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TL;DR

  • Export the CRM, remove duplicates in a spreadsheet, import it back: one of the most common cleanup plans.
  • A spreadsheet doesn't merge records; it only decides which rows to keep.
  • Import the cleaned file and the CRM may create new records, update the wrong ones or leave the old duplicates.
  • Activities, deals, owners and links stay on the records you meant to remove.
  • Dedupely merges duplicates inside the CRM, so history and links move to the record you keep.

It sounds like the simplest cleanup there is. Export all contacts to a spreadsheet, sort by email, delete the repeated rows, then import the clean file back. No new tool, and spreadsheets are familiar.

Many teams try it once. Most end up with more duplicates than they started with, or with records that lost their history. This post covers why the round trip goes wrong and what to do instead.

What a spreadsheet can and can't do

A spreadsheet can find rows that look the same and delete some of them. It can't touch anything that isn't in the export:

  • Activities: calls, emails, notes and meetings stay on the CRM records.
  • Links: deals, tickets and companies linked to a record stay linked to that record.
  • History: form submissions, email engagement and changes over time aren't in the file.
  • IDs and ownership rules: the file has the values, not how the CRM uses them.

Deleting a row in the spreadsheet doesn't delete or merge anything in the CRM. It only decides what you'll import.

What happens on the way back in

What you import What can happen
The cleaned file, as new records The CRM creates a fresh record for every row, next to the old ones
The cleaned file, matched on email Rows update existing records, but the duplicates you removed from the file are still in the CRM
The cleaned file, matched on record ID Only the kept records update; the removed duplicates stay untouched
A file with columns mapped differently Values land in the wrong fields, or overwrite good data with blanks

In every case, the duplicates you deleted in the spreadsheet are still in the CRM, unless someone deletes them there too. And deleting them there throws away their activities and links.

Why it can make things worse

New records instead of updates. If the import doesn't match on a field the CRM recognizes, every row becomes a new record. The CRM now has the original duplicates plus a new set.

Blanks overwrite good data. If the cleaned file has an empty cell where the CRM had a value, some imports write the blank over it.

The wrong record survives. Sorting and deleting rows keeps whichever row came first, not the one with the most history or the right owner.

It doesn't last. The next form submission or sync creates new duplicates, and the round trip has to happen again.

When spreadsheets are the right place

Some lists don't live in a CRM: an event list, a purchased list, a file from a partner. Clean those before they're imported, so the duplicates never reach the CRM. For data already in the CRM, merge it where it is.

How Dedupely handles it

Dedupely merges duplicates inside the CRM, so activities and associations like linked companies, deals and contacts move to the record you keep. Merge Rules decide which value wins in each field, blank values never win, and the Primary Record setting decides which record survives. For lists that aren't in a CRM yet, you can upload spreadsheets to Dedupely and dedupe them before importing; spreadsheets don't count toward your record limit.

Merge duplicates where they live

Merge in place

A spreadsheet decides which rows to keep; it can't merge records. The round trip leaves the old duplicates in the CRM, risks new ones and strands history on records you delete. Clean outside lists before they're imported, and merge everything else inside the CRM.

Frequently asked questions

Can I export my CRM, remove duplicates in a spreadsheet and import it back?

You can, but it doesn't merge anything. The duplicates stay in the CRM, and deleting them there loses their activities and links.

Why did my re-import create more duplicates?

The import probably created new records instead of updating existing ones, because it didn't match rows to records the CRM recognized.

Does deleting duplicate rows in a spreadsheet delete them in the CRM?

No. The spreadsheet is a separate file. The records stay in the CRM until you merge or delete them there.

What do I lose if I delete duplicates instead of merging them?

The activities, deals, notes and links on the deleted records.

When should I clean data in a spreadsheet?

Before a list is imported, like an event or partner list, so its duplicates never reach the CRM.