What do I do when Mes Chasses shows "This person may already exist"?

When you create a record by hand, Mes Chasses first checks that the person isn't already known. If a record looks like theirs, the "This person may already exist" window opens before anything is created: "Check before creating a new record, to avoid a duplicate." ## What it's for Avoiding two records for the same hunter. Two records mean two hunt histories, membership fees and licences scattered around, and every correction made twice. ## When the window opens When you confirm the creation, never while you are typing or when you edit an existing record. It can open in these cases: - a new contact in your address book; - a new member entered by hand on a hunting ground (**Create a record** on the web, **Add a member** on mobile); - a new person registered for a hunt by the organiser (**New person** on the web, **New** on mobile); - a guest you bring to a hunt. ## How Mes Chasses compares A record is suggested when it has: - the same first name and last name, ignoring capitals, accents, hyphens and apostrophes; - or the same email; - or the same phone number. 06 and +33 6 are recognised as the same number. The search stays within what you can already see: your address book, the people registered for the hunt and, if you manage the hunting ground or organise the hunt, its members. It never searches all Mes Chasses accounts. Inactive records, such as those of former members, aren't suggested, and a nickname isn't recognised: "Vince" doesn't match "Vincent". ## What the window shows For each suggested record (10 at most): - the first name and last name; - the email and phone number, when you are allowed to see them; - where the record comes from: "Registered for this hunt", "Your contacts" or "Hunting ground members"; - why it was matched: "same name", "same email", "same phone number", or several at once. A hunt organiser who is neither an administrator nor a manager of the hunting ground sees the names of the suggested members, but not their contact details. ## Your choices **Use this record** (when you register someone for a hunt): the existing record is registered for the hunt. No new record is created. If the person is already registered, "Already registered" replaces the button. **Open this record** (address book or hunting ground members): the existing record opens, and you can complete it instead of creating another one. On the web, if a search or a filter hides that record, the message "Record not found in the displayed list: clear the search or the filters." appears: clear them, then try again. **Create anyway**: it's someone else, someone with the same name for example. The new record is created as usual. **Cancel**: nothing is created. The form stays open with what you typed. When you add your own guest to a hunt, only **Create anyway** and **Cancel** are offered. ## If the record was duplicated anyway On a hunting ground, the "Likely duplicates" box in the **Members** tab offers to merge the two records. See [What do I do when a member has two records?](article:what-should-i-do-when-a-member-has-two-records). In your address book, open one of the records then **Merge with another record**, see [How do I use the address book?](article:how-do-i-use-the-address-book). ## The "Is this really you?" request If the record you create carries the confirmed email of a Mes Chasses account, the account holder gets the question "Is this really you?". If they answer **Yes, that's me**, the record is linked to their account and you are told. If they answer **No**, the record stays as it is and they aren't asked again. Nothing is linked without their agreement, and never on the phone number alone. To answer a request you have received, see the section "Reply to an "Is that you?" request" in [How do I use the address book?](article:how-do-i-use-the-address-book). ## See also - [How do I invite participants?](article:how-do-i-invite-participants) - [How do I manage your hunting ground's member register?](article:how-do-i-manage-the-member-list-of-my-hunting-ground) - [How do I bring an armed or unarmed guest?](article:how-do-i-bring-an-armed-or-unarmed-guest)