Thank you for trying Plauti Deduplicate! In this article, you will find a step-by-step getting started guide, to make sure everything in Plauti Deduplicate (PD), from duplicate prevention to batch deduplication, is covered and well-configured.
Some of the features described are only available in the Premium or PDM edition. Not on a paid subscription or trial yet? Apply for a free trial now.
1. Configure Plauti Deduplicate Attributes
After installing Plauti Deduplicate, you need to configure some settings. Plauti Deduplicate offers the 'Deduplicate Check', 'Deduplicate Merge', and 'Deduplicate Convert' buttons, which you can add to your page layout. Plauti Deduplicate also offers the "Deduplicate Live" lightning component. Read what each of these attributes does, and decide if you want to configure them.
Adding these attributes is optional and has to be done manually.
Deduplicate Buttons
Deduplicate Check button |
This button can be added to a page layout. After clicking the button, Deduplicate Check will search for duplicate records for the record you're coming from in a new screen. |
Deduplicate Merge button |
This button can be added to a list view. After manually selecting two or more record tickboxes in a list view, clicking 'Deduplicate Merge' will take you to the merge page, where you can merge the selected records. |
DC Convert button |
This button can be added to a Lead page layout. After clicking the button from a Lead, PD will take you to a conversion page where you can convert a Lead into an existing Contact or Account, or create a new one. |
Deduplicate Tools
Deduplicate Live Lightning Component |
This Lightning Component can be added to a page layout. Deduplicate Live shows potential duplicate records in the page layout itself, for the record the user is working in. From the page layout, a user can directly merge or convert a duplicate record. Available in Premium and PDM. |
2. Do a Record Analysis + Set up Scenarios
Plauti Deduplicate works with Scenarios (similar to the 'matching rules' in Salesforce) that determine how Plauti Deduplicate compares records, and what it will label as a duplicate record. We advise doing a record analysis before setting up a scenario. A record analysis will give you input for building scenarios that perfectly suit your needs.
Do a record analysis
We suggest creating a simple spreadsheet for keeping track of all relevant information.
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List all objects that need deduplicating
Note down whether you need to deduplicate within the object, or cross object as well (for example, leads vs. leads and leads vs. contacts) -
List relevant fields for identifying duplicates for each of those objects
List fields that indicate an individual record, such as name, email, address, birth date, phone number. Fields like city, country, and language are not suitable. -
List frequent words to ignore
Frequent Words are particularly important for the Account object. Organization names are sometimes listed with their legal entity (inc, LLC, plc, etcetera) and sometimes without. The legal entity should not be considered in order to find a duplicate. Duplicate Check already contains an extensive list of such words, but be sure to identify your local or specific frequent words to ignore. -
List synonyms to find as duplicates
Synonyms are especially important for Leads, where all kinds of formats can be used for first names, country names, department names, etc. For example, Bob Starr from the US and Robert Starr from the U.S.A. could very well be the same person, but will not score high as potential duplicates if their differing first names and country names aren't listed as possible synonyms of each other.
Set up a scenario
For setting up the scenario, we've created a helpful video that explains into detail how to translate your record analysis to a robust scenario. Rather read a text-article instead? Find it here.
Please note that the use of custom fields, frequent words, and fuzzy matching is only available in our Premium and PDM editions. Apply for a free trial here.
3. Implement Duplicate Prevention
After configuring Salesforce with the Deduplicate buttons and components you want to use, and configuring the right scenarios, you can start thinking about what prevention features you'd like to implement. Think about how you create records in Salesforce, and follow the instructions to set up duplicate prevention for those entry points.
| Prevention feature | Description |
Manual insert/update |
When users manually enter records via an entry form, Plauti Deduplicate can show a notification when that user is about to create a duplicate record. Also known as "Deduplicate Entry". Optionally, you can prevent users from saving a record when duplicates have been found. |
Web to Lead |
In Salesforce you can set up a web-to-lead form, which creates a new Lead if someone fills out a web form. Plauti Deduplicate will check if the new incoming record already exists in Salesforce. If it does, it will not block the record from being inserted in Salesforce (and therefore potentially lose information), but instead creates a Deduplicate Job in which the duplicate record is shown. You can then take action and process the duplicate, without losing any vital information. The web to lead feature is available in our Premium and PDM editions. |
Import |
Plauti Deduplicate can compare your imported records with existing records in Salesforce, to determine if there are duplicates between the two. If it finds duplicates, PD will not block them from being inserted in Salesforce (and therefore potentially lose information) but will put them in a Deduplicate Job for you to review. The Unique Import feature is available in our Premium and PDM editions. |
API insert/update |
Plauti Deduplicate can identify duplicate records that are inserted or updated via the Salesforce API, Marketing integrations, web-forms, synchronizations with a different CRM - if it comes in via the API, we can identify a duplicate. PD will not block the record from being inserted in Salesforce (and therefore potentially lose information) but will put them in a Deduplicate Job for you to review. The API Insert/Update feature is available in our Premium and PDM editions. |
Direct Processing |
Plauti Deduplicate's Direct Processing feature can automatically merge or convert duplicate records that come in via an automated process: web to lead, import, and API insert/update. It works with a threshold level, which lets you automatically merge the obvious duplicates, and lets you take a look at the less obvious duplicates manually. The Direct Processing feature is available in our Premium and PDM editions. |
4. Run a Deduplicate Job
Plauti Deduplicate can run a batch job, or as we'd like to call it, a "Deduplicate Job", to find all existing duplicate records in any object. Run a Deduplicate Job within an object, or look for duplicates across two different objects.
| Deduplicate Job | Description |
Within Salesforce |
Run the job on the Salesforce servers, without any data transfer at any time. Typically used for smaller batch jobs. |
Plauti Desktop or Server |
Run the job on your local computer, using the processing power of your local machine. Recommended when working with high data volumes. Plauti Desktop can run on your laptop or PC; Plauti Server runs on a server, with the advantage of being available as long as the server is running. Running Deduplicate Jobs on Plauti Desktop and Server is available for our Premium and PDM editions. Introduction to the Plauti Apps |
Plauti Cloud |
Run the job on Plauti's secure cloud servers. This is a paid service, but in return you get fast job processing without needing to host a local app. Running Deduplicate Jobs on Plauti Cloud is available for our Premium and PDM editions. Introduction to the Plauti Apps |
5. Integration (Optional)
Plauti Deduplicate offers integration features to implement Plauti Duplicate into your projects. In addition, use our plugins to execute custom apex code at important PD events.
The integration features are available in our Premium and PDM editions.
| Feature | Description |
Apex Plugins |
Execute your own Apex code during important Plauti Deduplicate events: search, merge, convert, prevention, direct processing, and merge rules definitions. |
Apex API |
Use Plauti Deduplicate's Apex API to integrate Deduplicate features into your projects. Search for duplicate records, present them, apply merge and/or convert methods, match methods, configuration methods, and much more. |
REST API |
Plauti Deduplicate offers a REST API which can be used to search for (duplicate) records in Salesforce, or insert/update records in Salesforce via the Data API. |
