Duplicates - how to best avoid them?

Fiona Biggs

Hello


I am very new to RE and (fundraising for that matter), but have an IT background, so fairly DB - savvy.

I am also trying to understand and investigate the growing number of duplicates in our database. We currently have a data-cleansing process in place to work through the vast numbers that we have but I'm wanting to understand how we can reduce the numbers getting entered in the first place.


As I say, I'm very new....  I believe they are settings that can adjust the sensitivity of assessing for duplicated data but I expect we're all in a similar boat here so I would love to hear from the BB Community how others manage this issue.


Any pointers or suggestions will be warmly welcomed. 


Many thanks


Fiona

JoAnn Strommen

Biggest thing IMO is training for people doing data entry/import is to search db before adding new record/s. 


There really isn't a lot you can adjust in settings that I'm aware of for just adding record. You can adjust some criteria when using importomatic type plug-ins. .

Crystal Bruce

Hi! Discussion moved to Raiser's Edge forums. Thanks!

Fiona Biggs

Hello

 

Thank you for this. I don’t suppose you could
send me the link to the forums on this?

 

Kind regards

 

Fiona
Biggs

Relationship
Fundraising Coordinator

Tel:
01892 820533

Mobile:
07715 523088

 

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Dariel Dixon

Like JoAnn Strommen‍ stated, training is the most imperative.  When performing data entry, there has to be an emphasis on searching before entry.  It takes time. but I'm in the process of doing some training with our people, and I've made sure they know to search and how to search for things in different ways.  I think that data consistency is important, if you can control who has access to the data entry, that's key to make sure that data is being entered the same way.  


And that goes for anyone who has access to enter data, regardless of position or title.  

JoAnn Strommen

Fiona Biggs‍, you can get to the post by clicking the title of the post and/or the reply on site link. Crystal just moved it to a better spot for users to see. 

Rachel Cavalier

I don't know how feasible it'd be for especially large databases/teams - but when I'm merging duplicate records (in particular recently created ones), I drop whichever of my colleagues it was that created the new record an email to let them know that it was merged and what the current constituent ID is. They're all pretty good at searching first - nearly everyone currently on the team was trained to use our previous database software, and since we had to deliver that all of that training ourselves, we really emphasised that part. 


Sometimes it's the other way round and they'll have created a record in a hurry and then discover the existing one and let our supporter care team know so we can sort it out! Often it's because someone has an unexpected nickname or something.

Fiona Biggs

Thank you all for your responses.


We have quite a large database with many routes in - not all using manual data entry. Whilst we may have a few people who perhaps don't search as vigorously as they could prior to entering a new record, we have other means - such as online forms - which do create duplicated records. I have been advised by Blackbaud support that there are settings that can be adjusted but know nothing more regarding these - not even where they are located. Is there any further information on this anywhere? Perhaps any online tutorials? 


I've tried searching for Preventing Duplicates but am finding nothing particularly useful!


Thank you once again.

JoAnn Strommen

How is your online form data coming into RE? If it's coming through OnlineExpress (OLX) or NetCommunity you can determine the match criteria in these platforms as you process each request to find and link to existing record. 

If you go to those modules, Tools > Global Options > Constituent Matching. Generally you don't want more than a couple selected. We start with Last name, first name and/or phone/email. 


I have not found much for training on OLX data side yet. Have found other aspects. When on the OLX tab of RE the help button has dropdown with how to/support/help videos.

There are some trainings on NetC. One link: https://www.blackbaud.com/support/netcommunity/v7_1_2016/US/BBNC/index.html#cshid=166

Dariel Dixon

Fiona Biggs:

Thank you all for your responses.


We have quite a large database with many routes in - not all using manual data entry. Whilst we may have a few people who perhaps don't search as vigorously as they could prior to entering a new record, we have other means - such as online forms - which do create duplicated records. I have been advised by Blackbaud support that there are settings that can be adjusted but know nothing more regarding these - not even where they are located. Is there any further information on this anywhere? Perhaps any online tutorials? 


I've tried searching for Preventing Duplicates but am finding nothing particularly useful!


Thank you once again.

Many routes in?  I'm not sure if I understand what that means in regards to duplicates coming in.  Regardless of how the data is coming in, if there's no manner of duplicate matching or review before the data is imported in, you'll be fighting an uphill battle.  You'll have to implement some audit checks for this exact thing or it may become a massive problem in place.  I'd take a look at all of those routes that data is coming in and see if you can place some quality control checks in place without completely breaking the process.  Either way, if you have something that is consistently creating duplicates, that's a problem that needs to be addressed.