Merge Duplicate Contacts

Combine duplicate contact records into one so your customer data, job history, and billing stay clean and accurate.

Written by Ava MartinezUpdated over a month ago3 min readBeginner

What this guide covers

This guide explains how to merge duplicate contact records in JobsiteOn. You will learn how to identify duplicates, choose which record to keep, and consolidate all linked records into a single contact.

Why duplicates happen

Duplicate contacts are created when:

Multiple team members create records for the same customer without checking the existing list.
A contact is imported from a CSV and already exists in the system.
A customer's name is entered with slightly different spelling across records.

Identifying duplicates

Signs that two records may be the same person:

Same or similar names with minor spelling differences.
Same email address on different records.
Same phone number on different records.
Both records linked to the same property.

Screenshot: The contacts list showing two entries for "John Smith" and "Jon Smith" with the same email address, indicating a likely duplicate.

How to merge contacts

Identify the primary record — the one with the most complete information and the most linked records (jobs, quotes, invoices).
Open the primary contact at /contacts/[slug].
Click the overflow menu (...) and select Merge Contact.
Search for the duplicate record.
Select the duplicate to begin the merge.
Review the merge preview showing:
- Which fields will be kept from the primary record.
- Which linked records (jobs, quotes, invoices, properties) will be transferred from the duplicate.
Confirm the merge.

Animation: The merge preview showing fields from both contacts side by side, with the primary fields highlighted and the duplicate's linked jobs listed for transfer.

What happens during a merge

All linked records from the duplicate (jobs, quotes, invoices, properties) are transferred to the primary contact.
The primary contact retains its own information and gains any missing details from the duplicate.
The duplicate record is archived or deleted after the merge.
The activity logs from both records are combined on the primary contact.

Note: Merging cannot be undone. Review the merge preview carefully before confirming.

After the merge

Verify the primary contact has all expected linked records by checking each tab (Jobs, Quotes, Invoices, Properties).
Update any fields that need correction.
The merged contact now serves as the single source of truth for this customer.

Tip: After an import, search for potential duplicates by sorting the contacts list by email or phone and scanning for repeated values.

Preventing duplicates

Search the contacts list before creating a new record.
Use consistent naming conventions (for example, always use full first names, not nicknames).
When importing, review the import preview for potential matches with existing records.

Best practices

Merge duplicates as soon as you find them to prevent linked records from diverging.
Always keep the record with the most history as the primary.
Review your contacts list monthly for potential duplicates, especially after bulk imports.
Train your team to search before creating new contacts.

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