Merging Names
The People screen will alert you when you are entering someone who has already been added to your church database. However, this only works if you are entering their name exactly as it is spelled in the original entry.
If someone has been entered twice into your database, don't delete either of them. You can merge one of those entries into the other.
Below are the steps for Merging Names in ChurchTrac:
Step 1. Determine which entry to keep
Review each entry and see which one has the most up-to-date information or has more details filled out. You will want to merge the other entry into this one.
Step 2. Merge Names
Once you have chosen which entry will remain, it's time to complete the merger!
To access the Merge Names window, select the "Actions" button near the top of the People screen. Then select the "Merge Names" option in the drop-down menu.
In the following window, select the name you want to REMOVE on the left. Then select the entry you want to KEEP on the right.
Once you're sure you have the correct names chosen, select the "Merge the Selected Names" button at the bottom of the window. Then type "Yes" in the following pop-up window.
Pro Tips
If there are different email addresses, phone numbers, or other details in each duplicated entry, check with that member and ask which they prefer the church keep.
Giving multiple leaders the ability to add names to your database increases the chance of duplicate entries. You can control user permissions so that only one or two users can add or remove names.
Read our "ChurchTrac User Accounts" article to learn more about managing user permissions.