As multiple channel contacts are added to the Acoustic Campaign database, it is critical to have a single identity for each contact. Programs recognizes when a contact merge occurs, places the winning contact into the proper place, exits the other contact records, and retains any program participation history for all related merged contacts. In programs, these counts are shown as part of the removed contacts total in the programs insight overview panel.

The merge feature is important to cross-channel, multiple database, and CRM users who are building an automated omni-channel marketing campaign.

Scenarios that can occur when a contact is in a program and a merge is initiated in the database:

Scenario 1: The merged contact is in a program

The merged (winning) contact is in a program and at least one of the other contacts were or is in the program, when the merge is run:

• The winning contact receives the program behavior history of all contacts (keeps their own plus history of others).
• The winner remains in the program.
• The other contacts are exited from the program.

Scenario 2: The merged contact is not currently in the program

At least one of the non-winning contacts is in a program and the winning contact is not currently in the program when the merge is run:

• The winning contact receives the program behavior history of the contact that was in the program the longest for current participation (keeps their own history, plus the others history).
• The winner adopts the participation at the present track/step of the “longest” participant contact (as if the winner was there all along).
• The remaining contacts are exited from the program.

Scenario 3: None of the merging contacts is in a program

If none of the merging contacts is in a program, who is the winner? Which participation is considered for repeat if a repeating program is being used? When the merge is run:

• It uses the participation of the most recently exited contact, who inherits the history of the others.
• If it is a repeating program that uses the most recently exited participation, it prevents the previous participation history from causing the other contacts to reenter.