Finding duplicate entries in address book

Question

I am using Address Book 5.0.3, where I have been using LinkedIn's CardMunch to import contact details via my iPhone. However, I now end up with three distinct issues regarding duplicate entries:
1/ two people with the same name, e.g. John Smith, but I know they are two separate people and they work for different companies.
2/ After an import, I may have some duplicate entries, say Alan Walker, who has moved from company A to company B and I want to replace his old contact details with the new information.
3/ two duplicate entries the same name, say Brian Vickers, both of which refer to the same person who still works for the same company, but has new contact details or additional data, such as a mobile number that I did not have before.
4/ two duplicate entries that are identical. E.g. I imported the same card twice for some reason.
5/ multiple entries marked 'Cannot Read Name', where CardMunch had a problem, but I know they are different people and I have to edit these to manually enter the correct information.
Unfortunately the Address Book find duplicates function, whilst it works, does nothing useful. The only option I am presented with is 'Merge', which in all of the scenarios above apart from item 4 I do not want to do a merge function - I want to either 'Mark as NOT Duplicates' (item 1/), 'Replace Selected Fields' e.g. show me the two cards side by side and allow me to select which fields from which card are to be kept, replaced or removed and then implement the merge (item 2), "Add New Information' but allow me to select the label for that information before merging so that if someone has a new iPhone, but is still keeping their old mobile, I can select the field label correctly and then merge (item 3) or 'Edit Card' which allows me to open any identified duplicate and add in missing information that would mean that it is no longer a duplicate item.
Can anyone suggest a way of doing this, or can Apple's developers please add these features to the Address Book App as soon as possible?
Thanks, Russ Taylor

Answer 1

books06,
Welcome to Apple Discussions.
It depends upon which version of Address Book you are using, and your definition of "view."
1. Address Book 3.1.1 Help
2. Address Book 4.0.3 Help: Combining duplicate cards and information
To find and merge duplicate cards:
1. Choose Card > "Look for Duplicate Entries."
2. Address Book tells you if it finds duplicate cards, cards containing duplicated information, or both.
3. Click Merge to merge duplicate cards and remove redundant information on cards.
When Address Book merges duplicate cards, it creates a single card for the contact containing all of the unique information from each merged card. Address Book uses the picture from the merged card appearing first in the list.
To merge selected cards only, Command-click to select the cards you want to combine and choose Card > Merge Selected Cards. Address Book creates a single card using the name and picture of the selected card appearing first in the list.;~)