If two tools use different names for the same customer or different formats for the same date, connecting them can move the confusion faster. A short data review is a useful first step.
Choose a source of truth.
Identify which system owns each important field. The invoicing tool might own invoice status, while a customer system owns the contact record. Decide how updates will move between them.
Make fields consistent.
Review column names, whitespace, date formats, and required fields. Write the conventions down so new records follow the same pattern. Avoid guessing missing values just to make a spreadsheet look complete.
Be precise about duplicates.
Two identical rows may be an accidental repeat. Two different orders from the same customer are not necessarily duplicates. Choose a comparison that reflects the actual business record; do not merge rows simply because a name matches.
Preview changes first.
Keep an original copy. Show the proposed changes, review the exceptions, and agree on the rules before applying them to a live system. Useful questions include: Which rows changed? Which were removed? Which still need attention?
Start with a small sample.
Review a representative set of records with your team before changing a live system. Agree on the cleanup rules, keep a copy of the original data, and check the result.