If you have entered the same source or citation more than once, you can combine the duplicates. This is called merging. Check the details first: similar names might describe different books, editions, or pages.
Before merging
Make a backup. Compare the source or citation information, notes, comments, pictures, and Used lists. Keep different editions or pages separate even if their names look alike.
When merging two sources or citations yourself, choose which one to keep. RootsMagic calls this the primary source or citation. It keeps that one's text rather than combining both versions. Copy any useful text from the duplicate into the one you are keeping before completing the merge.
Merge two sources
1.Open Sources in the main navigation and display the source list.
2.Select the source whose information you want to keep as primary.
3.Choose Tools > Merge sources.
4.Select the duplicate source and compare the two. Check that Primary identifies the source whose information you want to keep.
5.Complete the merge only after resolving any differences you need to preserve.
Citations of the duplicate source now belong to the source you kept. Check that source and its citation list afterward. Citations of different pages still need to remain separate.
Merge exact duplicate sources
From the Sources page, choose Tools > Merge all duplicate sources. This looks for exact duplicates across the database. Differences in the source's footnote, short footnote, bibliography, text, or comments prevent records from being treated as exact duplicates.
If similar sources remain afterward, compare them manually. Do not remove useful distinctions merely to make the automated command consider them identical.
Merge citations
To merge two citations, open their source's citation list, select the citation to keep as primary, and choose Tools > Merge citations. Select the duplicate, compare the information, and confirm the merge when appropriate. The primary citation's text is retained; differing text is not automatically combined.
To combine exact duplicate citations throughout your tree, choose Tools > Merge all duplicate citations from the source list. Citations with different details will remain separate.
Keep citations separate when their specific references differ. Page 24 and page 91 of the same book are distinct citations even when much of their formatted text is identical.
Check the result
Open the source or citation you kept. Check its Used list, notes, and pictures, and open a few facts that cite it. Read the citation previews to check that they still identify the right source and page or record.
If you wanted to change the format of a source rather than remove duplicates, use Source template converter. To avoid creating duplicates during entry, use SourceWizard and the reuse choices in Using Sources and Citations.
