---
schema_version: "1"
id: e0811769b4b1479e0eedefe384ae8e0ad692cb53a3f147a288852401914385d1
title: Things to Know About Matching Rules
collection: admin
version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/sales/264-0-0/matching_rules_overview.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.matching_rules_overview.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
source_site: help.salesforce.com
content_type: documentation
content_hash: e1bdaa672fbe7e31504ce8942b6ff465f1ff6535cb00285ce4f1f047760ce53a
description: "Find out how matching rules work, review what to know when you customize matching rules, and look at some examples to get started. Or go further: Do a deep-dive on matching criteria, methods, algorithms, match keys, and normalization criteria."
products:
  - Sales
  - Sales Enablement
release: "264"
---
# Things to Know About Matching Rules

Find out how matching rules work, review what to know when you customize matching rules, and look at some examples to get started. Or go further: Do a deep-dive on matching criteria, methods, algorithms, match keys, and normalization criteria.

### Required Editions

<table class="slds-table slds-table_bordered slds-max-medium-table_stacked slds-m-bottom_small edition"><colgroup><col></colgroup><tbody><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic</td></tr><tr class=""><td class="slds-cell-wrap" style="vertical-align:top;">Available in: <strong>Essentials</strong>, <strong>Professional</strong>, <strong>Enterprise</strong>, <strong>Performance</strong>, <strong>Unlimited</strong>, and <strong>Developer</strong> Editions</td></tr></tbody></table>

- **[Things to Know Before You Customize Matching Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.matching_rules_considerations.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Review considerations for customizing matching rules.
- **[Matching Rule Examples](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.matching_rule_matching_examples.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Review these examples to understand how records are compared and evaluated as duplicates.
- **[Matching Criteria in Matching Rules](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.matching_rule_matching_criteria.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    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.
- **[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.
- **[Normalization Criteria for Match Keys](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=sales.matching_rules_normalization_for_match_keys.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    As part of the process of creating match key values, matching rule field values are normalized. How a field value is normalized depends on several factors, including the matching method for that field as specified in the matching rule. In addition, some commonly used fields are normalized to optimize duplicate detection.