Identity Resolution: How does the D&B CDP match and merge records?

The CDP uses Identity Resolution to match and merge accounts and contacts across multiple systems. The Matching process detects if accounts and contacts across multiple systems represent the same account or contact. 

How does the D&B CDP match records?

The D&B CDP can match records based on ID or using D&B Identity Resolution.

(1) The first match step is deterministic matching based on an ID. If two systems share an ID in common the records will be matched and merged together. Please note a contact must first match to the same account as an existing contact in order to merge with that contact.

(2) Where a system or a record within a system does not have a matching ID the CDP will rely on other data available to determine the match. The following documentation outlines the Identity Resolution matching process.

Waterfall for Matching Accounts to other Accounts using Identity Resolution 

1. If Domain/Website and Country is available, the CDP attempts to find a matching account with the exact Domain/Website and Country. If country is not provided, the system will assume that the country is USA.
2. Next, the CDP tries to find a matching account with the exact name and country.
3. Next, if the new system provides a D-U-N-S Number, the CDP uses it to find a matching account with the same D-U-N-S Number.
4. Next, the CDP uses fuzzy matching using Name, Website, and location information to find a matching account.

Considerations for matching account records to the CDP: 

1. You are not required to have a D-U-N-S Number on your records to be able to match to data in the CDP. If your record does not have a D-U-N-S Number, we will use other information in the match waterfall to match your records.
2. The order of the match waterfall is not configurable, meaning the order cannot be changed. 

Waterfall for Matching Contacts using Identity Resolution 

Contact to Account Match

1. Exact match using account information
2. Exact match using email domain

Contact to Contact Match

1. Your D&B CDP does an exact match using the exact Email and account Information.
2. Next, the CDP does an exact match using the exact First Name, Last Name & account Information.
3. Next, the CDP does an exact match using Email to find a matching contact.
4. Finally, the CDP does an exact match using First Name, Last Name and Phone to find a matching contact.

Considerations for matching contact records to the CDP: 

1. Contact records go through Account matching first before Contact matching.
2. The order of the match waterfall is not configurable, meaning the order cannot be changed. 

The Merging process involves ensuring the value in the customer master is from the system that is most accurate. Any new data coming in to your D&B CDP first goes through the matching process. If the system finds a match, the CDP merges the new account or contact to the customer master.

Where there are conflicts, the merging process will use the system with the highest priority and keep this information over other lower priority systems.