How do I handle duplicate records automatically in Zoho CRM?

Prevent duplicates at the door and clean up what gets through. Mark fields like email or phone as unique, set duplicate handling on imports and web forms to update existing records, and use Zoho CRM's deduplication tools to find and merge matches in bulk. For more complex rules, a workflow with a Deluge function can search and merge or flag likely duplicates as records arrive.

Most duplicates enter through imports, web forms and integrations. When importing, choose to update existing records based on a unique field rather than adding new ones. On web forms, enable the duplicate check so a returning person updates their lead. Mark email, phone or a customer code as a unique field, so the system refuses an exact repeat.

For existing data, use the deduplicate option in the module to search on chosen fields and merge records, with control over which values survive. Merging keeps related notes, activities and deals on the master record. Run it on a schedule that suits your volume and check the merge rules first on a small sample.

Exact matching misses near duplicates such as different spellings of a company name. A Deluge function run by a workflow can normalise data and check for close matches, then flag or merge. Also check integrations, since a sync that creates rather than updates will undo your work.

Written by Flowpeak, a Zoho implementation partner. Zoho pricing and features change, so confirm current details on the official Zoho site. Free checklists | Ask us a question