The Goal: Safely merge duplicate agent or office contact records that are synced to M1 by first disabling the sync on both records, so the merge completes without sending incomplete data to M1.
Before You Begin:
Duplicates can happen. Event registrations, member applications, and staff error are all ways that duplicate contact records can end up in your database. Merging is best practice in this case: it keeps all the history and activity for a contact and moves it into a single record. This can be done for both agents and offices. When working with records that are synced to a third party, like M1, you must temporarily disable the sync on both records so GrowthZone can complete the merge without the danger of a sync sending potentially incomplete information to M1 and causing an error.
- Determine which record you wish to merge into — this is the destination record. The destination record should generally have the most information/history in it; this is the record the system will keep. The current contact — the record you start the merge process from — will have all its information removed and will be marked as deleted. It will no longer be accessible through GrowthZone.
- DISABLE ANY/ALL SYNCS ON BOTH RECORDS. This will prevent a sync on these records from occurring before the merge is complete. If you do not disable the syncs, a sync may occur during the merge process when either or both records are in an incomplete state. This may cause unexpected errors and may even create duplicate records in your MLS, M1, and/or any LockBox integrations.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Part 1 — Disable the Sync to M1
- On the contact's Real Estate tab, click the edit icon next to M1 Information.
- Uncheck the Sync to M1 box.
- Disable any other active syncs on both records. On the contact's Real Estate tab, look in the M1 Information, MLS, and LockBox sections to see if any syncs are enabled.
The Real Estate tab, showing one active sync and one disabled sync.
If ANY of the options say “Yes”, the sync needs to be disabled. Click the pencil icon for that section and clear the “Sync to” or “Sync with” option, then click Done to save.
Disabling a Real Estate Edition sync.
Part 2 — Merge the Records
- Click Contacts in the left-hand rail, OR begin typing the name of the contact you wish to merge in the global search box in the header bar.
- Select the individual contact you wish to merge.
- Click the ellipsis button
in the header bar and select Merge Contact.
- Enter the name of the contact to which you wish to merge.
- By default, data from the destination (the record you are merging to) will be retained after the merge. If the system identifies certain differences (for example in the first name, as shown in the screenshot above) you will have the opportunity to choose which information you wish to retain.
- Click Done.
- The Success message will be displayed in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. Background jobs need some time to process the merge, so it may take a few minutes to fully complete.
- Review the record and edit or update any adjustments to Contact Info on the Overview tab. Review the Real Estate tab and make sure all sync data is current and correct (check M1 Information plus any other integrations such as MLS and/or Lockbox Information).
- When the record is fully cleaned up, re-enable any/all syncs on the Real Estate tab.
- You may wish to verify that the record has successfully synced and review any errors.
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NOTE:
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Common Pitfalls
- Forgetting to disable a sync: If any sync (M1, MLS, or LockBox) is left enabled on either record, a sync can fire mid-merge while a record is in an incomplete state, causing errors or duplicate records in the integrated system. Always confirm every sync shows disabled on both records before you start.
- Merging from the wrong record: The record you start the merge from is removed and marked deleted. Always begin from the duplicate and merge into the destination record that holds the most history.