# How to Find Duplicates in Your CRM | Dedupely > Configure, filter and run a Duplicate Search in Dedupely, then review everything it found before a single record merges. - URL: https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/how-to-find-duplicates - Section: knowledge-base - Site index: https://dedupe.ly/llms.txt - Any page: append `.md` to its URL for this plain-text form --- ## How to Find Duplicates By [Gaby Salinas](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbyslns) Updated October 28, 2026 Dedupely gives you full control over what a duplicate is, by setting up Duplicate Searches that fit the reality of your database. You find duplicates in Dedupely with Duplicate Searches: you choose the fields to compare, how strictly to compare them, and which records to include, then run a scan. Nothing is merged until you decide to merge. Duplicate Searches are included in every Dedupely plan and the 7-day free trial. ### Before you start - **A connected and synced CRM**, or an uploaded spreadsheet. See [Connect your CRM](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/connect-your-crm). ### What you can do - Define what a duplicate is, and isn't, for your use case. - Match duplicates even when names are misspelled, words are flipped, or one company uses several domains. - Leave out irrelevant data, and reject records that aren't duplicates so they stop showing up. - Get an email when a set number of duplicates is found. ### How to find duplicates Each object (e.g. Contacts, Companies) comes with preset Duplicate Searches, so you can start with one of those or create your own. - **Choose your fields.** Select the fields Dedupely should compare, such as Email, First Name or Phone Number. - **Set a match option for each field.** Click the arrow under each field name and choose Exact, Similar, Fuzzy, Similar Words (Any Order) or Domain Root. See [Match Options](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/match-options). - **Add filters (optional).** Narrow the scan to the records you care about. See [Filters](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/filters). - **Click Scan.** Dedupely groups the duplicate records into matches. - **Adjust and scan again.** Change match options or fields until the results show the duplicates you want. Click **Scan** again after every change, so your results reflect your latest settings. ### How to test different settings Added July 28, 2026 Finding the right settings can take a little testing. None of this merges anything: - **Clone and test.** Clone a Duplicate Search and change its match options to see how the results change. - **Try different filters.** Add or remove filters in the clone and compare. - **Keep the winner.** Once you find the right setup, keep that search and delete the test clones. ### What happens next - **Your Duplicate Search is saved.** Re-run it any time with one click. - **Review your results.** Open **View Match Details** on a match to see its records side by side, then merge, reject, or send it to [Manual Review](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/manual-review). See [How to Merge Duplicates](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/how-to-merge-duplicates). - **Get notified about new duplicates.** Turn on [Auto Match](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/auto-match) to get an email when unreviewed matches reach a number you set. ### Troubleshooting **My search finds no duplicates.** The fields you're matching on might be empty for many records, or your settings might be too strict. Try matching on fewer fields, or switch to Similar or Fuzzy. **My search finds records that aren't duplicates.** Your settings might be too loose. Add another field to match on, switch a field to Exact, or add a filter. **My results didn't change after I edited the search.** Results only update when you scan. Click **Scan** again. **A match I expected is missing.** It might have been rejected or excluded. Check the Rejected Matches and Excluded tabs at the top of your Duplicate Search. See [Rejected Matches](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/rejected-matches) and [Excluded Matches](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/excluded-matches). ### FAQs about finding duplicates - **Do I need to build a new Duplicate Search every time I scan?** No. Your Duplicate Searches stay saved in your account, and you can re-run any of them with one click. - **Do results update automatically when I change a search?** No. After editing fields, match options or filters, click **Scan** again. - **Can I scan spreadsheets the same way as CRM records?** Yes. Matching works the same way. The only difference is that you scan the whole uploaded file instead of a CRM object. - **What's the difference between Similar and Fuzzy?** Similar catches small typos, flipped words and slight variations. Fuzzy uses a broader, sound-based algorithm to catch heavier spelling differences, like "Sean" and "Shawn". - **Does finding duplicates change anything in my CRM?** No. Scanning only shows potential duplicates in Dedupely. Records only change when you merge. ### Next up [Duplicate Searches (Prev. Search Pads) Build, clone and organize your Duplicate Searches, one for each type of duplicate.](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/duplicate-searches) ### Changelog - July 28, 2026 #### Rename, clone or delete a Duplicate Search from its menu Each Duplicate Search has a menu to edit its name in place, clone it or delete it. [Every change in the knowledge base](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base#changelog) ### Still stuck? Our team helps on every plan and during the free trial, by chat, email or Zoom. - Need help? [Talk to support](https://dedupe.ly/contact) - Questions about plans? [Book a Zoom with sales](https://meetings.dedupe.ly/meetings/gaby-salinas/talk-to-sales) - Reading this with a model? [Read this page as Markdown](https://dedupe.ly/knowledge-base/how-to-find-duplicates.md) - Feeding it the whole site? [Read llms.txt](https://dedupe.ly/llms.txt) Behind the article ### Gaby Salinas Marketing Assistant at Dedupely Gaby Salinas came to CRM data from marketing and advertising, so she looks at duplicates from two sides: the match and merge logic behind them, and what they do to the people using the CRM, like the rep who calls a customer twice, the admin who gets blamed and the cleanup nobody wants to start. As Marketing Assistant at Dedupely, she follows how RevOps teams, end users, consultants and technical teams actually work with their data: the records they stop trusting, the workarounds they build and the moment they finally decide to clean up. What she finds shapes most of what Dedupely publishes. [Connect with Gaby on LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/gbyslns) ### Get started for free 20 free trial merges and as much free support as you need to get your duplicates under control. [Talk to sales](https://meetings.dedupe.ly/meetings/gaby-salinas/talk-to-sales)[Try for free](https://v2.app.dedupe.ly/signup) [Or sign up with Google](https://v2.app.dedupe.ly/signup/google) Running CRM cleanup for clients? [See the Partner Program](https://dedupe.ly/become-a-partner) Skip to content