Tech Tip: Fuzzy Join

CaseWare IDEA 11.1 provides a robust plugin to perform a fuzzy join between IDEA databases, searching for any overlap or possible duplicates between the two databases. For example, you can perform an analysis to identify if there are address matches between a vendor and an employee database.

Simply follow these steps and let IDEA do the rest!

• Download and install IDEA Labs, FUZZY JOIN.
• Select two databases, along with a field in each database.
• Set the similarity degree to indicate how exact of a match you want, with 100% being an exact match. This allows for differences when performing the match. The plugin creates a new database with the similarity degree and the information from the original databases.
• Select “Fuzzy Join” from the IDEA Labs ribbon to run.
• Follow the prompts: The Fuzzy Join will include exact duplicates and fuzzy duplicates. Click “OK.”
• Select primary database to use in the Fuzzy Join. Click “OK.”
• Select the secondary database to use in the Fuzzy Join (must be different than the primary database selected). Click “OK.”
• Select fields for Fuzzy Join and set the similarity degree. Click “OK.”

 

 
Upon completion, you the following output will be generated:
 

 
IDEA 9 & 10 users, refer to Tech Tip: Fuzzy Duplicates & Fuzzy Match published 4/22/2020. To upgrade to IDEA 11.1, please contact [email protected].
 

If you need help using a specific IDEA feature or function or even have general technical questions, our Help Desk is ready to support you every step of the way!


Best Practices , CaseWare IDEA , Tech Tip