Functionality of Duplicate Detection and the Lead Qualification process in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011

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This article describes the functionality of using Duplicate Detection with the Lead Qualification process in Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011.

Applies to:   Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011
Original KB number:   2693711

Summary

With Update Rollup 5, a new functionality was added for Duplicate Detection to Exclude Inactive Matching Records.

More information

In this article, the scenario used is converting a Lead to an Account with Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2011. The scenario would work the same for qualifying to a Contact or Opportunity.

In any Duplicate Detection rule, if the Exclude Inactive Matching Records checkbox is marked, the Duplicate Detection rule won't check against any matching records that are inactive.

When using the Lead qualification process, the system is creating a record (Account) with duplicate information from the Lead. The orders of qualification changes are as follows:

  1. Any changes to the Lead record are committed
  2. The records to be created from Lead are created (Account)
  3. The Lead is deactivated (updated)

If using Duplicate Detection to compare fields from a Lead to an Account, the system will briefly see a duplicate created (Account), as the Account record is created before the Lead being deactivated. In this instance, a Duplicates Detected window may display with Potential duplicate records: None. It appears with no records as the transaction is rolled back when the Lead is deactivated.

If you mark the Exclude Inactive Matching Records checkbox on the Duplicate Detection rule, it will exclude the matching Lead record that is changed to inactive during the transaction, which the Account is created from. Having this checkbox marked will allow the Lead to be converted and it won't display a Duplicates Detected window.

Using the Lead qualification process, Duplicate Detection rules would be checked three times; given the rules are configured correctly.

  1. Any changes to the Lead record are committed.

    a. Duplicate Detection will check Leads matched to other leads.

  2. The Accounts to be created from Lead are created.

    b. Duplicate Detection will check Accounts matched to other Accounts.

  3. The Lead is deactivated (updated).

    c. Duplicate detection will check the Lead that matches to any Accounts, including the Account created during the qualification process.

The letters below contain explanations and correlate to the letters above:

  1. If there is already a Lead that matches the Lead and the changes being committed, it would be displayed in a Duplicates Detected window with results since both records exist in the database after the transaction rolls back.
  2. If there's already an Account that matches the Account being created during the qualification process, it would be displayed in a Duplicates Detected window; however, it would show Potential duplicate records: None, since the Account being created from the qualification process would be rolled back. The Lead would be shown and this is by design.
  3. Since an Account that matches the Lead is created during the qualification process, it would be displayed in a Duplicates Detected window; however, it would show Potential duplicate records: None, shown since the Account that was inserted had the transaction rolled back.