For any growing charity, data chaos is a silent killer. As your donor database expands, so do the headaches—duplicate contacts, fragmented donation histories, and the risk of missing key stewardship moments. When every supporter counts, the inability to see a full, accurate picture of your relationships undermines fundraising, reporting, and ultimately, your mission.

The Real Pain: Duplicate Contacts and Data Hygiene in Donor Management

Let’s get specific about the jobs to be done—and what’s at stake when your donor management software or database isn’t optimized for clean donor data:

      • Understanding Donor Journeys:Fragmented profiles in your donor database make it impossible to track a supporter’s true history, leading to missed opportunities for engagement and recognition.
      • Efficient Stewardship: When team members see multiple versions of the same donor, communications get duplicated or lost, and stewardship efforts become inconsistent.
      • Accurate Reporting: Duplicate contacts distort your donor metrics, making it harder to measure impact, segment audiences, or report to your board.
      • Operational Efficiency: Hours spent cleaning up contact lists are hours not spent on fundraising, program delivery, or building relationships

For a scaling charity, these aren’t just technical annoyances—they’re bottlenecks that can stall growth and erode trust.

The Solution: Contact Merge for Donor Data Management

That’s why a robust contact merge tool isn’t a “nice-to-have”—it’s essential for any organization moving from spreadsheets to dedicated donor management software. The ability to quickly and confidently merge duplicate contacts means:

        • One source of truth for every supporter in your donor database
        • Streamlined donation and communication histories
        • More reliable analytics and reporting
        • Less manual cleanup, more time for mission-driven work

How Contact Merge Works in Ensemble’s Donor Management Software

With Ensemble’s new Contact Merge feature, cleaning up your donor database is straightforward:

          • Select Contacts to Merge: In the contact list view, select 1–3 contacts that appear to be duplicates. Click the “Bulk Actions” dropdown and choose “Merge contacts.”
          • Review and Choose Data: In the Contact Merge view, you’ll see all selected records side-by-side. Step 1: Select which data to keep for each field and preview the final, merged contact. Step 2: Choose the primary contact information (email, phone, address), with another chance to preview the result.
          • Merge and Done: Click “Merge!” to combine the records. Once complete, you’re taken to the new, unified profile—complete with all donation history and notes.

Important Considerations for Charities

          • Merges are permanent: Once merged, the action cannot be undone. The result is a new, consolidated profile.
          • Data integrity: All donation information and notes are transferred automatically—nothing gets left behind.
          • Contact type rules: Only contacts of the same type (Individual, Household, Organization) can be merged.
          • CanadaHelps data: CanadaHelps contacts can be merged with Ensemble-added contacts, but not with other CanadaHelps contacts.

Why This Matters for Scaling Charities Using Donor Management Software

Contact Merge isn’t just a technical upgrade—it’s a practical solution to a real-world challenge in donor data management. By eliminating duplicate contacts, you improve data quality, streamline communications, and free up valuable time for what matters most: building stronger donor relationships and driving your mission forward.

Ready to Get Started with Ensemble?

If you’re already an Ensemble user: Log in to your account and try Contact Merge today. Clean up your donor database and experience the difference streamlined data can make for your organization.

If you’re new to Ensemble: Curious about how Ensemble can simplify donor management for your charity? Start a free trial and see the power of features like Contact Merge in action for your fundraising team.

Start a Free Trial for Ensemble

See how it can help you manage contact, donor communications, receipting, and more in one secure platform built for Canadian charities.

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Contact Merge in Ensemble

How do I merge duplicate contacts in my donor database?

To merge duplicate contacts in Ensemble, go to your contact list view and select up to three contacts that you want to combine. Click the “Bulk Actions” dropdown and choose “Merge contacts.” You’ll enter the Contact Merge view, where you can review all selected records side-by-side, pick which data to keep for each field, and preview the final, unified contact before confirming the merge.

What happens to donation history and notes when I merge contacts?

All donation information and notes from the merged contacts are automatically combined into the new, unified profile. Nothing gets lost in the process—your donor database remains complete and accurate.

Can I undo a contact merge in Ensemble?

No, once you merge contacts in Ensemble, the action is permanent. The selected contacts are consolidated into a new profile, and the previous separate records are removed. Always review and preview the final contact before confirming the merge.

Are there any restrictions on which contacts can be merged?

Yes, only contacts of the same type (Individual, Household, or Organization) can be merged together. Additionally, CanadaHelps contacts can be merged with Ensemble-added contacts, but not with other CanadaHelps contacts.

Why is clean donor data important for my charity?

Clean donor data ensures you have a single, accurate record for each supporter, which improves stewardship, reporting, and fundraising efficiency. Eliminating duplicate contacts helps your team avoid communication errors, streamline operations, and build stronger donor relationships.