Duplicate checking for multiple fields

Hey everyone,

I have a quick question regarding the import of contacts. Is it possible to check for multiple fields while importing data via csv? For example if I add new contacts I want to check first and last name and only if both are matching to an existing entry I should get back a warning.

Thanks,
Mario

does it not do that by default?
IT is easy to roll-back an import = the UI allows that choice.

So best bet is for you to give it a try with a couple of entries in a CSV, and roll-back if you need to.

How long have you used SuiteCRM - or is this all new for you right now; because you used a different CRM in the past?

Yeah I’m pretty new to SuiteCRM, working with it just a couple of weeks.

If I’m not wrong Suite is checking the fields individually by default. So for example if I select the duplicate checker for phone number and country, it checks the duplicate in each field and gives me the result. By following this guide I managed to set a combined duplicate checker:

https://support.sugarcrm.com/Documentation/Sugar_Developer/Sugar_Developer_Guide_10.0/Data_Framework/Vardefs/Specifying_Custom_Indexes_for_Import_Duplicate_Checking/

However, if I try to add my desired fields of last name + mail it’s not working and SuiteCRM is going back to checking the duplicate fields individually.

And thanks for the tip with rolling-back an import, I already figured that out and used it a couple of times.

By following this guide I managed to set a combined duplicate checker:

so - what was different after that?
What field(s) did you add
What combinations of matches have you now proved that DO match only on BOTH fields?

However, if I try to add my desired fields of last name + mail it’s not working

You probably trued adding those 2 fields in, as per the Sugar page,
– ’ To verify duplicates against a combination of fields (i.e. duplicates will only be flagged if the values of multiple fields match those of an existing record), then simply add the desired fields to the ‘fields’ array in the code example.’

What happened?

I just tried some random fields, i.e. phone number + address, and yeah it worked like it should be. Only the contacts which had the same entries in both fields got filtered out at the end of the import.

Somehow last name and e-mail are not possible to combine with other fields. Everytime I follow the guide the duplicates are checked individually for each field and not like the results above I mentioned.

Somehow last name and e-mail are not possible to combine with other fields.

I did a test here in 7.11.21 - no PHP changes, just in the Suite interface

That import functionality does seem to be inconsistent - even with choosing 2 fields offered (eg email / last name) it does an OR to decide what to block…
But doing (first name / last name) it blocks only on AND (both match).

Looks, potentially, like a bug -mdid you search GitHub Issues for it?

Your choices may be:

  • do de-duplicating in spreadsheets /a simple database.
  • get some PHP expertise to
    which depends on - how often do you plan to import… and how long will the lists be; I guess?

PS- Lastly a business WHY question.
Do you have some business need - that it is OK to have different people with the SAME email address? Normally that is not desirable. You cannot target indviduals properly …
Whether your contacts are consumers or business people - does not EVERYBODY have their own unique email, in today’s world? I’m intrigued!

Can you please tell me which version of SuiteCRM you’re using?

We have checked in the latest SuiteCRM Version 7.11.x and they provided the Default functionality which fields need to consider for Duplication check. If you want to check for first name and last name then you need to select those fields in the Step 4 of the Import Contact like below screenshot,

If records exists with both the fields then it will show you a warning.