Deleting Duplicates in Mailing List

[Kari]

I realize that deleting duplicates is probably very simple, but I have absolutely no idea how to do it and I have a million duplicates. Could you please help me? I work with IMac Filemaker 5.5 on an IMac. There are about 4,000 names.

Thank you SO much!!!

Yours, Kari

[LiveOak]

Actually deleting duplicates is VERY complex. Most duplicate address entries are duplicates by person, but the duplicated records are slightly different. A dumb computer doesn't know that 123 Second St. and 123 2nd Street are the same or that Bob Reynolds and Robert Reynolds might be the same person.

The best way to handle duplicates is provide a means for the data entry person to look for them and avoid entering any. If you have a phone number, you create a composite field of say first name, last name and phone number and due a duplicate search (enter "!" in the field in find mode).

-bd