Merge outcomes

AD
DM
DS

Network MDM includes the ability to merge duplicate records to retain high data quality. When two records are identified as duplicates of each other, they are merged together. One is denoted as the loser and the other the winner.

The following sections detail merge outcomes by ownership at the record and field level.

Merges by data stewards

The following table illustrates outcomes for merges initiated by data stewards.

The columns indicate the ownership (orange - Veeva-owned, gray - customer owned) for both the winning and losing record.

The rows indicate the ownership of all fields and records associated with the merge, along with the merge outcome for each.

Fields / Keys
Winner (Orange)
Loser (Orange)
Winner (Orange)
Loser (Gray)
Winner (Gray)
Loser (Gray)
Veeva-Managed Fields (Orange) Orange values persist3 -
Customer Fields (Gray) Winner persists unless empty1 Winner values persist
Child Records (Address, License, Parent HCO) Match losers and winners and merge duplicates2 Match losers and winners and merge duplicates
Custom Keys Retain winning keys and copy losing keys to winner
Notes

1 Values explicitly set to NULL will persist; empty or blank values will not.

2 Prevent gray records via: job.merge.allowCustomerOwnedChildren = "false"

3 Managed by Veeva OpenData; customer edits do not persist over Veeva values.

Automatic merges

The following table illustrates outcomes for automatic merges.

The columns indicate the ownership (orange - Veeva-owned, gray - customer owned) for both the winning and losing record.

The rows indicate the ownership of all fields and records associated with the merge, along with the merge outcome for each.

Fields / Keys
Winner (Orange)
Loser (Orange)
Winner (Orange)
Loser (Gray)
Winner (Gray)
Loser (Gray)
Veeva-Managed Fields (Orange) -1 Orange values persist -
Customer Fields (Gray) Value from more trusted source retained2
Child Records (Address, License, Parent HCO) -1 Match losers and winners and merge duplicates3 Match losers and winners and merge duplicates
Custom Keys Retain winning keys and copy losing keys to winner
Notes

1 Not applicable: Managed by Veeva OpenData.

2 If values are from the same source, the newer value is retained.

3 Prevent gray records via: job.merge.allowCustomerOwnedChildren = "false"

Veeva OpenData records

The following table illustrates outcomes based on merge actions affecting Veeva-owned (orange) records. In the Veeva OpenData master instance, Record A is merged into Record B.

Customer Instance Prior to Merge User Action (Manual/DCR) Outcome
Losing Record A exists User updates Record A
  • Record A is updated and flagged as merge loser.
  • Winning Record B is automatically downloaded.
  • Accessing Record A profile automatically redirects/displays Record B.
Winning Record B exists User updates Record B
  • Winning Record B is updated.
  • Record A is not downloaded to the instance.
Both Record A and Record B exist User updates Record A
  • Record A is updated and flagged as a merge loser.
  • Record B is updated.
  • Accessing Record A displays Record B.
Both Record A and Record B exist User updates Record B
  • Winning Record B is updated.
  • Record A is updated and flagged as a merge loser.
  • Accessing Record A displays Record B.