The Duplicate Search Utility helps you keep the data free of multiple copies of records. Duplicates will happen, especially if you have several people entering data. Run this utility often to check for duplicates.

How it works:

The Duplicate Search Utility searches the name fields, starting from the top, each time it is run. It looks for names that are similar - they need not be identical to be found. The method used will catch most duplicates but, naturally, it cannot account for badly misspelled names.

When two very similar names are found both will be displayed in a browse (the Possible Duplicates... box). You may scroll sideways through the data to inspect the records. If they are duplicate records you may keep the first (and delete the second), ke ep the second (and delete the first), or keep both and continue.

Note that both records are editable so that if you choose to keep one you may transfer any useful data to it from the duplicate before you click on Keep 1, or Keep 2. You must do any editing BEFORE you click a button. The records that you do not keep a re marked as deleted.

The progress bar at the bottom tells you the percentage of the data that has been inspected for duplicate records.

Click Quit to end the search at any time.

See also The Duplicate Warning.