Lesson 4.4: Merging and Managing Entity Data

As your database grows, it is inevitable that duplicate records will occur. A user might enter “Staples” one day and “Staples Inc.” the next. Maintaining a clean database is critical for accurate reporting and professional communication. This lesson covers how to identify duplicate records, how to merge them to preserve transaction history, and how to export your entity data for use in other applications.

Identifying Duplicates

FastFund provides tools to help you identify potential issues before they become problems.

• Duplicate Names Report: This utility scans all existing entities and uses a similarity algorithm to identify potential duplicates. Because this process can take time, the report is processed offline and emailed to you in CSV format. You access this via Utilities > Data Management > Duplicate Names.

• Duplicate Emails: FastFund uses email addresses to match constituents during transaction imports (e.g., online donations). If multiple entities share the same email address, transactions might be credited to the wrong record. You can view a list of shared emails at Utilities > Data Management > Duplicate Emails and update records directly from the list.

Merging Names

If you find a duplicate name that has no financial history, you can simply delete it. However, if a duplicate record has associated transactions (e.g., a check was written to “Staples Inc.”), FastFund will not allow you to delete it. Instead, you must use the Merge Names utility.

What Happens During a Merge:

• Moved Data: The utility moves all Transactions and Notes from the source record (“Merge From”) to the destination record (“Merge To”).

• Unmoved Data: It does not move contact names, addresses, phone numbers, emails, or codes. You must manually copy any important contact information to the destination record before merging.

• Audit Trail: A Note is automatically created in the destination record detailing the merge event.

Critical Constraint for Vendors and Clients: If you are merging Vendors or Clients, the Control Accounts (AP Account or AR Account) must be identical for both records. If “Vendor A” is linked to 2000-Accounts Payable and “Vendor B” is linked to 2010-Grants Payable, the system will verify this and prevent the merge.

To Merge Names:

1. Navigate to Utilities > Data Management > Merge Names.

2. Select the Entity Type (e.g., Vendor, Client, Constituent).

3. Merge From: Select the duplicate record you want to remove.

4. Merge To: Select the master record you want to keep.

5. Delete After Merge: Check this box to automatically delete the empty source record after the transactions are moved.

6. Click Merge.

Exporting Entity Data

You may need to use your data outside of FastFund for mail merges, email marketing, or analysis. The Names Export utility creates a comma-delimited (.CSV) file containing comprehensive contact and account information.

To Export Names:

1. Navigate to Utilities > Data Exports > Names Export.

2. Select the Entity Type (Clients, Other, or Vendors).

3. Click Export. The file will be generated and emailed to you in a zipped folder.