Confirm a genuine duplicate
Similar names are insufficient. A branch, separate entity and corporate group may need a relationship without becoming one record.
Use agreed identifiers and examine the data's role. An incorrect merge can be harder to resolve than two entries retained for verification.
Preserve history and responsibility
Consider contacts, purchases, attachments and open tasks. Selecting a preferred name does not decide who owns work already started.
Check external sales mappings too. If an import still uses the old identifier without a mapping, the duplicate may return at the next load.
Address why new entries recur
Clear search and account-creation rules help. Users should know when to select an existing account and when a new one is justified.
For an IT director, consistent identity affects reporting reliability. CRM can organise relationships when shared history is not divided among new versions of the same account whenever another enquiry arrives. Review several affected transactions and tasks after consolidation to confirm the result matches the actual relationship.
