How to choose which fields to match duplicates on in Pipedrive

Choosing which fields to match duplicates on in Pipedrive starts with defining what actually makes two records represent the same entity in your Pipedrive instance. Email may be enough in some cases. In others, identity depends on a combination of name, company, domain, or other fields.

Duplicate accuracy improves when field selection reflects how your data is structured. That decision determines whether matches are thorough, lenient, or inconsistent.

Why Pipedrive limits which fields are used to match duplicates

Pipedrive’s native duplicate detection relies on predefined comparison logic. Users cannot fully control which fields define a duplicate or how those fields are compared.

In practice, this means:

• Field selection is limited to system behavior
• Match strictness cannot be adjusted per field
• Different duplicate scenarios cannot be handled separately
• All matches follow the same comparison structure

When field control is limited, duplicate results often group records that should stay separate or miss records that clearly belong together. Reporting and segmentation depend on how duplicates are defined, so field selection directly impacts data clarity.

To gain full control over which fields define duplicates and how they are evaluated, additional match configuration is required.

How duplicate search pads work in Dedupely

In Dedupely, duplicate matching is built through search pads. A search pad is a configured duplicate search where you choose:

• The object in Pipedrive
• The fields that define a duplicate
• The match option for each field

Each search pad runs independently and scans the entire synced object.

Inside a single search pad, you can add multiple fields. All selected fields must meet their configured match condition for records to be grouped together.

For example:

• Search pad: Email and organization identity
• Email set to Exact match
• Organization set to Domain root match

Both conditions must be satisfied for the records to appear as duplicates.

Tip: The "Do not match" option can be applied to a field when testing configurations. It allows you to see how results change without including that field in the final comparison logic.

Matching options available in Dedupely

Each field inside a search pad can use a different matching option. This determines how values are compared.

Available options include:

• Exact match: Values must be identical character for character
• Similar match: Allows minor variations in spelling or formatting
• Fuzzy match: Uses broader similarity logic to detect close variations
• Similar word match in any order: Matches values containing the same words regardless of word order
• Domain root match: Compares only the base domain instead of the full URL or subdomain

You can find a full explanation on how each match option works here :)

Choosing the correct matching option per field determines whether a search is thorough or lenient. Reliable identity fields such as primary emails usually work best with Exact or Domain root matching. Fields that naturally vary, such as company names, may require Similar or Fuzzy matching.

How field selection and match options work together

Field selection and matching options define how identity is evaluated in your Pipedrive instance.

When multiple fields are added to a search pad:

• Every selected field must match
• Adding reliable fields increases precision
• Reducing fields makes the search more lenient
• Changing match options alters comparison strictness

A thorough search might include:

• Email with Exact match
• Organization with Domain root match

A more lenient search might include:

• First name with Similar word match
• Organization with Fuzzy match

These configurations serve different purposes: Thorough searches isolate high-confidence duplicates and lenient searches capture edge cases where identity is similar but not identical.

How to create multiple search pads for different duplicate scenarios

In Dedupely, you are not limited to a single duplicate matching logic, you can create multiple search pads, each targeting a specific type of duplicate you recognize in your Pipedrive instance.

For example:

• One search pad for identical email duplicates
• One search pad for similar company name duplicates
• One search pad for domain-based organization duplicates

Each search pad:

• Uses its own field combination
• Uses its own matching options
• Runs independently
• Can be saved, cloned, and edited

This allows you to approach duplicate matching by scenario rather than by one general rule.

Tip: Create a dedicated search pad for each duplicate pattern you repeatedly encounter. Over time, this builds a repeatable duplicate governance structure. Some searches can later be automated, but that's a different conversation.

How choosing the right fields reduces false positives

False positives usually result from either overly lenient field selection or mismatched comparison behavior.

If selection is too thorough:

• Legitimate duplicates may not be grouped
• Records remain fragmented

If selection is too lenient:

• Different entities may be grouped together
• Manual corrections increase

Precision improves when:

• Reliable identity fields are prioritized
• Matching options reflect data variability
• Thorough and lenient searches are separated into different search pads

Choosing fields intentionally ensures that duplicate matching reflects how identity actually exists in your Pipedrive instance.

FAQ: choosing fields for duplicate matching in Pipedrive

Can I choose which fields define duplicates in Pipedrive?

Pipedrive’s native detection uses predefined logic. Using Dedupely, you can select which fields define duplicates within each object and configure how each field is compared.

How many matching options are available in Dedupely?

Dedupely provides multiple matching options including Exact, Similar, Fuzzy, Similar word (any order), and Domain root matching. A detailed breakdown is available here.

Can I run multiple duplicate searches with different fields?

Yes. Dedupely allows you to create multiple independent search pads, each with different field combinations and matching options.

Does duplicate matching scan the entire Pipedrive object?

Yes. Once an object is synced, each search pad scans the entire dataset for that object.

Choosing which fields define duplicates determines how identity is structured in your Pipedrive instance. Field selection and matching options directly influence reporting clarity, segmentation accuracy, and overall data consistency.

If you want to see how field-based duplicate matching works in practice, you can review it live with our customer success team. You can book a Zoom session here to walk through search pad configuration and matching options step by step.