Matching methods and matching criteria
Key Takeaway
The biggest choice in matching criteria is the matching method. The exact matching method works on almost any field, including custom fields, and Salesforce recommends it for international data. Fuzzy matching methods find approximate matches on commonly used standard fields on accounts, contacts, and leads.
A matching rule decides whether a new or edited record looks like a record that already exists. It does this by comparing the same field on both records. Its matching criteria set which fields to compare and how strictly. Duplicate rules and duplicate jobs use matching rules to flag potential duplicates.
What matching rules and matching criteria are
A matching rule applies matching criteria to judge how closely a field on a new or edited record matches the same field on an existing record. Standard matching rules come with predefined matching criteria. In a custom matching rule, you define the matching criteria yourself.
Matching criteria have these parts:
| Part | Description |
|---|---|
| Field | Sets which field to compare |
| Matching method | Sets how the field is compared: exact or fuzzy |
| Match Blank Fields | Sets how blank fields count |
| Match key | A formula that speeds up detection |
| Matching algorithm | The logic that decides a match |
| Scoring method | Combines the algorithm scores into one score |
| Threshold | The minimum score that counts as a match |