Over time, the same patron can end up with more than one record, usually because they purchased with different email addresses. Merging combines those records into one, and if a merge was a mistake, you can unmerge to restore the originals.
How to Merge Duplicate Patrons
There are three ways to merge, depending on where you are:
1. From the Possible Duplicates report (best for cleanup)
Go to the Patron Database tab and click Possible Duplicates. This lists customers who share the same first and last name.
Use the checkboxes to select the records that belong to the same person. A checkbox at the top of each grouping selects all records in that group.
Click Merge.
You can merge multiple sets of duplicates in a single pass. If records are flagged that are actually different people (say, a parent and child with the same name), click Dismiss All instead. They'll be removed from the duplicates list and kept as separate accounts.
2. From a patron's record
Open the customer's record and use the Merge option at the top of the page.
When processing an order for a returning customer, a pop-up may appear letting you know one or more records share the same name. Click Merge to combine them on the spot, or Dismiss All if they're different people.
What happens when you merge: All orders, donations, products, and notes from both records are combined into a single record. The most recently used email becomes the primary email, and any other emails are saved under "Other Emails" on the profile. Tip: initiate the merge from the record with the most up-to-date billing address, since that's the information that populates the merged profile.
How to Unmerge Patron Records
If records were merged by mistake, you can separate them again. When ThunderTix merges customers, we preserve the original records behind the scenes so an unmerge restores each patron exactly as they were, with their original data intact.
One note: because a merge creates a new combined record, the merged customer receives a new customer ID. If you sync patron data with an external database, update your records after merging or unmerging.
Merging and Unmerging Patron RecordsOver time, the same patron can end up with more than one record, usually because they purchased with different email addresses. Merging combines those records into one, and if a merge was a mistake, you can unmerge to restore the originals.How to Merge Duplicate PatronsThere are three ways to merge, depending on where you are:1. From the Possible Duplicates report (best for cleanup)
3. From the checkout pop-upWhen processing an order for a returning customer, a pop-up may appear letting you know one or more records share the same name. Click Merge to combine them on the spot, or Dismiss All if they're different people.What happens when you merge: All orders, donations, products, and notes from both records are combined into a single record. The most recently used email becomes the primary email, and any other emails are saved under "Other Emails" on the profile. Tip: initiate the merge from the record with the most up-to-date billing address, since that's the information that populates the merged profile.
