# CRM Sync – Definition, FAQs & How Dedupely Helps > CRM sync explained: how syncs between a CRM and other tools create duplicates, how to catch CRM sync duplicates, and how to merge without breaking a sync. - URL: https://dedupe.ly/glossary/crm-sync - Section: glossary - Site index: https://dedupe.ly/llms.txt - Any page: append `.md` to its URL for this plain-text form --- [Glossary](https://dedupe.ly/glossary) CRM Sync ## CRM Sync CRM sync is the connection that keeps records in step between a CRM and another system, so a change made on one side appears on the other. It can run one way, from a source tool into the CRM, or two ways, with each side sending its changes to the other. A sync decides which records belong together by a matching key, such as a stored record ID or an email address. When a record arrives that the key doesn't connect to an existing one, the sync creates a new record. That's where CRM sync duplicates come from: different keys on each side, records created on both sides before the sync runs, and merges made in one system that the other doesn't know about. See how Dedupely merges sync duplicates in your CRM [Try for free](https://v2.app.dedupe.ly/signup) [Talk to sales](https://meetings.dedupe.ly/meetings/gaby-salinas/talk-to-sales) Overview A CRM sync keeps records matched between a CRM and another tool, such as a marketing platform, a support desk, a billing system or a second CRM. When the two sides identify records differently, or both create the same record before the sync runs, the sync creates duplicates. On this page - What Is CRM Sync? - How CRM Sync Works - Why CRM Sync Matters for CRM Teams - Getting Started With CRM Sync - Key Takeaways: CRM Sync - Frequently Asked Questions About CRM Sync - Related Terms and Concepts See how Dedupely merges sync duplicates in your CRM [Try for free](https://v2.app.dedupe.ly/signup) [Talk to sales](https://meetings.dedupe.ly/meetings/gaby-salinas/talk-to-sales) ### What Is CRM Sync? A CRM sync is any ongoing connection that moves records between a CRM and another tool: a marketing platform sending leads, a support desk sending customers who open tickets, a billing system sending paying accounts, or a second CRM run by another team. It works on objects, and each CRM names them its own way: contacts and companies in HubSpot, leads, contacts and accounts in Salesforce, people and organizations in Pipedrive, and leads in Close. A short example shows how a sync creates a duplicate. The CRM holds "J. Smith, jsmith@acme.com." John opens a ticket from john.smith@acme.com, the support desk creates a customer, and the sync looks for that email in the CRM. It finds nothing, so it creates "John Smith, john.smith@acme.com," and Acme now has two records for one person. Syncs connect records in a few ways. Matching on a shared value, such as an email address or a website domain, needs no setup on the other side and links records that already exist in both. Storing the other system's record ID in a field links each pair reliably once it's connected, even when emails or names change. Some syncs create a record for everything that arrives and leave matching to a later step, which keeps the sync simple and fast. Many integrations combine these, for example matching on email first and storing the ID after. Resources: - [What is a duplicate?](https://dedupe.ly/blog/what-is-a-duplicate) ### How CRM Sync Works Syncs often follow the same cycle, whichever tools they connect: - **A change is picked up.** A record is created or updated in one system. The sync notices it when it runs, on a schedule or within moments of the change. - **The sync looks for its partner.** It checks the other system for a matching record, using its matching key: a stored ID, an email address, a domain or another field. - **It updates or creates.** If it finds a partner, it updates the mapped fields, following rules for which side wins when both changed. If it finds none, it creates a new record. - **Two-way syncs repeat the cycle.** Changes on the other side travel back the same way. Duplicates form at a few points in that cycle. When each side uses a different key, such as email in one system and a record ID in the other, a person with a new email address or a missing ID becomes a new record. When a form and a sales rep both add the same person before the sync runs, both records are created and then synced. When objects map differently, a lead in one system can arrive as a contact in another, next to a contact that already exists. And when two records are merged in one system, the other system may still hold both, so the next cycle can send the removed record back or link activities to the wrong one. Resources: - [Finding Duplicates](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/find-duplicates) (KB) ### Why CRM Sync Matters for CRM Teams A sync multiplies what's in the data. One duplicate created by an integration can be sent to every connected tool, and in a two-way sync it can come back again after it's been cleaned on one side. CRM sync duplicates also arrive steadily, with every form fill, ticket or payment, so a one-time cleanup leaves the CRM clean only until the next cycle. Reports show it first. Contact and company counts run high, a customer's activity is split between two records, and revenue from a billing sync can land on a different record from the deal it belongs to. Sales, marketing and support each see a partial history, and the same person can be routed to two owners or get the same email twice. Billing follows the count. Many CRMs and connected tools bill by contact or record count, so a duplicate that a sync creates is a record the company can pay for in more than one system. Duplicates also make the sync itself less reliable. Two records competing for one partner can cause sync errors, overwrite good values with older ones, or attach associations to the record that should have been removed. Merging without knowing how the sync handles a merge can turn one duplicate into a sync conflict. Resources: - [Why your CRM database is turning into a mess (and how to fix it)](https://dedupe.ly/blog/why-your-crm-database-is-turning-into-a-mess) ### Getting Started With CRM Sync Start by mapping every sync that touches the CRM: the tool on the other side, the direction, the objects it moves, the key it matches on and whether it can create records. That shows which integration creates which duplicates, and often points to a mismatch between keys. Align the matching keys where you can, so each side uses the same unique value, and decide which system is allowed to create records for each object. Then check how each connected tool handles a merge before merging synced records. Some syncs follow a merge on both sides, and others keep the removed record or send it back, so try a few merges first and watch the next sync cycle. Because syncs keep adding records, plan deduplication as a regular check rather than a one-time cleanup. Match its frequency to how often the sync runs, so new duplicates are merged before other tools, reports and workflows start using them. In Dedupely, Auto Match and Auto Merge check for the duplicates an integration creates as new records arrive, with new records detected within 1–5 minutes and Auto Merge able to run as soon as possible. When HubSpot and Salesforce sync through the HubSpot–Salesforce Integration, linking it in CRM Settings lets Dedupely merge the duplicates in both CRMs at once, so a merge keeps the two in sync instead of breaking it. Resources: - [Syncing Records](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/syncing-records-with-dedupely) (KB) - [Merging duplicates with an active HubSpot-Salesforce Integration](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/merging-duplicates-with-an-active-hubspot-and-salesforce-sync) (KB) ### Key Takeaways: CRM Sync A CRM sync keeps records in step between a CRM and other tools, one way or both ways, and links them by a matching key. Duplicates form when the keys differ, when both sides create the same record before the sync runs, when objects map differently, or when a merge on one side isn't followed on the other. Because syncs keep adding records, deduplication works best as a regular check. In Dedupely, Duplicate Searches find the duplicates syncs create, Auto Match and Auto Merge keep checking new records as they arrive, and Merge Rules decide what each merge keeps. With the HubSpot–Salesforce Integration linked, Dedupely merges duplicates in both CRMs at once, and Salesforce sync protection keeps companies linked to their Salesforce Accounts. Resources: - [Dedupely product overview](https://dedupe.ly/product) ### Frequently Asked Questions About CRM Sync #### Why does a sync create duplicate records in a CRM? A sync creates a duplicate when it can't find a record's partner on the other side, so it adds a new one. That happens when the two systems match on different keys, such as email in one and a record ID in the other, or when the key changes: a contact with a second email address looks like a new person. Timing adds more. A form and a rep can both create the same person before the sync runs, and both records then sync. Objects that map differently, such as a lead arriving as a contact, can put one person in two places, and a merge made in one system can be undone by the next sync if the other system still holds both records. In Dedupely, Duplicate Searches compare the fields you choose with Match Options such as Exact, Similar and Domain Root, so sync duplicates with a different email or a typo in the name are found too. #### Will merging duplicates break a two-way sync? It can, if the connected system doesn't follow the merge. When two records are merged in one CRM and the other system still holds both, the next sync cycle can recreate the removed record, report a sync error or link activities to the wrong record. Some syncs follow merges on both sides, and others need the merge made in each system, so check how the sync handles merges and try a few before merging in bulk. The answer differs by pairing, whether it's HubSpot and Salesforce, Pipedrive and a support desk, or Close and a billing tool. In Dedupely, with an active HubSpot–Salesforce Integration linked in CRM Settings, Dedupely merges the duplicates in both CRMs at once, and Salesforce sync protection keeps a company linked to its Salesforce Account and holds back companies linked to different Salesforce Accounts. If a synced record's other CRM isn't connected to Dedupely, the merge is blocked. #### How do you catch CRM sync duplicates automatically? Run a duplicate check on a schedule that keeps up with the sync, so new duplicates are found soon after the integration creates them. Start by running the check by hand, review what it finds, and merge the clear matches. Once a check proves reliable on the duplicates your integration creates, such as records that share an email domain and a last name, let it run on its own and look at the results now and then. Fixing the cause still matters: if one integration creates most of the duplicates, aligning its matching key cuts the volume at the source. In Dedupely, Auto Match notifies you when new matches reach a count you set, and Auto Merge merges new duplicates on a schedule, which can be as soon as possible. Dedupely detects new records within 1–5 minutes, Auto Merge sends low-confidence matches to Manual Review instead of merging them, and Safety Settings hold risky matches out of Auto Merge. #### What's the difference between a one-way and a two-way CRM sync? A one-way sync sends records from one system to the other, while a two-way sync sends changes in both directions. One-way syncs suit a tool that feeds the CRM, such as a form tool or a billing system sending new customers. They're simpler, and a duplicate they create stays in the receiving system. Two-way syncs keep both systems current, which suits two teams working in different tools, but a duplicate on either side can travel to the other, and a cleanup on one side can be reversed by the next cycle. Both need a reliable matching key, and both keep adding records, so deduplication has to keep running. In Dedupely, connecting a CRM syncs whole objects, and the first sync takes 2–15 minutes for up to 50,000 records and 10–12 hours beyond 1 million. After that, Dedupely refreshes every 10–30 minutes. Connecting or syncing never merges, edits or deletes anything; merges happen only when you say so. #### How often should deduplication run when a CRM syncs with other tools? Often enough that new duplicates are merged before the next sync cycle spreads them. A sync that runs every few minutes, such as a form or chat integration, calls for frequent checks, while a nightly import from a billing system can be checked once a day after it runs. Merging soon after a duplicate appears means fewer workflows, emails and reports have used it, and in a two-way sync it limits how far it travels. Avoid running large merges while a big sync is in progress, so both don't change the same records at once. In Dedupely, Auto Merge can run as soon as possible, every set number of minutes, hours, days, weeks or months, on chosen weekdays or days of the month, or between chosen hours. Dedupely isn't a real-time mirror of the CRM: it refreshes every 10–30 minutes and detects new records within 1–5 minutes. ### Related Terms and Concepts #### [Multi-CRM deduplication](https://dedupe.ly/glossary/multi-crm-deduplication) Multi-CRM deduplication deals with duplicates when two or more CRMs stay in use. When those CRMs sync with each other, merging without breaking the sync is the main challenge. #### [Recurring duplicates](https://dedupe.ly/glossary/recurring-duplicates) Recurring duplicates are duplicates that keep coming back after a cleanup. A sync that matches on a different key, or that sends merged records back, is one common cause. #### [Duplicate prevention](https://dedupe.ly/glossary/duplicate-prevention) Duplicate prevention stops new duplicates as records arrive. Syncs are one of the main ways records arrive, so they're where prevention often starts. #### [Ongoing deduplication](https://dedupe.ly/glossary/ongoing-deduplication) Ongoing deduplication runs deduplication continuously or on a schedule. It's how a team keeps up with the duplicates a sync keeps adding. #### [Auto merge](https://dedupe.ly/glossary/auto-merge) Auto merge merges new duplicates on a schedule. It suits sync duplicates that follow a predictable pattern once a search has proven reliable. #### [CRM objects](https://dedupe.ly/glossary/crm-objects) CRM objects are the record types a CRM stores, such as contacts, companies and leads. A sync maps objects between systems, and objects that map differently can put one customer in two places. Skip to content