Checking for duplicate companies
The system can be set up to warn you of the possibility the company profile you are entering already exists in the database. After you make your entry in the Address 1 field, the system checks it against the addresses for other companies. If the beginning characters are duplicates of any other addresses, the system displays a window with those addresses.
For example, in our database we have a company profile set up for Triston Building Supplies at 697 Preston Court in Sylva, NC.
We started creating a new profile with an address that began with 697. The system alerted us of the duplicates by displaying the Duplicate Company Entries window as soon as we tabbed out of the Address field.
The Duplicate Company Entries window is strictly informational. After you click Close, you can continue creating the new profile without changing the name or address.
What do you want to see?
Setting up the system to check for duplicate companies
The SearchDuplicateAddress General Info Table setting is used to set up the system to check for duplicate companies.
SearchDuplicateAddress |
Applies to | TMWSuite: 2006.05_10.0997 and later, CRM Right |
Description | This setting determines whether the system will check for duplicate entries when a new company is being added. If a duplicate entry exists, the system displays a dialog box listing the duplicate(s). The system will not stop you from entering the record. This setting affects the File Maintenance application and the New Company quick add window, and the .NET version of the Company Profile window. |
String1 | • N (default) Do not check for duplicate entries. • Y Check for duplicate entries. |
Additional Notes | 1. To use this feature, you must have a value of OLD for the DistanceLookupVersion General Info Table setting. 2. This feature is designed to work in tandem with the CompanyIDFormat=Original setting in the [Misc] section of the TTS50.ini file. |
Understanding the logic the system uses to search for duplicates
The logic used by the search mechanism is designed to limit the results to the most applicable companies, yet to allow for possible variations. To accomplish this, the system looks at the data recorded in the Name and the Address fields of the profile being entered and compares that data to companies in the database. If the data in both fields of the new profile match an existing profile in the database, the system warns you that the profile you are entering may be a duplicate.
However, to allow for possible variations, the search is not limited to exact matches. The system will also warn you when it finds certain types of partial matches.
To be considered a possible duplicate, the profile being created must match an existing profile in both the following ways:
• All characters entered in the Address field of the new profile match the existing profile.
For example, entering 7750 Oak in the new profile would be considered a match to any of the following entries in an existing profile:
• 7750 Oak Street
• 7750 Oak Hill
• 7750 Oak Forest Lane.
Note: Words such as street, drive, boulevard and their abbreviations are ignored by the system when comparing addresses.
• The first character in the Name field must match.
For example, Mott Company would be considered a match for Mott Co., or even for Mickey’s Towing Service.
Although each of these matches by its self is not very limiting, together they provide a useful search tool.
