Manually Merging Records in Shape
Contact Management
Understand how to track, update, and work every contact and file.
Manually Merging Records in Shape
Shape’s duplicate management rules do most of the heavy lifting by automatically reconciling duplicate contacts as they enter your system. Even with those safeguards in place, situations come up where a duplicate slips through or the match doesn’t quite meet the conditions you’ve set. That’s where manual merging comes in.
This walkthrough shows the two ways you can merge records yourself, along with what actually happens when you choose which data to keep or overwrite.
Checking for Duplicates from Inside a Contact Record
Every contact record includes a built-in duplicate check. Scroll to the bottom of the page and select Check for duplicates. Shape compares the current record against your database and flags anything that matches your rule set.
If a duplicate is found, you’ll see both records side by side. You can choose which one should be the primary record. The arrows will flip depending on which direction the data will merge.
From there, you can review each field. If the secondary record has details you want to carry over, just click the arrow next to that field to bring that info into the primary record. Once everything looks correct, save the merge. Shape keeps the combined activity history, notes, and logs intact.
Merging Records Directly from Search Results
If you suspect duplicates based on a shared phone number, email, or even last name, you can start from the global search. Enter the value you want to check, select the records you want to combine, and choose Merge.
You’ll see the same side-by-side comparison as before. Pick your primary record, move over any fields you want to preserve, and complete the merge.
What Happens After a Merge
Once the merge is finished, Shape:
- Keeps the primary record active
- Moves data, notes, and history from the merged record into it
- Removes the secondary record to keep your database clean
- Keeps all activity logs visible so you don’t lose context
This gives you a complete record without losing any valuable interactions or tracking data.
If you run into an odd scenario or want help tuning your duplicate rules, our team is here to help.
