Online applications: Duplicate check for contacts should check email address

When using IGAM application forms and pulling applications into the system, the matching logic does a duplicate check against the organisation and contacts...


The current contact matching logic, matches the contact First name, Middle name, Last name and Telephone number.


It would be a good idea to add email address to this matching logic.


We recently had an application pulled through - the primary contact already exisited in the system via a previous request - but we had another contact with exactly the same name - and it suggested the wrong match (The telephone number did not match - but it still suggested the incorrect one)


I appreciate the duplicate check should be double checked, but in this instance it went through and its caused us a bit of an issue. This check would be much more reliable if the email address was also matched. This is especially important from the last year of people working from home and therefore not nessarily having the same phone number but still having a work/ same email.

  • Louisa Robinson
  • Jun 22 2021
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    Brenda Noiseux commented
    06 Sep 17:25

    This functionality is now available with latest updates to the Applicant and Grantee Portal. https://community.blackbaud.com/blogs/108/9692

  • Gail Lewry commented
    June 29, 2021 01:17

    Yes, more work on the matching please. Like MHT I have no faith at all in the duplicate check. I always double check when it comes up with no match. The person may be in the system but if the phone number has changed (they moved to another organisation, or swapped landline to mobile or new landline - very often with university contacts) they may not be listed. The system should list anyone with a matching name irrespective of the phone number. You can still get more than one person with the same name but at least it's a start and you can avoid adding in duplicates.

    I have lost count of the number of times this has happened - it has just become another thing that we get used to...

  • Guest commented
    June 23, 2021 16:11

    The matching needs work all around - I never trust it, because routinely we have people who we know are in the system and it doesn't catch them.