You can unmerge any source record that must not be associated with a particular master record. If an unmerged record reverts to a business ID it had before merging into its master record, the system restores the relationships associated with that business ID as if the merge didn't occur.
When you unmerge a source record, you can choose to unmerge relevant patch records. If a patch record isn’t enabled for selection after you select a source record to unmerge, it implies that the patch record is irrelevant to the selected source record. You can't unmerge patch records without unmerging the associated source records. The unmerged source and patch records are merged into a single master record.
You can choose whether source records that you unmerge from a master record can merge back into the same master record during a match and merge job. However, even if you don't allow the records to merge back, the records can merge back in some scenarios.
Unmerged source records can merge back in the following scenarios:
•If you edit an unmerged record and a patch record is generated, or the unmerged record is merged with a different record, the unmerged record can merge back into the same master record through a match and merge job.
For example, if you unmerge the source record John from the master record Jonathan, and then edit John, a patch record is generated for John. John can merge into Jonathan through a match and merge job.
•If an unmerged record and its former master record both match another record, the unmerged record can merge back into the master record.
For example, you unmerge the source record Sara from the master record Sarah. When a match and merge job runs, the record Sierra matches with Sara and Sarah. Sara can merge back into Sarah along with Sierra.
•If unmerged records are manually merged into their master record, they can merge back into the same master record when a match and merge job runs.
For example, you manually merge the source record Will into the master record Williams, and then unmerge Will from Williams. Will can merge into Williams through a match and merge job.
If unmerged records are merged into their master record during a match and merge job and you don't allow the records to merge back, the records don't merge back into the same master record automatically. This behavior continues even if you update match fields for any of the records.
For example, the source record Ricardo merges into the master record Richard through a match and merge job because both records share the same value for the address field. You unmerge Ricardo from Richard and choose for Ricardo to not merge back automatically. Ricardo and Richard don't merge back through a match and merge job even if you update the address for one or both of these records.
Unmerging source records
You can unmerge any source record that must not be associated with a particular master record. When you unmerge multiple source records from a master record, you can unmerge them into separate master records or merge them into a single master record.
1From the search results, open the record.
The record appears on the Record Details page.
2Click the Source Records tab.
The master record and the associated source records appear.
3To understand the best version of truth, review trust score and survivorship criteria.
aIf you use the new experience, enable Survivorship details.
bIf you use the classic experience, select the option to show or hide trust score and survivorship criteria from the Settings menu.
4If you use the new experience, hover over the record that you want to unmerge and click Actions > Unmerge.
The source record is selected.
5If you use the classic experience, click Actions > Unmerge Records.
6If you use the new experience, select any additional source records, or a combination of source records and relevant patch records that you want to unmerge.
7If you use the classic experience, select the source records, or a combination of source records and relevant patch records that you want to unmerge.
8Click Unmerge.
The Unmerge Records dialog box appears.
9If you selected a single source record or a combination of source records and relevant patch records in step 6 or 7, proceed to step 13.
10If you selected multiple source records and no patch records in step 6 or 7, select one of the following options:
Option
Description
Unmerge into separate master records
Unmerges each source record into a separate master record.
Unmerge into a single master record
Unmerges all the selected records and merges them into a single master record.
11If you use the new experience, select whether to open the new master records after unmerge.
12Select whether to allow the unmerged records to merge back into the master record through match and merge jobs.
By default, unmerged records don't merge back automatically. If needed, you can manually merge the unmerged records into the master record later.
13Perform one of the following actions:
Action
Description
Unmerge
Unmerges the selected records into a single master record or multiple master records without requiring any approval, and the unmerged records remain in the active state.
Based on your user role privileges, if approval isn't required, the Unmerge action is available.
Send for Approval
Sends the unmerge proposal for approval and retains the selected records in the active state. After an approver approves the proposal, the records are unmerged.
Based on your user role privileges, if approval is required or optional, the Send for Approval action is available.