Find Duplicates Command

This page explains how to use the Find Duplicates command to "clean up" duplicate records. This feature is very useful if you have many records that you use for mailing lists, with some possibility of having multiple copies for some records. In Goldenseal accounting software, you can also use this command to find duplicate check numbers or invoice numbers.

NOTE-- The Find Duplicates command is included in all versions of Goldenseal business accounting software.

Find Duplicates

The Find Duplicates command shows you just those records that have identical values in a field. It will help you to find duplicate check numbers, duplicate addresses, or other duplicate records that may have been created accidentally.

NOTE-- The Find Duplicates command only finds duplicates within the current found set. To find all duplicate records, use the Find All command first.

To find duplicates, follow these steps:

1. Choose Find Duplicates from the Edit menu.
2. You'll see a list of fields in this type of record. Choose the field you'd like to use, then hit OK.
3. Only records that have a duplicate value in that field will be shown. The duplicate records are sorted into ascending order, so duplicates will be next to each other.

Viewing Duplicate Records

If you have just a few duplicate records to check, you can use the Browser Control to leaf through them.

If you have many duplicates, use a Report to view them all, in compact form.

For example, if you are purging duplicates from a mailing list of Prospects, start the purge by doing the following:

1. Choose Prospects from the Income menu.
2. Choose Find All from the Edit menu.
3. Choose Find Duplicates from the Edit menu.
4. Choose Zip Code/Postal Code from the list of fields to check, then click OK.
5. Goldenseal will find all records that have a duplicate zip/postal code.

Once you have found duplicates, do the following to view them:

1. Choose Contacts from the Reports menu, and choose Prospects from the submenu.
2. Turn on the More Details checkbox.
3. Enter Found Items into the Item Range popup field, and enter Simple List into the Breakdown popup field.
4. Click the Update button to fill in values.
5. Click the Sort button, and choose Zip Code/Postal Code as the sort column.
6. Click OK.
7. Goldenseal will show a list of records with duplicated zip codes, with the potential duplicates close together.
8. If you see an item that has been duplicated, double-click on it. Goldenseal will open to that record, so you can delete it, or change its status to Void.

HINT-- When purging duplicates for a mailing list, it helps to Find Duplicate Records using the name, street, town and zip code fields (and maybe also the contact person).

Finding Unique Records

To find unique (non-duplicate) records, follow these steps:

1. Choose Find Duplicates from the Edit menu, and enter the field you'd like to use.
2. You'll see a list of fields in this type of record. Choose the field you'd like to use, then hit OK.
3. Choose Skip from the Edit menu and choose All Found Items from the submenu.

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