> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://hc.starbridge.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# CRM sync error: DUPLICATES_DETECTED

> What the DUPLICATES_DETECTED CRM sync error means and how to resolve it in Salesforce or HubSpot.

When Starbridge attempts to create or update a record in your CRM, your CRM may reject the action and return a `DUPLICATES_DETECTED` error. This article explains what that means and how to resolve it.

## What this error means

`DUPLICATES_DETECTED` is not an error generated by Starbridge — it is returned directly by Salesforce or HubSpot. Both CRMs include built-in duplicate prevention rules that block incoming writes when the data being submitted closely matches a record that already exists. When those rules fire, the CRM refuses the write and Starbridge surfaces the rejection in the sync column cell.

In short: your CRM is doing its job. Starbridge is respecting that boundary rather than overwriting it.

## Reading the error message

When this error appears in a sync column cell, it includes the **Record ID** of the existing CRM record that triggered the duplicate detection. Click into the cell to see the full error details, including the ID.

Use that Record ID to locate the conflicting record in your CRM and determine which of the following situations you're in:

* **The record is a true duplicate** — merge or delete it in your CRM, then resync. See Option 1 below.
* **The record belongs and isn't a duplicate, but Starbridge tried to insert it as a new record instead of updating the existing one** — this usually means your lookup column failed to find the existing CRM record, so Starbridge fell through to an insert rather than an update, which then tripped the duplicate rule. In this case, the fix is to review your **Lookup Record in CRM** column's matching rules and confirm they're correctly identifying the existing record. See Option 2 below.

## How to resolve it

There are two paths, depending on your situation.

### Option 1: Clean up duplicates in your CRM (recommended)

If your CRM contains genuine duplicate records, the most durable fix is to merge or remove them directly in Salesforce or HubSpot before resyncing from Starbridge.

**In Salesforce**, you can use the built-in Duplicate Jobs tool to find and merge duplicates in bulk:

1. Go to **Setup** (gear icon) and search for `Duplicate Jobs` in the Quick Find box.
2. Click **New** to create a new job.
3. Select the object you want to scan (for example, Contacts, Accounts, or Leads).
4. Choose a Matching Rule to apply — you can use Salesforce's standard rules or a custom one.
5. Click **Run**. When the job completes, you'll receive a notification and an email with the results.

**In HubSpot**, the equivalent is the **Manage Duplicates** tool, available on Professional and Enterprise plans:

1. Navigate to **Contacts** or **Companies** in the main navigation.
2. Click **Actions → Manage Duplicates**. Alternatively, go to **Data Management → Data Quality** and click the **Manage Duplicates** tab.
3. HubSpot uses AI to surface likely duplicate pairs. Review each pair, compare key properties, and click **Merge** to consolidate them.
4. You can bulk merge up to 50 records at a time using the checkboxes. For larger volumes, a third-party tool from the HubSpot Marketplace (such as Koalify or Insycle) is required.

Once duplicates are merged, resync the affected rows from Starbridge.

### Option 2: Fix your lookup column's matching rules

If the record that triggered the error already exists in your CRM and genuinely belongs there, the issue may be that your **Lookup Record in CRM** column isn't finding it. When Starbridge can't match an existing record via a lookup, it treats the row as a net-new insert — which then trips the duplicate rule when the CRM detects the conflict.

To diagnose this, open the bridge and click into the lookup column cell for the affected row. Check whether the lookup is returning **No match** when it should be finding an existing record. If so, review your matching rules — confirm the field you're matching on (for example, email address or Starbridge ID) is populated in both Starbridge and the CRM, and that the field types are compatible. See [Lookup columns: access CRM objects in a bridge](/integrations/syncing-to-your-crm-sfdc-or-hubspot#lookup-columns-access-crm-objects-in-a-bridge) for guidance on configuring matching rules.

Once the lookup is correctly resolving the existing record, rerun the sync column — Starbridge will update the record rather than attempting to insert a new one.

## What's next

* [Sync columns: write data from Starbridge to your CRM](/integrations/syncing-to-your-crm-sfdc-or-hubspot#sync-columns-write-data-from-starbridge-to-your-crm)
* [Contacts sync: create/update CRM Contacts](/integrations/syncing-to-your-crm-sfdc-or-hubspot#contacts-sync-createupdate-crm-contacts)