---
title: "Finding and merging duplicate customers"
description: "Keep one clean record per customer by merging duplicates—moving all data into the record you keep."
lastModified: "2026-06-13"
lang: "en"
wordCount: 486
url: https://qualyhq.com/training/contacts/finding-and-merging-duplicates
---
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# Finding and merging duplicate customers

> Two records for the same person? Merge them into one.

## At a glance

- **Intended for:** Everyone
- **Available in:** All plans
- **Reading time:** 2 minutes
- **Last updated:** 31st May 2026

## Quick summary

Use the merge tool to combine duplicate customers. Pick the customer to delete and the customer to keep; all data moves from the deleted record into the kept one. This cannot be undone, so check carefully before confirming.

## Overview

Duplicates happen—an import here, a quick manual entry there. Qualy's **Merge customers** tool consolidates them so you keep one clean, complete record per person.

## How merging works

You choose two records:

- **Will be deleted** — the duplicate. *All its data will be moved and this customer will be permanently deleted.*
- **Will be kept** — the record that survives, now holding all the combined data

Search for each one ("Search customer to delete…" and "Search customer to keep…"), review, and confirm.

**This action cannot be undone.** Merging permanently deletes the source customer. Double-check you've chosen the right record to keep before confirming.

## After merging

You'll see a **"Customers merged successfully"** confirmation. Payments, orders, subscriptions, direct debits, payouts, forms, feedback and the activity history from the deleted record now live on the customer you kept—open their Summary to confirm everything looks right.

Files uploaded on the **Documents** tab stay with the original record. If the duplicate has documents you need, download them or re-upload them to the customer you're keeping before you merge.

Prevent duplicates at the source: search for a customer before creating a new one, and keep email addresses consistent so matches are easy to spot.

## Frequently asked questions

### What does merging do?

It moves all data from one customer (the one being deleted) into another (the one being kept), leaving you with a single, complete record.

### Which record should I keep?

Usually the one with the most history or the correct identifiers. All data from the other record moves across either way, so focus on which ID and details you want to keep as the primary.

### Can I undo a merge?

No. Merging permanently deletes the source customer, so review both records carefully before you confirm.

### How do I find duplicates?

Search for the customer to delete and the customer to keep in the merge tool. Matching on email or name usually surfaces duplicates quickly.

### What happens to payments and history on the deleted record?

Payments, orders, subscriptions, direct debits, payouts, forms, feedback and the activity history all move to the record you keep, so that information isn't lost—it simply consolidates onto one customer.

### How do I avoid duplicates in the first place?

Search before creating a customer, and let Qualy flag potential matches. Consistent use of email addresses is the best safeguard.

## Prefer doing this via the Qualy API?

Head over to our developer docs for everything you need—endpoints, examples, and simple how-tos.

[View API Docs](https://docs.qualyhq.com/docs)

## More on Qualy

**Industries**

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- [Blog](/blog) — International education payments blog by Qualy
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