Summary: Breeze's "Show Duplicates" feature is intentionally strict, so it won't accidentally merge two different people with the same name — but that means some real duplicates may not appear. This article explains the matching algorithm and how to manually clean up missed duplicates.
Before You Begin
- Breeze intentionally uses strict matching to avoid merging two different people who share a name.
How It Works
- Phase 1: Names must match exactly First and last names must match exactly, including spelling and formatting; otherwise the pair is disqualified and won't appear in the duplicates list.
- Phase 2: Email addresses must match If names match exactly, Breeze checks email addresses; differing emails mean no duplicate is detected.
- Phase 3: Phone and address verification If a match is still undetermined, Breeze verifies using phone number and home address; mailing address isn't a primary filter but is used if needed.
- Option 1: Manually merge the profiles Not limited to the automated list — manually merge profiles with different emails or nicknames from the Merge People screen. Search for both profiles and mark the one to keep as "Profile 1" so data merges into the correct record.
- Option 2: Correct the discrepancies Edit the profiles so names (including capitalization) and emails match exactly; Breeze will then recognize them as duplicates.
- Option 3: Bulk update via Excel For large-scale cleanup: export your People list to Excel; sort alphabetically by name to spot duplicates, capitalization errors, and nickname variations; then use the Bulk Update People tool to fix profile names/formatting in Breeze all at once.
Troubleshooting & FAQs
- Why doesn't Breeze flag two profiles as duplicates when one name is in ALL CAPS and the other is in standard title case (e.g., "BARBARA BROWN" vs. "Barbara Brown")?: Capitalization differences count as a mismatch, so Breeze won't merge them.
- Why doesn't Breeze detect a nickname as the same person as their legal name (e.g., "Barb Brown" vs. "Barbara Brown", or "Sandy" vs. "Sandra")?: Any difference in the first name field, including nickname vs. legal name, blocks the merge.
- Why don't two profiles with the exact same name but different email addresses show up as duplicates (e.g., "Michelle Clark" with email A vs. "Michelle Clark" with email B)?: Different email addresses make Breeze treat identical names as two different individuals.