Merging records

What happens to my records?

Every merge folds the other records of a set into one record that stays, the one marked Selected to remain while you review. The other records merge into it in Attio. Nothing changes in Attio until an approved merge runs.

The merge comparison, titled "What each record holds, and what the merge keeps", shows every record's value for each field and the expected result. The rule for single-value fields: the record that stays keeps its value, and an empty value is filled from another record. Each source cell says what becomes of its value:

Example: a proposed merge

Illustrative data only. Two People records for the same person, where Job title is one of the workspace's Important fields (see Important and protected fields):

The empty LinkedIn value is filled without any action from you. Head of Revenue would be lost, so the merge waits for a person to review it. If you would rather keep the other record's values, choose Use this record on it while reviewing; which values survive changes with it.

How do I approve multiple merges?

1. Build a merge plan. On the Sets tab, select the sets you want and press Merge, or filter a view, such as Ready to merge, and use Select all. Your plan is kept if you leave the page, so you can come back to it from the Sets tab.
2. Check the exceptions. The plan lists one row per merge and shows the ones that need a person first. Rows read, for example, Ready, Needs review, Can't merge or Skipped. Open a flagged merge to review it in a panel beside the table, correct it, then approve or skip it without leaving the plan.
3. Approve the ready merges. The confirmation states how many records will be consolidated into how many, whether any merges contain reviewed field conflicts, and when merging starts. Merges that are not ready stay in the plan for later.
4. Follow progress. The progress page backs up the records, counts down the cancellation window, then shows each merge as it runs. Every merge is recorded on the Activity tab.

A merge that fails is listed on Merge attempts to check with the reason it did not merge. Some failures offer Retry this record. When Attio does not confirm whether a record merged, the row reads Outcome not confirmed: check the record in Attio before you approve it again.

What protects me if something is wrong?

Who can approve

A workspace admin, or a member with the Approve merges permission, who must also be a member of the connected Attio workspace. Permission and the Attio connection are checked again when the merges run: if the approver can no longer approve, the approval is withdrawn and nothing is written.

Important and protected fields

Both lists are chosen per object in Settings, from your workspace's own fields.

• Important fields send a merge to review. A merge that would lose a value in one, or whose records hold different values there, needs review before it can be approved.
• Protected fields stop a merge. No one can approve a merge that would lose a value in one; it shows as Can't merge. Use them for IDs other tools rely on, such as a CRM, billing or account ID. Fields that hold several values, link records, are filled by Attio, or have several parts (a name, an address) cannot be protected.

Large sets

Two workspace settings under Merge safeguards treat large sets differently. A workspace admin can change or switch off each one.

• Review sets larger than sends larger sets to Needs attention. They need review before they merge.
• Maximum set size is not a hard limit. A larger set is held for review and shows Needs additional review. To merge it, you tick "I reviewed this set and want to merge all N records." and press Approve large merge. You can also merge only some of its records.
• Your plan also sets a per-merge limit. That one is a hard stop: a set over it shows Cannot merge and the limit cannot be overridden.

Checks before anything is written

• If a set changed after you reviewed it, nothing is approved. Reload and review it again.
• Just before each merge, the records are read from Attio again and your protected fields and Not duplicate decisions are checked again. On a conflict, that merge is not sent and stays in your plan so you can review it.

Cancellation window

The Cancellation window delays merges after approval so you can cancel before anything reaches Attio. It is on by default; a workspace admin can choose a length from 15 seconds to 10 minutes or switch it off, in which case approved merges run as soon as they are approved. The progress page shows "Merging starts in" with the time left, and nothing has been written to Attio until it ends. Anyone who can approve merges can cancel them. Once merging has started, Cancel remaining merges stops only the merges that have not started yet.

Pre-merge backup

With Back up records before merging on (Settings » Merge backups), a backup of every record in an approved merge, including the record that stays, is taken before merging begins. It is on by default, and the approval confirmation says "A pre-merge backup will be created before merging begins."

• What it holds. A copy of each record's field values, plus the IDs of related Attio data: list entries, comment threads, notes, tasks, files and folders, meetings, call recordings, and the records and list entries that point at the record. It holds IDs, not the contents of notes, files or other attached items. This is meant to help you see what each record held and which related items belonged to which original record.
• What it may leave out. A kind of related data your Attio connection was never granted access to is left out, and the confirmation names it before you approve. If a granted read fails, that merge does not run and nothing is merged; you can try again.
• Where to find it. Download merge backup on the merge's progress page holds every merge of that approval and shows the date it is available until. On the Activity tab, Download the records before this merge gives one merge's records. How long backups are kept is in the Privacy Policy.
• Skipping or turning it off. While a backup is running, Merge without a backup on the progress page skips it for that approval's remaining merges only. Turning the setting off, which anyone who can merge records can do, deletes every saved backup for the workspace. Merges then run without one, and the confirmation says who turned backups off and when. With backups off, you can still download an IDs-only file of what is attached to the records before you approve; Neon Deer keeps nothing.