How Does Golden Avoid Creating Duplicate Records in Blackbaud CRM?

Golden uses a multi-step deduplication process to ensure we don't create duplicate constituent records in your Blackbaud CRM system. Here's how it works:

Step 1: Golden Volunteer ID Lookup

First, Golden searches for a constituent using the volunteer's Golden ID as an alternate lookup ID in CRM. If a match is found, Golden updates that existing constituent record instead of creating a new one.

Step 2: Email-Based Matching (Default)

If no match is found by Golden ID, Golden searches for constituents using the volunteer's email address. If exactly one constituent is found with that email, Golden will update that record instead of creating a new one.

Step 3: Email and Name Matching (Optional)

You can enable an additional layer of matching by checking the "Deduplicate using name and email" setting in your Blackbaud CRM integration settings. When enabled, Golden will search for constituents using both the email address and full name (with fuzzy matching on the name). This helps prevent duplicates when multiple people share an email address or when name variations exist.

Important Notes:

Golden will only match and update a constituent if exactly one match is found. If multiple potential matches are returned, Golden will create a new constituent record to avoid updating the wrong person's information.

During the search process, Golden excludes any constituents that already have a Golden Volunteer ID attached to them, ensuring we don't accidentally link one volunteer to another volunteer's existing CRM record.