Resolve matched entities

When you find matching entities, you can merge them or exclude the matches from further searches. If further investigation is needed, you can copy the Match links from the Find Matching Entities pane to the chart to record the potential duplication.

The results of a Find Matching Entities search are displayed as a list of matched sets in the Find Matching Entities window. When you select a set in the Matched Sets area, the entities that are contained in the set appear as a chart fragment in the Members of Selected Set area. Links between the entities represent the matches. You can view the properties of a matched entity or link between the entities by double-clicking it in the chart fragment.

For smart matching, each link also indicates the score that is given to the match between the two entities at each end of the link. Each link contains a card that describes the reason for the resulting score. To view this information, double-click the link and open the Cards page. The card description shows which properties were examined and what contribution they made to the match score.

In the Description area, several symbols are used to indicate what contribution the properties made to the score:

+ The property made a positive contribution.
- The property made a negative contribution.
~ The property does not reinforce nor weaken the match.
! The value for the property was contradictory, for example Mr Alison SMITH.

You can use the number score and the card description to help you decide whether to merge individual matches that are found. When you merge the matching entities, the details of the source entity are retained in the merged entity for future reference.

Merging matched entities

To merge some or all of the entities in a matched set:

  1. In the Find Matching Entities pane, select the matched set in the Matched sets area.
  2. In the Members of Selected Set area, select the entity to merge into to make it the target entity. The target entity appears enlarged in the chart fragment.
  3. Add all of the entities that you want to merge into the target entity to the selection by holding down the Ctrl key as you select them in turn.
  4. Click Merge. The selected entities are merged in the chart fragment and on the chart surface. The target entity in your chart contains a card for each merged entity, which contains a description of the merge. The resulting label depends on the label merge and paste rules that are specified in the Behavior page of the Chart Properties window.

Linking matched entities on the charting surface

To copy one or more Match links in a matched set to the chart:

  1. Select the Match links in the chart fragment.
  2. Click Link. The selected Match links are copied to the chart.

The link style is distinct from the other link styles that are used in Analyst's Notebook. It has a label of Match (for Label Matching) or a label of Match (Strength: N) (for Smart Matching where N is the match score). The link contains a card, which has a description for the match.

Note:
A link is not copied to your chart if the entities are already connected with a link of type Match. It does not matter if the reason for the match in subsequent searches is different.

Excluding matches

Excluding matches is useful to record that two or more entities are not duplicates, and prevents those matches from occurring in future Find Matching Entities searches. When you exclude selected Match links, the label on the link changes to Does Not Match.

  1. Select the links on the chart fragment that you want to exclude from further Find Matching Entities searches.
  2. Click Exclude. The Match label on each selected link in the chart fragment changes to Does Not Match. These links are then also copied to the charting surface.