> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.jobin.cloud/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Duplicates and merging

> How Jobin finds duplicate contacts, merges them automatically, and how to resolve the conflicts it can't settle on its own.

Jobin keeps your database clean for you. It has a built-in de-duplication system that finds contacts who are the same person and merges them automatically. You only step in
when two records disagree and Jobin can't know which one is right.

## How Jobin finds a duplicate

Two contacts are treated as the same person when any one of these is true:

* They share the **same social profile link**.
* They share the **same private email address**.
* They share the **same name and the same work email address**.

## Automatic merging

When Jobin finds a duplicate, it merges the two contacts and combines their data without asking you. This also happens after an import. The [CSV import](/import-candidates.md#csv-import) checks the contacts
it creates for duplicates in the background.

## When Jobin needs you

Some data can't be combined automatically. A contact can have only one primary private email address, for example, so if two duplicates have different ones, Jobin can't keep both as the primary. When that
happens, a warning banner appears at the top of Jobin:

> Your database has duplicate contacts that couldn't be merged automatically.

Choose **Clean database** to open the merge screen. If now isn't a good time, snooze the banner, and it returns after 12 hours.

## Resolve the conflicts

The merge screen is called **Duplicated Profiles**. It shows one duplicate pair at a time, and you can move between pairs with the previous and next buttons. For each pair it lists the **conflicting fields**.
You have two ways to resolve them.

### One at a time, field by field

For each conflicting field you see the **new** value (from the contact that was merged in) and the **original** value (on the contact it merged into). You can edit either value before you choose.

* **Pick new** keeps the new value.
* **Keep original** keeps the value you already had.

### In bulk

Use the buttons at the top of the screen to settle every conflict at once. Each asks you to confirm first.

* **Overwrite all conflicting values with newest.** Every contact with conflicts is updated with its newest imported values.
* **Keep all original conflicting values.** Every contact keeps its original values, and the newly imported ones are discarded.

If a pair's destination contact was deleted, the review can't be merged. Choose **Discard review** to remove it from the queue.

### When you're done

Once every pair is resolved, Jobin confirms that you've removed all duplicates from your database. You can then run a **Database health check** again, to make sure no new duplicates came in
meanwhile. It runs in the background, and you can follow it in the [Operations monitor](/operations-monitor.md).

## Recommended workflow

1. **Open the banner's Clean database button** as soon as it appears, so conflicts don't pile up.
2. **Skim the first few pairs** to see what kind of conflicts you have, such as primary email or phone.
3. **Pick the quickest safe option.** If the newer data is the better data, for example after a fresh import or an [auto-update](/contact-enrichment.md#refresh-profile-data), overwrite all with newest.
   If you trust your existing records more, keep all originals. If it's mixed, go field by field.
4. **Run the Database health check again** to confirm nothing new slipped in.
5. **Help Jobin match.** Map a profile link and an email for every contact when you import, since those are what Jobin matches on. A spreadsheet import also lets you choose what should win when a value
   conflicts: overwrite it if the new data is newer, ask first, or keep the original.

## How-to guides

Quick, step-by-step answers for common tasks:

* [How to find and merge duplicate contacts](/how-to/find-and-merge-duplicate-contacts.md)
* [How to import contacts from a CSV file](/how-to/import-contacts-from-csv.md)

## Related

> **[Contacts](/contacts.md)**
>
> Your recruitment CRM.

> **[Import candidates](/import-candidates.md)**
>
> Imports check for duplicates automatically.


This documentation is built and hosted on [Mintlify](https://mintlify.com), a developer documentation platform.