CRM Data Cleansing | Super Easy CRM

CRM data cleansing is the process of removing clutter, misleading info, duplicates, and other fuzz that impedes the productivity of your team and overall success of your organization. Dirty data is a problem that plagues even the most successful companies, so don't feel bad if your CRM looks like someone's garage. If you have users, you'll have junk floating around, inevitably. But, working with consultants like myself and utilizing tried and true data cleanup tools can make the clutter less prevalent and impactful to your business in the long run.

How do I get started?

To get started, you'll need a nice big dashboard of your data. The easiest way to do this is either via in-app reporting within your CRM system or exporting it into an Excel file or another data visualization tool like Power BI. Once you have all the data in front of you, start plucking away at low-hanging fruit like these guys.

Email addresses missing the '@' symbol.
Malformed phone numbers.
Duplicate names with different email addresses.
Leads with no contact method at all — no email, phone, or LinkedIn.
Contacts with default values like "1234567890" or "[email protected]."
States or countries that are misspelled or not standardized.
Missing or inconsistent capitalization in names (e.g., JOHN DOE vs John Doe).
Records missing key fields like industry, deal stage, or lead owner.
Obvious duplicates where only one field is different.
Accounts created years ago with no activity.

What are the best tools for CRM data cleansing?

I'm a huge fan of Python, in fact, I've exclusively built my last 6 projects using it. I use the lightweight framework, Flask, to build tools that help identify anomalies and build CSV files that can be easily posted into any CRM to sanitize data. If you're not a coder but proficient in Excel, you can use built-in tools like conditional formatting and advanced formulas to help find and correct trashy data.

Here's a short list of some of my favorite data cleaning tools.

Flask + Pandas: Great for building lightweight, custom web apps that scan, analyze, and export clean data from CRM exports.
Microsoft Excel: Still the GOAT for quick filtering, sorting, conditional formatting, and cleanup via formulas.
OpenRefine: Perfect for deduplication, data transformation, and bulk edits.
Talend Data Prep: A more advanced, scalable tool for larger datasets and integrations.
Dedupely or Ringlead: Specialized CRM deduplication platforms.
phpMyAdmin: If you don't want to pay for a license to use SQL, this open-source variant works well and is a more robust tool than using Excel alone.

No matter what tool you roll with, the key to success will be how well you define your targets. Similar to building a customer profile, you'll want to determine exactly the type of data you don't want hanging around.

Some advanced techniques for ongoing maintenance

Implementing the techniques I've outlined in the next section will largely depend on your technical expertise and your current CRM platform. Implement these with caution as you may cause issues with users saving or updating records.

Formula-based record validation: Use tools like Salesforce or SugarCRM to create rules that only allow field entry under specific conditions. For example, only let the "Next Follow-up Date" field be populated if the "Lead Status" is set to "Contacted."
LinkedIn Navigator plugins: Use plugins or integrations to validate company domains and cross-reference job titles to reduce bogus or out-of-date B2B data.
Email verification APIs: Services like ZeroBounce or NeverBounce can automatically check for invalid or disposable email addresses at the point of entry.
Custom deduplication scoring: Assign weights to fields like email, phone number, and company name. If the combined score is above a threshold, flag the record for review.
Activity-based pruning: Set up automated cleanup rules to archive or flag contacts who haven’t engaged with your brand in the last 12+ months.
Real-time integration monitoring: If your CRM connects with other platforms (like marketing tools or support desks), monitor those pipelines for broken or duplicated data flows.
Consolidation of duplicative fields: Review your CRM schema regularly and merge or eliminate overlapping fields to avoid confusion and inconsistencies during data entry.
Retirement of obsolete custom fields: Remove custom fields that no longer serve a clear purpose. Fewer fields mean fewer opportunities for data to be entered in the wrong place.

How to I prevent my data from getting cluttered again?

Short answer...you can't. The only way to prevent junk from getting into your system is to disallow data from going into the CRM. No matter what automations you employ or how much you threaten your data entry clerks, trash will find its way into your database. It's inevitable, however, there are some clever ways to minimize the amount of clutter that accumulates in your system.

Define what you consider inaccurate or junk data - This expands beyond incorrect email formats. Try implementing form validation that prevents users from saving 'Phone' as the preferred contact method without actually putting in a phone number. Let your analysts know what you don't want so it can be monitored and eliminated before weaseling its way into your sales pipeline.
Educate your users - Be sure to educate people on the type of data you want put into your system. If you're on a platform like Super Easy CRM, create a job aid that instructs staff on proper record entry.
Use a pruner - If your vendor allows for recurring tasks to run, enable some sort of database pruner. This handy tool can go through and automatically purge records you deem unworthy. You could start with leads that originated from your website that haven't been contacted in over a year.
Consolidate unnecessary fields - Remove outdated or duplicative custom fields that serve no purpose. The more fields you have, the more likely good data ends up in the wrong spot.

Start cleaning!

Most people ignore data cleanup because it's boring, thankless work..until it isn't. The moment a rep calls the wrong lead, or finance sends an invoice to the wrong company, you'll wish you handled this earlier. If your CRM is a mess and you’re tired of band-aid solutions, let’s connect. I’m happy to chat about real-world ways to fix and maintain clean CRM data. Reach out to me on LinkedIn.

Matt Irving is the CEO of Super Easy Tech, LLC.

Matt is the CEO of Super Easy Tech and creator of Super Easy CRM. He is a passionate software engineer, tech blogger, and gamer. Feel free to connect on any of the platforms listed below.

Posted by: Matt Irving on 5/07/2025