Account
De-duplication
Team
Raj Panchal (PD)
Ananya Roy (PM)
Manohar (SD)
Duration
Half Sprint,
Q4 2024
Product
Grow App
Legend
Grow App —
Vista —
Record —
Attributes —
Account —
Turing —
Introduction
In the Grow App, account duplication wasn’t just a backend issue—it was a user experience problem. Support teams lost history, context fragmented across profiles, and users were often left second-guessing whether the account they were viewing was the right one. The platform needed a way to help users identify and resolve duplicate accounts confidently—without introducing friction or fear of data loss.
We set out to redesign this experience with one goal in mind: make account merging feel seamless, deliberate, and human. Across just half a sprint, we brought together AI insights, thoughtful interface cues, and a clear narrative to guide users through what had traditionally been a messy, error-prone task.
Challenges
The biggest hurdles weren’t just technical—they were behavioral. Users often didn’t even realize duplicates existed, let alone feel confident enough to resolve them. The interface offered little to guide or reassure, and the stakes of making a wrong merge felt high.
This led us to ask:
How might we surface duplicates in a way that feels helpful, not intrusive?
Most users didn’t know they had duplicate records. We needed a system of subtle, well-timed cues that could draw attention without creating alarm.
How might we help users compare accounts confidently before merging?
Without side-by-side views or field-level clarity, users struggled to know what they were keeping or losing. A better visual structure was key.
How might we communicate the direction and permanence of a merge?
The lack of clarity around what gets retained—and the fact that merges were irreversible—led to hesitation. We needed to make this crystal clear without overwhelming users.
How might we design a workflow that supports uncertain decisions?
Not every merge is black and white. Users needed space to skip, revisit, or dismiss suggestions without losing momentum.
By reframing the friction points into opportunities, we were able to design a flow that respected both the complexity of the task and the mindset of the user.
Solution
We reimagined the deduplication journey from scratch—building a system that invites users in, instead of intimidating them.
The new experience begins with gentle nudges: toasts and inline banners surface potential duplicates contextually, so users are made aware without being disrupted. Once inside the flow, a focused view presents one pair at a time, with side-by-side comparisons, merge direction indicators, and controls to merge, dismiss, or skip with ease. A custom confirmation modal adds one final layer of clarity before anything irreversible happens.
To assist where it matters most, AI steps in quietly—highlighting the key differences between accounts right at the top, helping users make informed decisions faster. Filters and search help them zoom into specific accounts, while a clean post-merge message confirms what happened and keeps momentum moving.
Even edge cases, like when a user deletes one of the records manually, were accounted for with thoughtful fallbacks—ensuring continuity without confusion.
The result: a merge experience that feels safe, guided, and incredibly human.
The Nudge
Not all users actively seek out duplicates—so we designed ways to gently surface them at the right moments.
Manual Merge: Users can initiate a merge anytime using the three-dot menu on an account record. It’s always there when they need it.
Suggestion Toasts: While navigating the Grow Vista, users may spot a toast notification pointing out potential duplicates in the background—lightweight and timely.
Suggestion Banners: For stronger signals, we surface inline banners directly within Vista, flagging duplicate accounts that may need review.
These prompts don’t interrupt—they simply invite action when the context is right.
Visibility on Record
To make the deduplication flow transparent, we added real-time cues directly within individual account records.
For ongoing merges, users see messages like:
“Merging data with Account B…”—so it’s clear something’s in motion.
After a merge, the post-state is reflected right away:
Merge Successful → A brief summary with a “View Account” CTA.
Merge Unsuccessful → A clear message with an option to inspect what went wrong.
Even in related records, users get contextual updates:
“Event: Data merged from Account B”, with a link to view the updated record.
By embedding merge visibility into the account itself, we ensured users never lose track of what happened—or where their data lives now.
Focus view
Merging accounts is a high-stakes decision—one that should never feel accidental.
To honor that sensitivity, we introduced a dedicated focus view for duplicate resolution:
The interface is intentionally stripped of distractions, reinforcing the irreversible nature of the action. Users are presented with just one pair at a time, along with clear, contextual options:
Merge if confident,
Mark as not duplicate if certain they’re different,
or Skip to revisit the decision later.
This focused environment encourages thoughtful action—and helps prevent costly mistakes.
Merge Controls
To emphasize the importance of resolving duplicates, we surface a quick stat—“X accounts merged this week”—as a nudge to take action.
The merge view is equipped with intuitive controls that guide users through the process:
Navigation: Move between duplicate pairs with next and previous buttons. A total pair count helps users track progress.
Confident it’s a duplicate? Tap Merge to combine the records instantly.
Sure they’re not the same? Use Mark as not duplicate to dismiss the suggestion.
Not sure yet? Simply skip to the next pair—no pressure.
With this setup, users can resolve duplicates at their own pace—without second-guessing their choices.
Info Bar
One of the common points of confusion during account merging was understanding which record was being retained and which one would be merged into it.
To address this, we introduced an info bar that visually guides users through the merge direction:
A subtle left-to-right animation indicates the flow of data—from the account being merged into the primary record.
Users can switch the direction of the merge at any point, offering full control before finalizing the action.
This simple yet effective indicator helped reduce hesitation and gave users confidence in their decisions.
Side by Side
Facilitating informed decisions:
Parallel Browsing: Users can view both accounts side by side, browse details, make edits, and add comments.
Comprehensive Overview: Proper labeling and directional cues assist users in determining the best course of action.
Putting It All Together
Once in the merge view, users are presented with a side-by-side comparison of both accounts—designed to bring clarity to complex decisions.
Each section is clearly labeled, and the merge direction is prominently shown via the info bar.
Users can browse through fields, add comments, or make edits directly within this view.
With all necessary merge controls in place—merge, skip, or mark as not duplicates—users are equipped to make the best call for each pair.
Everything works in concert to make the merge process confident, transparent, and mistake-proof.
Search & Filter
To make the deduplication flow more efficient, we integrated search directly into the duplicate pairs list, giving users full visibility and control.
Users can search for any account to check if it has duplicate suggestions pending review.
Advanced filters allow narrowing down results by account, owner, or even just those assigned to you—making it easy to focus on what matters most.
Whether you’re tackling a bulk cleanup or just checking for conflicts on a single account, the interface adapts to your workflow.
The AI Bit: Highlighting What Matters
While users have full control over the merge process, we wanted to amplify their decision-making with intelligent insights.
That’s where AI comes in.
We designed a system that automatically surfaces the key differences between two records—placing them right at the top of the comparison view. Whether it’s a mismatch in email, phone number, or owner, users can immediately see what sets the accounts apart.
Since every field in a record is indexed, the dev team confirmed this was not only feasible—it was fast.
By removing the need to scroll and scan, AI makes the merge process smarter, not harder.
Confirmation Modal
A standard modal wasn’t enough.
Given the critical nature of merging, we introduced a custom confirmation step designed to eliminate doubt before action.
The modal presents visual warnings for both accounts—clearly indicating what data will be retained and what will be overwritten.
Users are given a clear choice: Merge with confidence or Cancel if anything feels uncertain.
This final checkpoint ensures users always know exactly what they’re committing to—no surprises, no regrets.
Post-merge Experience
After a merge, we wanted to reassure users that everything went as intended—without breaking their flow.
A subtle animation and confirmation message signals that the merge is complete.
The updated account opens with a “Merge completed” banner to reinforce what just happened.
Users can either view the merged account or move straight to the next pair—keeping the review loop tight and seamless.
It’s a small moment, but one that closes the loop with clarity and confidence.
Toast
To keep users informed without breaking their flow, we used toasts to deliver key feedback during the merge process—adapted to different contexts.
In Focus View, a toast confirms: “Merge successful” right after action.
While exploring Vista, the same toast appears contextually—reassuring users that the background merge completed smoothly.
Since merges are irreversible, no undo or retry options are shown—keeping expectations clear.
In case something goes wrong, we surface an “Unsuccessful merge” toast with a View Report button, allowing users to inspect the issue in detail.
Brief, informative, and action-aware—just as feedback should be.
Visibility on Record
To make the deduplication flow transparent, we added real-time cues directly within individual account records.
For ongoing merges, users see messages like:
“Merging data with Account B…”—so it’s clear something’s in motion.
After a merge, the post-state is reflected right away:
Merge Successful → A brief summary with a “View Account” CTA.
Merge Unsuccessful → A clear message with an option to inspect what went wrong.
Even in related records, users get contextual updates:
“Event: Data merged from Account B”, with a link to view the updated record.
By embedding merge visibility into the account itself, we ensured users never lose track of what happened—or where their data lives now.
Other Considerations
A few behind-the-scenes choices helped smooth out the user experience:
Incremental Loading: Instead of overwhelming users with a flood of data, we load 20 pairs at a time—keeping things fast and digestible.
Hidden Pair Visibility: Sometimes, filters result in an empty-looking list—even when duplicates exist. To avoid confusion, we added a visible prompt when results are hidden due to active filters.
These subtle adjustments ensured users stayed oriented and confident throughout the cleanup process—no dead ends, no guesswork
Edge case
Sometimes, users manually delete an account—especially if it’s empty or irrelevant. When that happens, any associated duplicate pair becomes invalid.
Instead of leaving users in limbo, we added a graceful fallback:
A toast pops up saying: “Duplicate resolved. Showing next.”
The system automatically advances to the next pair, maintaining flow without confusion.
It’s a rare case—but one that needed just the right touch to keep the experience smooth and uninterrupted.
Conclusion
What began as a seemingly small UX fix—resolving account duplicates—quickly revealed itself to be a high-impact workflow with trust, clarity, and control at its core.
By balancing gentle nudges with deliberate, focused interfaces, we helped users move from hesitation to confident action. Every layer of the experience—from AI-powered highlights to irreversible merge cues—was designed to feel purposeful and human.
In just half a sprint, we didn’t just fix a feature. We built a system that respects complexity while delivering simplicity—one that scales, adapts, and, most importantly, earns the user’s trust.