Summary: Breeze’s automated "Show Duplicates" feature acts as a very strict gatekeeper. To avoid accidentally merging two different people who happen to share a name, the algorithm errs on the side of caution. This guide explains exactly how Breeze identifies duplicates, common reasons why matching profiles might not show up in your list, and how to resolve them.
How the Duplicate Search Algorithm Works
When Breeze scans your database to populate the "Show Duplicates" list, it looks for matches in specific phases:
Phase 1: Do the names match exactly? If the first and last names do not match perfectly (including formatting and spelling), the system will immediately disqualify them, and they will not show up in your duplicates list.
Phase 2: Do the email addresses match? If the names are a perfect match, Breeze then looks at email addresses. If the email addresses differ, no duplicate profile will be detected.
Phase 3: Phone and Address Verification. If the system is still determining a match, it will move on to use the phone number and home address to verify the duplicate. (Note: Mailing addresses are not typically a primary filter, but will be used if needed).
Common Reasons Duplicates Don't Show Up
Because the system is extremely sensitive, even minor discrepancies will prevent two profiles from appearing in the automated duplicate list. Here are the most common culprits:
| Reason | Explanation | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Capitalization Differences | If one profile is in ALL CAPS and the other uses standard title case, Breeze will not merge them. | "BARBARA BROWN" vs. "Barbara Brown" |
| Nicknames vs. Legal Names | If the first name field differs in any way, Breeze will not complete a merge. | "Barb Brown" vs. "Barbara Brown" (or "Sandy" vs. "Sandra") |
| Different Email Addresses | Even if the names are formatted exactly the same, having two different email addresses makes the system assume these are two different individuals. | "Michelle Clark" (email A) vs. "Michelle Clark" (email B) |
How to Clean Up and Resolve Missing Duplicates
If you know duplicates exist but they aren't appearing on the automated list, you have a few options to clean up your database:
Option 1: Manually Merge the Profiles
You do not have to rely solely on the automated "Show Duplicates" list. You can manually merge profiles that have different emails or nicknames directly from the Merge People screen. Just search for the two specific profiles, and be sure to select the profile you want to keep as "Profile 1" so all information merges accurately into the correct record.
Option 2: Correct the Discrepancies
Update the profiles so that their names (including capitalization) and emails match exactly. Once the data is identical, Breeze will recognize them as duplicates.
Option 3: Bulk Update via Excel
If you have a lot of cleanup to do, the easiest method is to export your entire database.
Export your People list to an Excel sheet.
Sort the sheet alphabetically by name so you can easily spot duplicates, capitalization errors, and nickname variations.
Once you identify the issues, you can use the Bulk Update People tool to correct all the profile names and formatting in Breeze at once.