Duplicate Handling Procedure
When creating or editing a new individual record, the system checks for possible duplicates of the record you are editing or creating. This helps prevent the confusion of multiple records for the one individual.
When you go to save or update your record, a check will be made for other records where names, phone numbers, address, birth date and email address are the same or similar. These factors are combined to provide a duplicate score.
If no possible duplicates are found, the record will process without interruption and no further action will be required by you.
If it does find duplicates, it will list the duplicates with a snippet of information about the record as well as the word 'Match' where there is an exact match of data as shown below.
In addition, there will be processing options presented based on a number of factors. These include:
- Are you editing a record or creating a new record?
- Are the possible duplicates on your database alone?
- Are they in a network (if you are part of one)?
- Are they in the Smartspace, but not with your website?
- Are there associated records with the possible duplicate (membership, visits, bookings, questionnaire)?
- Other technical characteristics of the record.
A short video of Duplicate processing can be viewed here
Dupicate Status Selections
After assessing all this, it presents one or more of the following processing options.
- Switch
- This means this is a possible duplicate is in your database.
- Checking this selection will result in you being transferred to this record for further processing and away from your current record.
- All other processing is ignored if selected.
- Delete
- This possible duplicate is redundant or has been recorded by mistake and is no longer required.
- When processing this selection, the system will decide if the record can be deleted and if it cannot be deleted, it will be archived so that it can be recovered later if required.
- When a record is archived, you no longer have access to the record although others may have access to it.
- Ignore
- These possible duplicates are records which happen to meet the duplicate criteria, but are definitely not duplicates (eg family members with the same email address).
- If this selection is made, future processing will ignore these records as possible duplicates.
- You must complete the saving/updating of the current record for the ignore processing to be completed.
- If you need to change the status of records that have previously been ignored you can wipe all ignored records and start again
- At the bottom of the Personal Details editing form, tick the Delete Current Ignored Records box
- Click the Save Changes button
- Handle any duplicates found as required
- Invite
- Possible duplicates which are in the Smartspace database system, but not in your database will present this option.
- If this option is selected, the person will get an email (if they have a valid email address) asking them to click a link in the email.
- One more click on the resultant page will register them into your database.
- They will also be shown any website questionnaire which they have the option of completing.
- You will be taken away from your current record on further duplicate processing.
- You may have to do further processing later of the new registration.
- Request
- This possible duplicate is in a networked system(with another club) but you do not have access to it.
- Making this selection will result in an email being sent to the network administrator so that the transfer will be made.
- You will be advised when the transfer is made.
- Further processing will take you away from the current record.
- Combine
- This possible duplicate is under your control and further processing will enable you to select a primary record to combine all the selected records into.
- The current record is always listed first in the list to be combined.
- All elements and associated records of all those selected will be saved under the id of the primary record – no data will be lost.
NOTE!! You need to make a selection against each possible duplicate to ensure that you can proceed with saving or updating.
Trouble Free Processing of Duplicates
You need to carefully follow the instructions presented on each subsequent processing page to ensure you can save/update your record successfully.
If you are in doubt as to whether the records are duplicates or not, making the Ignore selection will ensure processing can continue and no data will be adversely affected
Important!! If you are in a networked system (usualy sporting clubs) and you are saving a new record and one of the possible duplicates appears to be the same as one which you are entering, you must select the Request option if it is presented. (this record is held by someone else in your network)
This will ensure that duplicates are kept out of the networked system, and that people with possible outstanding balances with other clubs are not able to be registered without settlement of outstanding fees.
