Merge duplicate people
Combine two records of the same person, or dismiss a match that isn't really them.
When someone comes back for another bail request, Vonda doesn't always know it's the same person. If their details match an earlier record, for example the same name and date of birth, or the same government ID number, it flags the match and lets you decide. Merging joins the two records so the person has one profile and one posting history. Dismissing tells Vonda they're different people.
Vonda never merges people on its own. It only does it when you say so.
Before you start
- Look for the warning. A match shows as a Possible duplicate detected banner, both on the person's profile and on the posting where the match was found.
- You can resolve it if you can edit that posting. The posting's assigned agent or an agency admin sees Merge and Dismiss. Anyone else can open the match and compare, and the banner tells them the assigned agent or an admin resolves it.
Compare and decide
Open the match
On the banner, click View. The Possible duplicate dialog shows the earlier record this person matches and every field where the two differ, shown as the earlier record's value, then this posting's value. When the ID photos differ, the ID Photo (Front) or ID Photo (Back) row shows both photos side by side as small thumbnails, and clicking one opens it full size.
If there's more than one possible match, pick the one you want to compare.
Decide whether it's the same person
Check the differences. A new address or a new phone number is normal for someone who comes back. A different date of birth usually means a different person.
Merge or dismiss
- If it's the same person, click Merge, then Merge again in Merge into one person?.
- If it isn't, click Dismiss, then Dismiss again in Dismiss this match?.
What happens next
- After a merge, the two records become one person, with every posting from both. If you merged from a profile, you're taken to the combined person's profile. The merge is noted on the posting's activity, for example Jane Smith merged a duplicate defendant record into John Doe (or co-signer record for a co-signer).
- After a dismiss, the warning goes away and these records aren't suggested for merging again. If they really are the same person, they stay as two separate records.
- Sometimes the match clears itself. If the details were corrected in the meantime and the records no longer match, clicking View shows No longer a match — flag cleared instead of opening the comparison, and the warning goes away.
A merge can't be undone
Check the differences carefully before you merge. There's no way to split a merged person back into two.