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Merging contacts allows you to combine two duplicate records (whether people or organizations) into a single, unified record. This process consolidates all information from both records, helping you maintain clean and accurate data in Broadstripes. When you merge contacts, one record becomes the “survivor” (the record that will remain and whose data will take precedence) and the other becomes the record to be deleted. Data from the deleted record is transferred to the survivor record before the deletion occurs.
This action cannot be undoneOnce you merge two contacts, the deleted record is permanently removed from Broadstripes. Make sure you’ve chosen the correct survivor record before proceeding with the merge.

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Prerequisites

Before you can merge two contacts, the following conditions must be met:
  • Both contacts must be the same type (both must be people OR both must be organizations)
  • You must be a project admin

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Understanding the merge process

When you merge contacts, Broadstripes follows specific rules to determine what data is kept: The survivor’s data takes priority - If both contacts have values in the same field, the survivor’s value is kept and the other contact’s value is discarded. Empty fields are filled - If the survivor has a blank field but the deleted contact has a value in that field, the value from the deleted contact is used to fill the blank. See exceptions below. Notes are combined - Unlike other fields, notes from both contacts are merged together with a separator line between them, preserving information from both records. Contact information is deduplicated - Phone numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses are transferred to the survivor, but duplicates are automatically skipped.

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What gets merged

When you merge two contacts, the following information is transferred from the deleted contact to the survivor:
  • Contact information - Phone numbers, email addresses, and physical addresses (duplicates are skipped)
  • Relationships - All relationships between the contact and other people or organizations
  • Employments - Employment records and workplace associations
  • Group memberships - Membership in social groups
  • Attachments - Files and documents attached to the contact
  • Messages - Email and text message history
  • Contact timeline entries - Notes and activity logs
  • Custom field values - Data stored in your project’s custom fields
    • Survivor value takes priority. If the survivor has a value, that value is kept. If the survivor’s custom field is blank and the TBD has a value, the TBD’s value is copied to the survivor. Here are the exceptions:
      1. Text Area Custom Fields (Multiline)
      Both values are merged with a separator if both entities have values:       
      <survivor value>
----------------
<tbd value>
      This ensures no data is lost from multiline text fields.
      2. Multiple Select Custom Fields
      Survivor value is kept; TBD value is ignored even if different options are selected.
  • Events - All event steps and timeline activities
  • Lists - All unique list memberships from both entities are preserved

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Special handling for organizations

When merging organization records, these additional items are also transferred:
  • Child organizations - Any sub-departments or shops under the organization
  • Mapping groups - Geographic mapping associations
  • Employee data - All workers employed by the organization

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How to merge contacts

You can merge contacts from two locations in Broadstripes: the search results page or the Shops and Departments page.

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From the search results page

  1. Search for the contacts - Generata a search to find the two contacts you want to merge. Make sure both contacts appear in your search results.
  2. Select the contacts - Check the boxes next to both contact records you want to merge. You must select exactly two contacts of the same type (both people or both organizations).
  3. Open the Actions menu - Click the Actions button at the top of the search results page.
Actions menu with Merge Contacts option
  1. Select Merge contacts - From the Actions dropdown menu, choose Merge contacts.
  2. Choose the survivor record - A Merge contacts panel appears showing both contact records. Select which contact should be the survivor (the record that will remain and whose data will take precedence). The other contact will be deleted after the merge.
Merge contacts panel showing survivor selection
  1. Confirm the merge - Once you’re satisfied with your selections, click the Merge people or Merge organizations button to proceed. Broadstripes will:
    • Transfer all data from the deleted contact to the survivor where applicable
    • Update all references and associations
    • Permanently delete the duplicate contact

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From the Shops and Departments page

  1. Navigate to the Shops and Departments page - Click Shops and Departments in the navigation panel on the left side of Broadstripes.
  2. Select the organizations - Check the boxes next to the two organization records you want to merge. You must select exactly two organizations.
  3. Open the Actions menu - Click the Actions button at the top of the page.
Actions menu with Merge Contacts option
  1. Select Merge - From the Actions dropdown menu, choose Merge.
  2. Follow the merge process - Continue with steps 5-7 from the “From the search results page” section above. The merge dialog and confirmation process works the same way for organizations.

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Important considerations

Messaging permissionsThe survivor record’s messaging permissions always take precedence.
  • If the survivor is opted in and the TBD record is opted out for the same phone number or email address, the survivor will remain opted in.
  • If the survivor is opted out and the TBD record is opted in, the survivor will remain opted out.
This is important because merge decisions can unintentionally change whether a contact receives emails or SMS messages. Always confirm that the survivor’s opt‑in/opt‑out status reflects the person’s current communication preferences.
Primary contact information - The survivor’s primary phone number, email address, and physical address will remain marked as primary after the merge, even if the deleted contact had different primary contact information. Field-by-field priority - For most fields, if both contacts have data, only the survivor’s data is kept. Review both records carefully before merging to ensure the survivor has the most accurate information in critical fields. Custom fields - Custom field values follow the same rules as standard fields: the survivor’s values take priority, and blank fields are filled with values from the deleted contact. There are exceptions to this rule listed above.

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Tips for successful merging

  • Choose the survivor carefully - Select the record with the most complete and accurate information as the survivor. This minimizes data loss.
  • Review before merging - Take a moment to compare both records before starting the merge process. You may want to manually update the survivor with important information from the duplicate record before merging.
  • Consider the Broadstripes ID - Users may recognize one contact’s Broadstripes ID more than the other. Consider which ID will be easier for your team to remember.
  • Check relationships - If the duplicate contacts have different relationships or employments, verify that combining them makes sense for your organizing work.
  • Make notes - If you’re consolidating records with significantly different information, consider adding a note to the survivor record explaining what was merged and when.

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Troubleshooting

I can’t find the merge option - If you don’t see the merge function, you may not have the necessary permissions. Contact your project administrator to request merge permissions. The merge is blocked - If you receive an error when attempting to merge, verify that both contacts are the same type (both people or both organizations) and belong to the same project. Important data was lost - Because merges cannot be undone, it’s critical to review both records before merging. If you’ve lost important information, you may need to manually re-enter it into the survivor record.