Resolving Duplicates with Compare and Merge

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With multiple ways to add activity records to the system, including several that can create multiple records at once - like Publication Imports and CV Imports - users need a way to quickly resolve duplicates to ensure high-quality data they, and you can have confidence in. The "Compare and Merge" feature enables users to do just that.

As a user within Faculty Success, you can now compare up to six activity records and merge them.

This feature can be accessed through the ‘Compare’ button at the top of an activity summary screen.

  • Records are presented in a table format on summary screens for easy selection
  • Selected records are displayed in a side-by-side view to enable comparison
  • Within the side-by-side view, enable the user to select which values to keep, and which record selected values should be merged into
  • Enable the user to do a check of the finalized records using the standard record editor view

How It Works

  1. Select the records that you want to compare: Using the checkbox column, select (up to 6) records you intend to compare (and merge, if applicable). This selection will enable [Compare] in the set of action buttons above the summary table.

    The Activities page showing the Intellectual Contributions table with rows listing contribution type, current status, title of contribution, and author counts. Above the table, buttons for Duplicate, Compare, and Add New appear, with Compare highlighted. A search bar, Search Tips button, Import button, and Select Columns menu appear to the right.

    The Intellectual Contributions page showing the table of contributions with rows listing sharing status, contribution type, explanation, current status, and title. One row selected. The Compare button above the table active with a tooltip stating Compare selected items.

  2. Compare the records and choose the data you want to preserve: The compare screen will display a table with all of the data for your selected records, with the fields listed on the Y-axis on the left, and a column for each record with its values. If you intend to merge these records to resolve duplicates, this location is also where you'll select which values to keep for each field in your merged record.

    The Compare Intellectual Contributions page showing a comparison table with Field Labels in the first column and three records displayed across the page. Each row shows values for Master Record, Contribution Type, AACSB Classification, Current Status, Title of Contribution, and the larger work field. Select All links appear at the top of each record column. Cancel and Continue buttons appear in the upper right.

    • Master record - Metadata from the selected "Master Record" will be used for the merged record. Examples of this are: ID, Allow Sharing, Original Source, and Created Date. You can use the information at the bottom of each record’s column to determine which metadata to keep.

      The comparison view showing three records with a Year field set to 2017 for each record. Below, each record displays metadata lines for Allow Sharing set to Yes, Original Source listed as Data Imports, Creation date as October 19, 2020, and Last Saved dates for each record.

    • You can select values from each record if applicable (see below for restrictions/logic). If selected records share the same value, the radio buttons will be disabled.
    • For Dynamic Sub-answer (DSA) components (e.g. authors, editors, collaborators), you can merge all values selected across selected records to be included in the final merged record (select all behavior, checkboxes).

      The Authors section showing multiple author rows labeled 1st Author, 2nd Author, and 3rd Author. Each row displays columns with checkboxes and author name entries. Select All and Unselect All links appear above each column group.

  3. Preview and refine the merged record: If you intend to merge the selected records, once you've selected the values to preserve for each field in your merged record, you will click on [Continue] in the upper right corner to proceed.

    The Compare Intellectual Contributions page showing the comparison table with field labels on the left and three records across the page. Below the table, the Authors section expanded with author rows and selection options. A Continue button appears highlighted in the upper right.

    This selection will present you with an editable preview of the merged record, displaying all the values you selected to keep on the ‘Compare’ screen. You can make additional edits to the record if needed.

    The Merge Intellectual Contributions page showing fields for Contribution Type, AACSB Classification, Current Status, Title of Contribution, and the larger work field. The Authors section below expanded, displaying input fields for the 1st Author with dropdowns and text boxes for name details. A Merge button highlighted in the upper right next to a Back button.

    Once ready to merge, select [Merge] in the upper right corner.

    The Merge Intellectual Contributions page showing a confirmation dialog centered on the screen stating that three records will be merged using the data and that the action cannot be undone. Cancel and OK buttons appear inside the dialog. The page behind the dialog shows the merge form with contribution fields and the Authors section.

    You will see the merged record in the summary table after completing the merge.

    The Intellectual Contributions page showing a saved confirmation banner above the table. The table lists contribution rows, with one row selected. Buttons for Duplicate, Compare, and Add New appear above the table, with search and column options to the right.

    4. Frequently Asked Questions

    How does Compare and Merge work with record linking?

    It depends on your institution's User Reference settings.

    If your institution is using Editable User Reference (i.e., users can edit the records on which they're linked), users:

    • can merge any of the records they own into a record they're linked on.
    • cannot merge linked records into a record they own, since they are not the record owner for all of the records involved.

    If you're using Non-Editable User Reference (the default; i.e., a user can view but not edit a record to which they're linked), users cannot merge records into the linked record.

    Can I undo a merge?

    No. Any merges that occur cannot be reverted.

    If needed, the system administrator can use the Beta Environment to retrieve data for a data import to restore the data merged into other records. Please just note that the Beta Environment is refreshed to reflect the Production environment every Saturday.

    Can I use the compare and merge functionality when importing publications?

    At this time, the compare and merge functionality is only available via the summary screen. However, we are exploring options to add this capability to the publication import tools as a future enhancement.

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