This article covers how to spot duplicate customers in Adfin, how to merge them, and how to keep them from showing up again.
There are two ways to merge: from Merge suggestions, where Adfin surfaces likely duplicates automatically, or by selecting customers yourself in the Customers list. The merge dialog is the same in both cases.
If Adfin has spotted a duplicate
Adfin checks your customer list for likely duplicates. When it finds candidates, a Purple Merge suggestions card appears in the bottom-left of the side menu.
Click the card to open the suggestions panel and work through the groups one at a time. For each group, Adfin shows the customer records side by side so you can compare names, emails, balances, and connected accounts before deciding.
If a group looks like a real duplicate, work through the merge dialog (see "Choosing what to keep" below). If it doesn't, click Dismiss this group and Adfin will leave those customers alone.
If you've spotted a duplicate yourself
When you can already see two records that should be one (for example, after an import or when a customer's been added under a slightly different name) you can merge them directly from the Customers list.
Go to Customers in the side menu.
Tick the records you want to merge. You can select two or more, up to 50 at a time.
Click Merge customer profiles in the action bar at the bottom of the screen.
Choosing what to keep
However you opened it, the merge dialog gives you three pick-and-mix choices. You can take one piece from each record; they don't all have to come from the same place.
The customer profile to keep. The one you pick becomes the surviving record. The others are archived.
The Direct Debit mandate to keep (only if more than one of the records has one). Adfin will keep that mandate active on the surviving record and cancel the others at the bank.
The accounting connection to keep (Xero or QuickBooks). If more than one record is linked to your accounting software, choose which link carries over.
When you're happy with the selections, click Merge & retain selected records.
Heads up: a merge cannot be undone. Only proceed if you are sure 🚨
What happens after a merge
Invoices and payment requests from every merged record move onto the surviving profile.
The mandate you kept stays active on the surviving profile and collections continue as scheduled.
Other mandates are cancelled at the bank.
The records you merged away are archived with a "merged" label. They stay searchable in the Customers list, but they can't take new payments.
The activity log on the surviving customer shows the merge with a link back to the archived records.
About your accounting software: the merge only applies in Adfin. We can't merge customer data in Xero or QuickBooks. If you want the records combined there too, please merge in your accounting software directly.
Stopping duplicates appearing
Duplicates usually appear when data arrives in Adfin in the wrong order. If you start a Direct Debit mandate migration before connecting Xero or QuickBooks, Adfin can end up creating customer records that already exist in your accounting software.
Two things help:
Connect Xero or QuickBooks and import your customers before starting a mandate migration.
Keep customer names and emails consistent between Adfin and your accounting software so future imports match cleanly.
Common questions
Can I merge more than two customers at once? Yes. Up to 50 records in one go from the Customers list.
What if both records have an active mandate? You'll be asked which one to keep during the merge. The other gets cancelled at the bank.
Can I un-merge? No. A merge can't be reversed, so check the choices in the dialog before confirming.
Will my customer see anything? No. Merging is silent on the payer side. Existing payment links and collection emails carry on as normal.
Where did the archived customer go? It's still in your Customers list, filterable by status. You can open the old record to see its history, but it can't take new payments.
Will the merge also apply in Xero or QuickBooks? No. The merge happens in Adfin only. We can't merge customer data in your accounting software for you.