Merging matched link records

You can merge matching link records on the chart. This means that duplicate information is removed, preserving the data you need and improving chart readability.

When you activate and run match rules for link records, Analyst's Notebook returns the results in the Links tab of the Find Matching Records window. The property values of the records in each unresolved match set are displayed in a table, with matches and clashes indicated by different icons. Link match sets are listed using the linked end records as identifiers, for example associate links between Ben Steele and John Smith use both names in the match set list. Links are matched only between the same pair of ends.

Entities might have multiple matching links representing calls, relationships and other connections, that you can analyze in the Find Matching Records window. You can decide to keep the links that you need to see, and merge others to reduce duplication and improve the look of your chart. You cannot unite any link records.

Note: If you make changes to records on the chart or delete records after finding matches, you might need to run Find Matching Records again. Analyst’s Notebook detects the changes and displays a message on the Find Matching Records window. The Label row updates to show the stale or deleted records. These records cannot be selected or chosen as target records.
To merge link records:
  1. Click an unresolved match set from the list in the Find Matching Records window.
    The records in the match set display in a table and the corresponding items are also selected on the chart.
  2. Click the radio button in the Target row to select the link record you want to keep.
  3. Click Merge records to bring the link records together.
    When links are merged, source references and new notes (notes that have not previously been uploaded), are copied into the target record up to a limit. Analyst's Notebook displays a message telling you when this number has been reached and that some merged records might not contain all their notes and source references. If you are concerned about losing data, you should undo this action and curate the records you want to merge before repeating Merge Records. Additionally, you could contact your system administrator and have the count limits increased for notes and source references.

Link records are merged on the chart surface, and the target record keeps both its record identifier and security level. If the target record has blank properties, it is enriched with data from the most recently uploaded merged record. All unique source references, source ids and new notes are copied to the target record, up to the server count limit. Although the link records are no longer visible on the chart, they are not deleted from the Information Store. You can also use the Merge Records function in the Match group on the Analyze tab, to easily bring link records together.