Welcome to the Tern Help Center! This article aims to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of how Tern manages duplicate lookups within your contact database. This process is crucial for maintaining the accuracy and integrity of your contact information, especially when dealing with multiple entries that may seem similar.
Understanding Duplicate Lookups
Duplicate lookups occur when there are multiple entries in the database that could potentially represent the same contact. This can happen due to shared email addresses, slight variations in names, or when importing data from different sources.
The Role of Import IDs
Tern uses Import IDs as the primary method for identifying unique contacts. An Import ID is a unique string of characters assigned to each contact. When importing contacts, Tern uses this ID to check against existing contacts. If a match is found, Tern updates the existing contact with the new information. If there's no match, a new contact is created.
How Tern matches contacts during import
Tern checks for existing contacts using a three-step process. It stops at the first match it finds:
Tern ID — If your import file includes a Tern ID column, Tern looks for an exact match first. This is the most reliable method. If a Tern ID is provided but no matching contact is found, the row will fail to import.
Import ID — If no Tern ID is present but an Import ID is included, Tern searches for a contact with that Import ID.
Email + Name — If neither ID is found, Tern falls back to matching by email address, last name, and first name or preferred first name (all case-insensitive). All three fields must match for Tern to recognize the contact as existing.
If a match is found at any step, the existing contact is updated with any new information from the import. If no match is found, a new contact is created.
Best Practices for Avoiding Duplicates
Use Import IDs: Always include Import IDs for each contact when importing data. This ensures each contact is treated as unique.
Clean and Consistent Data: Ensure your data is clean and consistent before import. Standardize names and email addresses to reduce the chances of duplicates.
Review Shared Emails: Pay special attention to contacts sharing an email address. Assign distinct Import IDs to each to avoid confusion.
Regular Database Audits: Periodically review your database to identify and merge any duplicates that may have slipped through.
Watch for changed email addresses: If a contact's email address has changed since your last import, include an Import ID or Tern ID to link them to their existing record. Tern cannot match contacts by name alone.
Handle shared emails carefully: If two different people share the same email address, assign each a distinct Import ID. Without unique Import IDs, Tern may treat them as the same contact and merge their records.
Conclusion
Understanding and effectively managing duplicate lookups is crucial for maintaining an efficient and accurate contact database in Tern. By following these guidelines and using the Import ID system judiciously, you can significantly reduce the occurrence of duplicate contacts and maintain the integrity of your database. For any further assistance, feel free to reach out to Tern's support team.