Merging Databases in ACT 2000 1

[jonti]

Hi

I have over the years set up a number of databases in ACT! My current version is 2000 (5.0.0.178)

Now I would like to merge or append all of these into one database, but I would also like to have every contact included - even if it is a duplicate.

I plan then to manually examine my duplicates and see why and from which original databases they came from and then make decisions about their value and status.

I have tried merging these without the duplicate scan checked but still ACT! seems to want to filter the lists and avoid repeating some of the entries in to the new single "all merged" list.

How can I do what I want, or do I have to export to something like Access, then append the data and then import into ACT! again. (If so how would I do this?)

Help I am getting into a muddle!

Cheers!

Jonti

 

[Storyteller]

Hello jonti,
If all you are concerned about is the basic contact information and not the Notes/History I would suggest you export the data from each of the ACT! databases to a text file and then import each into Excel.

Once in Excel you can sort and filter to determine where the duplicates are and then decide what to do. Once cleaned up you would then resave as a text file then import it into ACT!

With regards to ACT! removing duplicates even after you have removed the checkmark from "enable duplicate checking" I would change the fields that ACT "Match Duplicates using" criteria to fields that you know do not contain duplicate values. But be sure to change the criteria back to the original values once you have finished otherwise you will be in trouble later on.

Regards,
Michael