Duplicate detection and merging candidates

When duplicates are detected

CVViZ checks for duplicates during the resume parsing flow — when you upload via Add Candidates, paste resumes, drag-and-drop, or run a bulk import. The check runs automatically; you don't need to enable it.

The parser response includes anflag for each file. Files marked as duplicates are surfaced in a separate panel of the upload summary.

The upload summary

After parsing finishes you'll see a summary panel that includes:

• Successfully parsed files.
• Duplicate Files: {count} — files matched against an existing parsed resume.
• Failed files (if any couldn't be parsed).

The merge / pick flow

For each detected duplicate, CVViZ shows a side-by-side comparison with two columns:

• Uploaded File (New) — the file you just uploaded.
• Duplicate File (Old) — the existing record on the candidate.

Pick which version to keep using the radio button. Your selection is dispatched as resume/updateFileName behind the scenes — only one file remains as the active resume on the candidate; the other is set aside.

What detection is based on

Detection compares the uploaded file (and the parsed resume content) against existing records in your candidate database. The matching is file/content-based — the response carries the original and duplicate names so you can see exactly which existing record was matched.

Email and phone number similarity also factor in once parsing completes, since the parsed contact data is checked against existing candidates.

If you missed the duplicate prompt

If duplicates slipped through (e.g. you closed the upload modal before reviewing), you can still find and clean them up:

1. Search the candidate database for the candidate's name or email.
2. Compare the records side-by-side.
3. Update the file/data on the older record and delete the newer one (or vice versa).

Avoiding duplicates in the first place

• Always pick a version when prompted. Don't dismiss the duplicate panel without choosing.
• Use the same email / phone for repeat applicants — encourage candidates on your careers page to use one consistent email.
• For CSV imports, tick the "Update existing contacts" checkbox so the import updates rather than creates new records when matching emails are found.
• Don't re-upload an entire candidate database without dedup — match on email at minimum.

Tips

• The "Old" version isn't always the right one to keep — if the new resume is more recent, pick it.
• For batch uploads with many duplicates, take a moment to review each pair instead of mass-selecting.
• The candidate's timeline preserves history regardless of which file you pick — scrolling back will still show all prior interactions.