As each record arrives in Student CRM, it uses certain fields to make auto-matching easy. For example, the UCAS Applicant Ref is always a 100% match, as is your SITS or EBS ID. As shown below, the system then uses a combination of fields to match your students.
Can it be 100% perfect?
Maintaining a 100% duplicate free dataset in the Student Database is a challenge at the beginning of the student journey. Working within acceptable parameters is the practical approach to deduplication.
Automated deduplication processes can only go so far at original record creation or modification. Typical rates are 96%+ clean student record creation and matching. Since the number of records held inside Student CRM has no bearing on the cost of the solution, then ~4% acceptable dupes may present from time to time.
Please note that students with multiple applications may appear to be duplicates when they are not.
The outcome of this is there must be a balance between the data's integrity, the student's experience, and the cost to the officer.
The officer must have robust and scalable resources to work efficiently.
The student must have a meaningful and engaging experience.
The operator must maintain a regular duplicate identification and aggregation process.
A price worth paying, therefore, is that, if at the point of delivery a temporary state of allowable duplicates is tolerated to operationally fulfil the needs, then as long as the university follows a data hygiene program that can clear up before any data analysis this is the optimum balance.
For example, if an enquiry can be dealt with efficiently and immediately but it subsequently transpires that the student was already known, then the first and second objectives have been achieved and only the third one which is identification and aggregation remains.
Related
Find out more about: