Primary record selection

How Kernel picks the primary record in a group of duplicates

When Kernel finds duplicate accounts, it selects one as the Primary record. The Primary record is the version that will be kept and enriched, while the others are merged into it.

Kernel applies several rules to make this selection:

• Global domains are preferred

  • Example: company.com is chosen over company.co.uk.

• Well-known domains are preferred

  • Domains ending in .com, .net, .org, .gov, or .edu are prioritized over less common ones.

• Root domains are stronger than subdomains

  • Example: company.com is chosen over www.company.com.

• Shorter, cleaner domains are preferred

  • If one domain is a simpler version of the others (e.g., company.com vs companyfinance.com), the simpler one wins.

• Working websites are chosen

  • A valid and active website is chosen over one that is broken or inactive.

• Stable domains are chosen

  • Sites that load directly are preferred over those that redirect elsewhere.

If two or more records are still equal after these steps, Kernel applies tie-breaker rules using CRM data fields to make the final selection.