--- schema_version: "1" id: e158b4acf35973ec0820273f0afcde38ca51af27ae6e9d64bd849d765fa6a73a title: Matching Criteria in Matching Rules collection: admin version: current locale: en-us portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/sales/264-0-0/matching_rule_matching_criteria.md canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.matching_rule_matching_criteria.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 source_site: help.salesforce.com content_type: documentation content_hash: 96960b220ea164b18429f8bbb8bf41a49f8c381f0adec4d903b9baeed99d0351 description: A matching rule applies criteria to determine how closely a field on a new or edited record matches the same field on an existing record. Standard matching rules include predefined criteria. When you create a custom matching rule, you define the criteria. products: - Sales - Sales Enablement release: "264" --- # Matching Criteria in Matching Rules A matching rule applies criteria to determine how closely a field on a new or edited record matches the same field on an existing record. Standard matching rules include predefined criteria. When you create a custom matching rule, you define the criteria. ### Required Editions ![Important](https://sf-zdocs-cdn-prod.zoominsoftware.com/tdta-sales-data_quality-264-0-0-production-enus/abf88105-66d5-422e-983e-0592556338d7/images/icon_important.png) Important Where possible, we changed noninclusive terms to align with our company value of Equality. We maintained certain terms to avoid any effect on customer implementations.

Available in: Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic

Available in: Essentials, Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer Editions

Criterion	Definition	Automatically Defined for Custom Matching Rules
Field	Indicates which field to compare. When selecting fields, keep the following in mind. The available fields depend on which object the matching rule applies to and include both standard and custom fields. The supported input field types are email, lookup relationship, master-detail relationship, number, phone, standard picklists, custom picklists (single-select only), text, and URL. You can’t use an auto-numbered lookup or master-detail relationship field in a matching rule. If you enable state and country/territory picklists, we recommend using State/Province Code and Country Code in your matching rules. These fields yield better results than the state and country text fields.
Matching Method	Defines the method for how the fields are compared. You can use the provided exact matching method for almost any field, including custom fields. A fuzzy matching method is available for commonly used standard fields. Each matching method is defined by normalization and match key definitions, matching algorithms, and other criteria.
Match Blank Fields	Specifies how blank fields affect whether the two fields being compared are considered matches. If you select Match Blank Fields for a field and that field is blank in both records being compared, the fields are considered matches. However, if you select Match Blank Fields for a field and that field is blank in only one of the records being compared, the fields aren’t considered matches. If you don’t select Match Blank Fields for a field and that field is blank in both records being compared, the fields aren’t considered matches.
Match Key	A formula that improves the speed and performance of duplicate detection. When the matching rule runs, it compares the match key values of the saved record with existing records. If the saved record has the same match key value as an existing record, it’s a potential duplicate and evaluated further. If the saved record has a unique match key value, it’s not considered a duplicate.
Matching Algorithm	Defines the logic that determines whether two fields match. For the exact matching method, the exact matching algorithm is automatically used. For the fuzzy matching method, various fuzzy matching algorithms can be used. Each matching algorithm is scored based on how closely it matches the two fields. For example, if you select exact matching and the two fields match, the match score is 100. If the two fields don’t match, the score is 0.
Scoring Method	Determines how the matching algorithms’ match scores are calculated to come up with one match score for the field. Each matching algorithm is scored based on how closely it matches the two fields. Only standard matching rules use the scoring method. Average: Uses the average match score. Maximum: Uses the highest match score. Minimum: Uses the lowest match score. Weighted Average: Uses the weight of each matching method to determine the average match score.
Threshold	Determines the minimum match score needed for the field to be considered a match. The field is given a match score based on how closely it matches the same field in an existing record.

#### See Also - [Matching Methods Used in Matching Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.matching_rules_matching_methods.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "The matching method determines how a specific field in a record is compared to the same field in another record. Each matching method is defined by normalization criteria, match key definitions, and matching algorithms.") - [Matching Algorithms Used with Matching Methods](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.matching_rules_matching_algorithms.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "The matching method and its corresponding matching algorithms are part of the matching rule’s matching criteria. They help determine how a specific field in one record is compared to the same field in another record and whether the fields are considered matches.") - [How Match Keys Are Generated and Used in Matching Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.matching_rules_match_key_process.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5 "When a matching rule runs, it applies one or more match key formulas before applying a comprehensive matching equation. Match keys help to increase the performance of duplicate rules through a preliminary comparison that narrows the matches to the 100 most likely duplicate records. Then the rule applies the matching equation only to those likely matches.")