How To Clean Up Duplicate Contacts In Your CRM
Export a backup, then use your CRM’s own duplicate tool: HubSpot’s duplicates manager on Professional plans and up, Salesforce’s matching and duplicate rules, or Pipedrive’s Merge duplicates under Tools and apps. Review each pair before you merge, because merges are hard or impossible to undo. Then turn on duplicate checks for new records so the mess doesn’t come back.
How To Do It
These steps work with the tools you already have, whatever you use.
-
Export A Backup First
Export contacts and companies to a spreadsheet before you touch anything. If a merge goes wrong, it’s your only way to see what was there.
-
In HubSpot
On any plan, open a record and use Actions › Merge for two records you know are the same. On Professional and Enterprise plans, the duplicates manager suggests pairs to review; bulk merging and custom duplicate rules need Data Hub Professional or Enterprise.
-
In Salesforce
Go to Setup › Data › Duplicate Management. Activate the standard matching rule under Matching Rules, then the duplicate rule under Duplicate Rules, and choose whether to alert or block. Merge contacts or leads from the record.
-
In Pipedrive
Go to Tools and apps › Merge duplicates to see suggested duplicate people and organizations. It’s available to admins or users with that permission. Imports also offer to merge duplicates.
-
Decide Which Record Wins
Usually the one with the most activity or the newest email address. Check which field values survive the merge before you click.
-
Stop New Duplicates
Turn on duplicate rules or alerts, use the merge step on every import, and keep one intake form instead of three.
What To Watch Out For
- Two people sharing an office@ or info@ address aren’t duplicates. Match on name and email together, not one alone.
- Families and coworkers share phone numbers, so a phone match alone isn’t enough.
- If your CRM syncs with another system, pick the syncing record as the winner. HubSpot warns that merging the wrong Salesforce record can delete the synced copy.
- Work in batches of about 50 and spot-check each batch before moving on.
How Octopus Prime Does It
Your Octopus Prime agent goes through your CRM’s duplicate list one pair at a time, compares the records, and proposes which to keep. A merge removes a record, so each one waits for your OK by default.
-
Backup Into The Project
The agent exports your contacts and saves the file to the project’s shared folder before any merge.
-
Pair By Pair
It opens each suggested pair in the CRM’s own tool and compares activity, emails and deals.
-
A Proposal With Reasons
“Keep Maria Lopez (32 activities, current email), merge the 2023 record.” You approve, edit or skip each one in chat.
-
A Monthly Check
A repeating task once a month catches new duplicates before they pile up again.
From $10/month 30 days free No credit card
Questions
Does free HubSpot have duplicate management?
You can merge two records by hand on any plan. The duplicates manager that suggests pairs needs a Professional or Enterprise subscription.
Can I undo a merge?
In most CRMs, no, or only partly. That’s why you export a backup first.
What causes duplicate contacts?
Imports, people using different emails on forms, BCC email logging that creates contacts for CC’d people, manual entry and syncs between tools.
Can the agent merge thousands of records at once?
No. It goes one pair at a time with your OK. For a huge backlog, use your CRM’s bulk tools and let the agent handle the tricky pairs.
Let your agent do the steps. You approve what matters.
From $10/month 30 days free No credit card
All product names, logos and brands are property of their respective owners. Use does not imply endorsement.
