If you have duplicate contacts, you can merge them and any associated time entries, projects or invoices into another contact.
ℹ️ Note: To merge, archive or delete a Contact, click the more options button (the three dots) on it and choose Hide. MinuteDock will then show you the options that suit that Contact. The same options are under Danger Zone → Delete this Contact in the Contact's settings.
Merge duplicate Contacts
To do this:
Go to the Contacts screen.
Find the Contact you want to merge into another.
Click the more options button (the three dots) on that Contact and choose Hide. MinuteDock will ask what you want to do with it.
You can also hover over the Contact, click the edit button, open Danger Zone at the bottom of its settings and click Delete next to Delete this Contact.Choose Merge @shortcode with another contact (the dialog shows the Contact's own Short Code).
Note: If the Contact has no Time Entries, Expenses, Projects or Invoices, and isn't linked to your accounting software, MinuteDock will ask you to confirm deleting it instead.Select the Contact you want to merge into from the list.
If this contact is linked to an accounting system:
MinuteDock will copy the link over to the contact you select to merge into, if possible.
If the contact you select is also linked to the accounting system, we will just copy time entries or projects over, and won't sync this client's version of the linked contact from your accounting system again. We do this so that it doesn't automatically re-appear the next time a Sync is performed.Once you're sure everything is correct, click Merge. Warning: Merges of any Time Entries or Projects are permanent and can't be undone.
✅ Success! Any Time Entries under the removed Contact will now be recorded under the chosen 'merged' Contact instead.
Archive or delete unneeded Contacts
If a Contact has historical time or invoice data, but you no longer want your team to track time or create Invoices for it, you can archive the Contact.
Archiving removes the Contact from the All Contacts list and moves it to the Archived Contacts tab. Existing Time Entries and Invoices stay intact for reporting, but the Contact can no longer be used for new time tracking or new Invoices.
Archiving can also help prevent unwanted Contacts from syncing back into MinuteDock from your accounting integration. Because the archived Contact remains linked to its accounting software counterpart, a new copy will not be created during the next sync.
If the Contact has no Time Entries, Expenses, Projects or Invoices, and isn't linked to a Contact in your accounting software, you can delete it instead.
To archive or delete a Contact:
Go to the Contacts screen.
Find the Contact you want to archive or delete.
Click the more options button (the three dots) on that Contact and choose Hide. The same options are under Danger Zone → Delete this Contact in the Contact's settings.
When prompted, choose Archive the contact, keeping all related data. It's selected by default.
Click Archive.
If the Contact has no Time Entries, Expenses, Projects or Invoices, and isn't linked to your accounting software, MinuteDock will ask you to confirm deleting it after you choose Hide. Click Delete to remove it permanently.
Restore an archived Contact
Restoring a Contact puts it back on your All Contacts list so your team can track time and create Invoices for it again.
Go to the Contacts screen.
Click Archived Contacts.
Click Restore next to the Contact.
You need the Manage Contacts Permission to restore a Contact. The Archived Contacts tab only appears once at least one Contact has been archived.
Restoring doesn't change how the Contact syncs with your accounting software. It stays linked to the same record there, so the next sync won't create a duplicate.
Convert a Project into a Contact (or vice versa)
If a Contact would be better tracked as a Project under another Contact — or a Project has grown enough to deserve its own Contact — you can convert it rather than merging or archiving. All tracked time moves with it, so nothing is lost from your Reports.
Convert a Contact into a Project
A Contact can't be converted while it has Projects of its own. Move its Projects to another Contact first.
Go to the Contacts screen.
Hover over the Contact and click the edit button.
Open the Danger Zone section at the bottom of the settings.
Next to Convert into a Project, click Convert.
Choose the Contact it should sit under, then click Convert to Project.
When you convert a Contact into a Project:
Its Time Entries and all its Invoices, including drafts, sent Invoices and Invoices with only manual lines, move to the Contact you chose.
The original Contact is deleted. If it's linked to your accounting software, it's archived instead and keeps that link. Invoices you send later use the chosen Contact's link.
The Contact's email, address, currency, tax and Client View settings aren't carried over.
Convert a Project into a Contact
Go to the Projects screen.
Hover over the Project and click the edit button.
Open the Danger Zone section at the bottom of the settings.
Next to Convert into a Contact, click Convert.
Confirm by clicking Convert to Contact.
When you convert a Project into a Contact:
Its Time Entries and Expenses move to the new Contact, and the Project is removed.
An Invoice that bills only this Project moves to the new Contact too.
An Invoice that also bills other time, or has a manual line, stays with the original Contact and keeps this Project's time on it. If that Invoice is a draft, send or delete it before converting. Saving its Choose Entries step afterwards removes this Project's time from it.
⚠️ Important: Converting changes where all of the item's time is recorded, including in past Reports. MinuteDock asks you to confirm, but it doesn't check for invoiced time, so review the item's Invoices before you convert.
See Organising Time with Contacts/Projects/Tasks for more on how Contacts and Projects relate.