ChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle
View as Markdown

TL;DR

  • Two records for the same person often show different job titles.
  • Usually one is newer: a promotion, a new role or an enrichment update.
  • Keep the most recent title from a source you trust, not the longest or the oldest.
  • If the titles are at different companies, check whether it's really a duplicate or a job change.
  • In Dedupely, Merge Rules can take the title from the last worked record; Custom Merge lets you type it.

Merge two records for the same person and the job title is often the first field that disagrees. One says "Marketing Manager", the other "Head of Marketing". One says "VP Sales", the other "Account Executive".

The merged record can only show one. The right choice depends on why they're different. This post covers the usual reasons and which title to keep in each case.

Why the titles differ

Reason Example Keep
Promotion or new role at the same company "Marketing Manager" then "Head of Marketing" The newer title
Enrichment updated one record A tool filled in a title last month The newer title, if the tool is reliable
Abbreviation or wording "VP Sales" and "Vice President of Sales" Either; pick the clearer one
Typed by different people "Sales" and "Account Executive" The more specific one
Different companies "CTO at Acme" and "Engineer at Northwind" Check first: it may be a job change

The usual answer: newest from a source you trust

Most of the time, the most recent title is the right one. People get promoted and change roles; they rarely go back. So the record that was updated or worked on most recently is a good guide.

Two cautions:

  • "Most recent" should mean a person or a trusted tool updated it, not that a sync touched the record.
  • Longest isn't best. A long title can be an old one, or a description someone pasted in.

When the title is a clue it's not a duplicate

If the titles come with different companies or different work emails, stop before merging. It may be the same person at a new job, which some teams keep as a separate record. When a contact changes jobs, is it a duplicate? covers how to decide.

And two people with the same name at the same company, with different titles, may simply be two people.

How Dedupely handles job titles

In Dedupely, field-level Merge Rules decide which title survives. Suggested rules include "From the most recently worked record" and "From the last updated record", which take the title from the record that was used most recently. Blank values never win, so a title on one record isn't replaced by an empty field. For a single set where neither title is right, Custom Merge lets you type the correct title before merging, and Merge History marks it "Edited by hand".

Keep the right title in every merge

The newest title, from a source you trust

When duplicates disagree on job title, keep the most recent one from a person or tool you trust. Check different companies before merging, keep the old title somewhere if sales needs it, and type the right one by hand when neither record has it.

Frequently asked questions

Which job title should I keep when merging duplicate contacts?

Usually the most recent one, from the record a person or trusted tool updated last.

Should the longest job title win?

No. A long title can be outdated or a pasted description. Recency is a better guide.

What if the titles are at different companies?

Check whether it's a job change before merging. Some teams keep the old and new job as separate records.

What if neither title is right?

Type the correct title during the merge. In Dedupely, Custom Merge lets you edit it by hand.

Can I keep the old title too?

Yes, if your CRM has a field for it, like previous title or notes.