule, increasing the length of fields that are included in the duplicate detection criteria goes undetected. The field length could exceed the matchcode length limit and not be verified. This may result in duplicates not being detected.

A System Administrator or System Customizer makes duplicate detection available, and defines and publishes duplicate detection rules for your organization. More information: Enable and Disable Duplicate Detection

By default, duplicate detection is available:

• When a record is created or updated. This includes when a record created with Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook is tracked Having created a link between a record in Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Microsoft Office Outlook. Records that are marked for tracking are updated in both applications, including creating new activities. in Microsoft Dynamics CRM.

  CRM prompts users before saving or importing potential duplicate records.

  Note

  Duplicates cannot be detected when a user merges two records, converts a lead, or saves an activity as completed. Duplicates are also not detected when a user changes the status of a record, such as activating or reactivating a record.

• When Microsoft Dynamics CRM for Outlook goes from offline to online.

  By default, duplicates are not detected during synchronization. More information: Synchronize Data

• During data import.

  Each time you define an import, the choice of checking for duplicates is available. More information: Work with Imports

It still is possible to create duplicate records. So, you can schedule duplicate detection jobs. A duplicate detection job runs in the background while you do other things in Microsoft Dynamics CRM. You can request e-mail notification from CRM upon the completion of a duplicate detection job.