How to Create and Manage Duplicate Rules in Salesforce
Updated: Mar 7
Revenue leaders know how important it is to maintain accurate and reliable data in Salesforce. One critical aspect of data management is managing duplicate records, and Salesforce provides several features to help you do just that. In this post, we'll explore how to set up and manage duplicate rules in Salesforce using the features that come right out of the box.
Out-of-the-Box Features for Managing Duplicate Records in Salesforce
Salesforce provides several out-of-the-box features to help you manage duplicate records in your org. These features include:
Duplicate Management
This feature allows you to define rules for identifying and merging duplicate records in Salesforce. You can use standard or custom matching rules to identify duplicate records and then configure the duplicate rules to take specific actions, such as blocking the creation of duplicate records, alerting users, or merging the duplicate records automatically.
Duplicate Rules
These are the rules that you define to prevent the creation of duplicate records in your Salesforce org. You can create duplicate rules based on specific criteria, such as email address or phone number, and you can define the actions that should be taken when duplicates are detected, such as alerting users or blocking the creation of duplicate records.
Matching Rules
These are the rules that you define to determine when records in your Salesforce org are considered duplicates. You can use standard or custom matching rules to define the criteria for identifying duplicates, such as exact or fuzzy matching on specific fields.
Creating and Managing Duplicate Rules in Salesforce
To create and manage duplicate rules in Salesforce, follow these steps:
Determine the criteria for identifying duplicate records in your org. This can be based on specific fields, such as email address or phone number, or on a combination of fields.
Create a new matching rule in Salesforce that defines the criteria for identifying duplicates. You can use standard or custom matching rules to define the criteria.
Create a new duplicate rule in Salesforce that uses the matching rule you just created. You can define the actions that should be taken when duplicates are detected, such as blocking the creation of duplicate records, alerting users, or merging the duplicate records automatically.
Test your duplicate rule to make sure it is working as expected. You can use the "Test" button in the duplicate rule to test it against a specific record in your org.
How to create a duplicate rule in 8 steps
Log in to your Salesforce account and navigate to the "Setup" menu in the top right corner.
In the left-hand menu, find the "Duplicate Management" section, and click on "Duplicate Rules."
You will see a list of existing duplicate rules. If this is your first time setting up duplicate rules, there will not be any on the list. Click the "New Rule" button to create a new rule.
Give your new rule a name and description that will help you remember its purpose.
Select the object that you want to create the rule for. For example, if you want to create a rule to prevent duplicate accounts, select "Account" from the list of objects.
Choose the matching rule that you want to use. Matching rules determine how Salesforce will determine whether a record is a duplicate. You can use an out-of-the-box matching rule or create your own. Once you've selected a matching rule, click "Next."
Define the matching criteria for the rule. You can choose one or more fields to match on, and specify how closely the values need to match. For example, you might choose to match on the account name field and require an exact match. Once you've defined the matching criteria, click "Save."
Choose the action that you want Salesforce to take when it detects a duplicate record. You can choose to block the creation of the duplicate record, allow it to be created but notify the user, or simply allow the duplicate record to be created. Once you've made your selection, click "Save."
That's it! You've successfully created a new duplicate rule in Salesforce using the out-of-the-box tools. Your new duplicate rule is now active. You can edit or deactivate the rule at any time by returning to the "Duplicate Rules" section of the setup menu.
Repeat these steps for any other objects you'd want to create duplicate rules.
Best Practices for Managing Duplicate Records in Salesforce
To ensure that your duplicate rules are effective, follow these best practices:
Regularly review and update your duplicate rules to make sure they are still relevant and effective.
Train your users on the importance of maintaining accurate and reliable data in Salesforce and on how to use duplicate rules effectively.
Use data cleansing tools to identify and merge existing duplicate records in your Salesforce org.
Monitor your duplicate rule metrics to track the number of duplicates detected and merged, and to identify any patterns or trends in the data.
Managing duplicate records is a critical aspect of data management in Salesforce, and Salesforce provides several out-of-the-box features to help you do just that. By defining and following effective duplicate rules and best practices, you can ensure that your data is accurate, reliable and up-to-date, and that your users are empowered to work with confidence in Salesforce.