Add Constituent Merge Processes

A constituent merge process merges duplicate constituent records by moving data from a source record to a target record. The process uses the merge configuration you select to determine which data is moved from source to target records. The source and target records are determined by the record source you select. The record source is generated when you run a search process.

You can use the default process included with the system or create your own. Before you can add and start a merge process, you must run the SSIS package or the full or incremental search process to identify potential duplicates. This provides the record source that the process uses to merge constituents. For more information about the workflow and steps to take before your add and start a merge process, see Duplicate Search Workflow.

Note: Social Security Numbers are not merged as part of a duplicate constituent merge process. If a source record and a target record have different Social Security Numbers, the number on the target constituent is retained. If the target constituent record has no Social Security Number, the Social Security Number field stays blank after the merge. The program does not retain Social Security Number of the source constituent.

From Constituents, select Duplicates. The Duplicates page appears.
Select Constituent merge. The Constituent Merge page appears.
On the Merge processes tab, select Add. The Add constituent merge process screen appears. For information about the items on this screen, see Add Constituent Merge Process Screen.
Enter a name and description for the merge process.
In the Merge configuration field, select a merge configuration for the process. The merge configuration determines the information to merge from the source constituent to the target constituent. For information about merge configurations, see Manage Constituent Merge Configurations.
Next, select the source and target to include.
1. In the Duplicate record source field, select whether to use the duplicate constituents identified by the last SSIS package run, or the last full or incremental duplicate search process run.
2. In the Target constituent criteria, select the criteria to determine the target constituents. Target constituents receive data from source constituents during the merge. To use the anchor record identified in the Duplicate constituent search process as the target, select "Automatic." For information about the determination of the anchor constituent, see Full and Incremental Duplicate Search Algorithm. Alternatively, you can select target constituents based on when they were added to the database, when they were last updated, or based on the number of gifts on the constituent record.
3. To exclude constituents from the process, enter a selection in the Excluded constituents field. To search for a selection, select the binoculars. A search screen appears.
4. In the Minimum match % field, enter the minimum match percentage to include source constituents in the process.
5. To merge individuals only, select Only merge individuals.
6. To exclude individuals matched with organizations, select Omit individual/organization matches.
  
  Note: Omit individual/organization matches does not apply to record sources from full or incremental duplicate searches.
7. To delete source constituents after the merge, select Delete source constituent.
8. To mark source constituents as inactive after the merge, select Mark source constituent inactive. If you select this checkbox, in the Inactive reason field, select a reason code to explain why you mark constituents inactive. In the Inactive details field, enter any additional information about the inactive status.
  
  Note: You cannot merge records into inactive records that were previously a source record in a merge.
  
  For information about how to configure reason codes for inactive constituents, see the Administration section of the help file.
Under Results, to create a selection of target constituents in the process, select Create selection from results. In the Selection name field, enter a name for the selection. To replace any existing selection with the same name, select Overwrite existing selection.
Select Save. You return to the Constituent Merge page.