How to Clean Duplicates After a Keap Contact Import or Restore: A Step-by-Step Guide

A successful Keap contact import or restore is a critical step in maintaining a robust CRM, but it can sometimes introduce an unwelcome guest: duplicate contacts. These duplicates clutter your database, skew reporting, and can lead to embarrassing communication blunders. Whether you’ve just migrated data, restored from a backup, or simply inherited a messy database, tackling duplicates is essential for data integrity and efficient operations. This guide provides a clear, actionable strategy to identify, merge, and clean your Keap contact list, ensuring your CRM remains your most valuable asset rather than a source of frustration.

Step 1: Assess the Scope and Identify Common Duplicate Patterns

Before diving into merges, it’s crucial to understand the extent and nature of your duplicate problem. Start by examining the most recently imported or restored contacts. Look for common duplicate indicators like identical email addresses, phone numbers, or even names combined with similar company details. Keap’s search functionality allows you to filter contacts by creation date, enabling you to narrow down the affected records. Pay attention to how the duplicates were created – was it a specific import, or an ongoing issue? Identifying these patterns will help you target your cleaning efforts more effectively and inform preventative measures later. A thorough initial assessment saves significant time by prioritizing the most impactful duplicate sets.

Step 2: Leverage Keap’s Built-in Duplicate Merge Tool

Keap provides a native “Find & Merge Duplicates” tool, which is an excellent starting point for straightforward cases. Navigate to “Contacts” then “Tools” and select “Find & Merge Duplicates.” Keap will automatically identify potential duplicates based on its internal logic, often prioritizing exact matches on email or phone. Carefully review the suggested merges, as the system might not always select the “master” record you prefer. You have the option to manually choose which contact’s information to retain for each field. While this tool is highly effective for basic duplicates, be aware it might not catch more complex scenarios where contact details vary slightly (e.g., “John Doe” vs. “Jon Doe” with different phone numbers). Use this feature to clear out the most obvious offenders efficiently.

Step 3: Implement Advanced Search Filters for Complex Duplicates

For duplicates that Keap’s automatic tool misses, you’ll need to employ advanced search techniques. Go to “Contacts” and use the “Advanced Search” options. Here, you can combine multiple criteria to unearth subtle duplicates. For example, search for contacts with the same first name and last name but different email addresses, or contacts from the same company with slight variations in their names. You can also search for partial matches within fields. Once you’ve identified a group of potential duplicates through this method, you can manually select them from the search results and use the “Actions” dropdown to “Merge Contacts.” This manual, multi-criteria approach allows for a highly granular and precise identification of duplicates that may otherwise slip through the cracks.

Step 4: Create a Manual Review and Consolidation Strategy

Some duplicates, especially those involving key clients or complex histories, demand a human touch. For critical contacts, it’s beneficial to establish a strategy for manual review. Export smaller segments of potential duplicates (identified via advanced search) into a spreadsheet. Compare records side-by-side, determining which contact ID represents the most complete and accurate “master” record. Consider factors like recent activity, associated notes, opportunities, and order history. Once you’ve decided on the master, you can then go back into Keap and merge the less complete records into the chosen primary contact. This methodical approach ensures no valuable data is lost and that your most important relationships are accurately represented.

Step 5: Implement Preventative Measures for Future Data Integrity

Cleaning duplicates is an ongoing process, but proactive measures can significantly reduce future occurrences. When performing new imports, always utilize Keap’s built-in deduplication options during the import wizard. Ensure you’re consistently using a unique identifier (like email address) for matching and updating existing records rather than creating new ones. Furthermore, educate your team on best practices for data entry, emphasizing consistency in naming conventions and data formatting. Consider implementing an external data validation or enrichment tool if your data sources are particularly varied. A robust preventative strategy is the most effective long-term solution for maintaining a clean and efficient Keap database, saving countless hours down the line.

If you would like to read more, we recommend this article: Mastering Keap CRM Data Recovery: Avoid Mistakes & Ensure Business Continuity