Welcome to the Quick Start section of the Record Linkage Help Center!
To ensure that the Record Linkage process runs smoothly, a few basic steps must be taken. This guide shows you how to lay the foundation for successful data linkage.
Table of Contents
Why is Record Linkage necessary?
Record Linkage is necessary to correctly merge data records from different sources that refer to the same entity (person or company). The goal is to identify duplicates and create a consistent view of the customer or object. The result is what is known as the Golden Record: a single, reliable, and complete version of the truth that combines all relevant attributes. If you would like to read more about the Golden Record, click here.
Creating a relationship between source and target modules
This step forms the foundation of the entire project. The primary objective is to link datasets. To do so, you must manually create a relationship between the two entities that will be compared later.
- The Source module is the system of record the information originates from (e.g., a CRM system).
- The Target module is the destination system where cleansed, linked, and enriched data is stored—typically for analytics or operational processes. It is often also the Golden Record module.
Manually create a 1:n (one-to-many) relationship between Source and Target. All other technically required relationships are created automatically in the background, so only this relationship is required at this stage.
You can see how to set up such a relationship between modules here — make sure you select a 1:n (one-to-many) relationship type.
Ensure this relationship is in place before proceeding to the next steps.
Create a Configuration
Create your configuration with all the parameters and options you want to use. Carefully check that everything is set correctly before activating the configuration. Here you can see how to create a configuration.
Activate the Configuration
Activate the configuration and monitor its execution in the corresponding runner module. The configuration will only be taken into account in the Record Linkage Process after activation.