Duplicate record processing

• US 20080243967A1
• Filed: 03/29/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Agarwal, Abhishek, Mukhija, Nitin, Bhatia, Rohit, Kumar, Subodh
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,508 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24556 Aggregation; Duplicate elimination

Abstract

Duplicate record processing is enabled employing on customizable rules. Detected duplicate records are merged, deleted, deactivated, or moved based on one or more sets of customizable rules. Different rule sets may be used for each record type, or a rule set reused for different records. Hierarchical relationships between master and child records are adjusted upon duplicate processing based on rules and/or record attributes.

Claims

1. A method to be executed at least in part in a computing device for processing duplicate records, the method comprising:

in response to detecting a duplicate record, determining at least one applicable rule for processing the duplicate record;

applying the applicable rule to the duplicate record;

if the duplicate record is to be eliminated, eliminating the duplicate record and adjusting a data relationship between the duplicate record and associated records; and

storing the adjusted relationship between the duplicate record and the associated records by modifying an attribute of each of the associated records.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of records for processing; and

applying the applicable rule to the detected duplicate record as the records are being received.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a plurality of records for processing; and

applying the applicable rule to the detected duplicate record after at least a portion of the received records are stored.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein eliminating the duplicate record includes one of deleting, deactivating, and moving the duplicate record.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein eliminating the duplicate record further includes merging the duplicate record with another record.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

providing a notification to a user based on an operation performed on the duplicate record.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the notification is provided by one of:

an electronic mail, an instant message, a facsimile, a voicemail, and an on-screen alert.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the relationship between the duplicate record and the associated records includes assigning a new master record to at least one child record based on at least one of:

the applicable rule and an attribute of the at least one child record.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein adjusting the relationship between the duplicate record and the associated records includes modifying a status of a child record to a master record based on at least one of:

the applicable rule and an attribute of the child record.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the applicable rule includes one of:

merge duplicate records of same type keeping most recently modified record as active and deactivating remaining duplicate records;

merge duplicate records of same type keeping most recently modified active record as active and deactivating remaining duplicate records; and

merge duplicate records of same type keeping most a record with a maximum number of business relevant fields as active and deactivating remaining duplicate records.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the applicable rule includes one of:

delete duplicate records of a base type;

delete duplicate records of a matching type;

deactivate duplicate records of a base type; and

deactivate duplicate records of a matching type.

12. A system for processing duplicate records, comprising:

a memory;

a processor coupled to the memory, wherein the processor is configured to execute program modules including;

a duplicate detection engine for detecting duplicate records in a plurality of received records;

a duplicate processing engine for determining at least one applicable rule for processing a detected duplicate record, applying the applicable rule to the detected duplicate record, and eliminating the duplicate record and adjusting a data relationship between the duplicate record and associated records if the duplicate record is to be eliminated; and

a records data store for storing processed records and the adjusted relationship between the duplicate record and the associated records through a modified attribute of each of the associated records.

13. The system of claim 12, further comprising a rules data store to store a plurality of predefined rules, wherein the predefined rules are customizable by a user.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein records data store and the rules data store comprise one of a relational database, a dimensional database, and a spreadsheet.

15. The system of claim 12, further comprising a record intake module for receiving the plurality of records from one of a record generation application and the records data store.

16. The system of claim 12, further comprising a notification module configured to:

provide a notification to a user based on one of a delete, a deactivation, and a move operation performed on the duplicate record by at least one of;

an electronic mail, an instant message, a facsimile, a voicemail, and an on-screen alert; and

provide notification to the user regarding duplicate records moved to a duplicate record queue to enable the user to review and determine an action on the duplicate records moved to the duplicate record queue.

17. The system of claim 12, wherein the duplicate processing engine is further configured to adjust the relationship between the duplicate record and the associated records by one of:

assigning a new master record to at least one child record and modify a status of a child record to a master record based on at least one of;

the applicable rule and an attribute of the child record.

18. A computer-readable storage medium with instructions stored thereon for processing duplicate records, the instructions comprising:

receiving a plurality of records for processing;

in response to detecting a duplicate record among the plurality of records, determining at least one applicable rule for processing the duplicate record;

applying the applicable rule to the detected duplicate record after at least a portion of the received records are stored, wherein applying the applicable rule includes performing one of a delete, a deactivate, a move, and a merge operation on the detected duplicate record;

adjusting a data relationship between the processed duplicate record and associated records;

providing a notification to a user based on the operation performed on the duplicate record; and

storing processed records, wherein the adjusted relationship between the duplicate record and the associated records is preserved by modifying an attribute of each of the associated records.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein the instructions further comprise enabling a user to perform one of:

setting an attribute level preference for retaining relevant information from a plurality of duplicate records into a single record and defining a default value for at least one attribute.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19, wherein the applicable rule is a customizable rule associated with a type of the duplicate record.