If you’re tired of chasing down leads and customer info across a graveyard of disconnected CRM systems, you’re not alone. Most teams have some flavor of this mess: Salesforce here, HubSpot there, old spreadsheets lurking in the background. And when GTM (go-to-market) teams don’t have a clean, unified view, you waste time, miss opportunities, and end up second-guessing your numbers.
This guide is for folks who are ready to actually fix it—specifically, by wrangling all those messy sources into a single view using Tamr. I’ll walk you through the real-world steps, the gotchas, and what’s actually worth your time (and what isn’t). You don’t need to be a data engineer, but you do need to know where your data lives and have a low tolerance for nonsense.
Step 1: Pin Down All Your CRM Data Sources
Before you can unify, you need to know what you’ve got. Sounds obvious, but this is where most projects go sideways.
What to do:
- List every CRM system your teams use, even if it’s “just for that one region” or “only for renewals.”
- Don’t forget spreadsheets, shadow IT tools, or legacy databases that sales or marketing “just keep around.”
- Get sample exports (ideally CSVs) from each system. You’ll want at least a few hundred records per system to spot patterns and weirdness.
Pro tip:
Talk to the people who actually use the systems. They’ll tell you about the hidden sources that IT forgot.
What to ignore:
Don’t get hung up on “future sources” or the perfect list. Start with what’s live and causing pain right now.
Step 2: Map Out What “Unified” Actually Means
Unifying CRM data isn’t just about dumping it all into one place. You need a clear idea of what a “golden record” looks like for your GTM teams.
What to do:
- Define key entities: Usually, that’s Accounts, Contacts, and Opportunities/Deals—but your business might have quirks.
- List the must-have fields for each entity. Stick to what GTM actually needs day-to-day (e.g., Account Name, Email, Industry, Owner).
- Sketch out conflicts: What happens if two sources disagree on the Account Owner or Industry? Decide ahead of time.
Pro tip:
Keep it simple—don’t try to unify every field ever. Focus on the handful that drive GTM actions.
What to ignore:
Don’t get distracted by “nice to have” fields or one-off exceptions. You can always add those later.
Step 3: Prep and Clean Each Data Source
Garbage in, garbage out. You don’t need to make each source perfect, but you do need to clear out the obvious junk before feeding it to Tamr.
What to do:
- Check for empty or broken fields (e.g., missing emails, placeholder account names like “Test”).
- Standardize formats for basics—dates, phone numbers, state/country names. Do this in the source if you can.
- Remove duplicates within each source. No point unifying trash.
Pro tip:
Don’t aim for perfection. The goal is to catch the big, obvious issues, not to hand-polish every record.
What to ignore:
Don’t try to fix every typo or weird value. Tamr is built to handle a lot of this—let it do its job.
Step 4: Connect Sources to Tamr
Now it’s time to actually pull your data into Tamr. This is where the grunt work pays off.
What to do:
- Use Tamr’s connectors to bring in data from your CRM systems. For major platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot), there are usually built-in options. For others, you might use CSV imports or APIs.
- Set up data refresh schedules if you want ongoing updates, not just a one-time load.
- Document what you connect and how, so you’re not stuck guessing later.
Pro tip:
Start with just two sources. Get the process right, then add more. Trust me, it’s way less painful.
What to ignore:
Don’t try to connect every source at once. Adding too many at the start just multiplies confusion.
Step 5: Configure Tamr’s Machine Learning for Entity Resolution
Here’s where Tamr earns its keep. The platform uses machine learning to figure out when different records are actually the same customer or deal—even if names, emails, or addresses don’t match exactly.
What to do:
- Train Tamr’s model by reviewing sample matches and telling it what’s right or wrong. The more feedback you give, the smarter it gets.
- Set up rules for “must match” fields (e.g., email, tax ID) and “maybe match” fields (e.g., similar company names).
- Preview the unified records before accepting. Check for false positives (records merged that shouldn’t be) and false negatives (records not merged that should be).
Pro tip:
Don’t just accept Tamr’s first round of matches. Spend time tuning—this is where you’ll catch the weird edge cases.
What to ignore:
Don’t try to automate every single edge case. There will always be exceptions. Get the bulk right.
Step 6: Validate the Unified Data With the GTM Team
You’ve got a unified dataset, but is it actually useful? Time to check with the folks who will use it.
What to do:
- Share sample records with sales, marketing, and operations. Ask if it matches what they expect.
- Spot check key accounts—the ones that really matter. If these are right, you’re on the right track.
- Get feedback fast and tweak your Tamr settings as needed.
Pro tip:
Put a handful of real users in a room with the data. Watch what they complain about. That’s your punch list.
What to ignore:
Don’t wait for 100% consensus. Some folks will always want “just one more field.” Focus on what helps most people, most of the time.
Step 7: Push Unified Data Back to Your GTM Tools
Unifying data in Tamr is pointless if it just sits there. Push it back into the tools your teams use every day.
What to do:
- Export unified records to your core CRM (like Salesforce) or data warehouse.
- Set up ongoing syncs if you want data to stay fresh. Tamr can automate this, but double-check settings.
- Document field mappings so everyone knows where the “truth” lives.
Pro tip:
Start by syncing just Accounts and Contacts. Deals can get messy—add them once you’re confident.
What to ignore:
Don’t try to force unified data into every single downstream system. Focus on where it will actually get used.
Step 8: Monitor, Adjust, and Keep It Simple
Unifying CRM data isn’t a “set and forget” project. Data will drift. Teams will add new sources. You’ll need to adjust.
What to do:
- Review match quality and feedback every month or quarter.
- Add or remove sources as your business changes.
- Keep documentation up to date.
Pro tip:
Schedule regular check-ins (they can be short) to make sure the unified data is still working for GTM. If it’s not, fix it early.
What to ignore:
Don’t fall into the trap of endless meetings or perfectionism. Good enough beats perfect.
Wrap-Up: Start Small, Iterate, and Don’t Overthink It
Unifying CRM data is messy, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. The key is to start with what’s broken, fix what matters most, and resist the urge to solve everything on day one. Tamr’s strengths are in getting you a clean, usable view that makes GTM faster and less painful—not in building a museum-quality “single source of truth.” Keep it simple, stay honest about what’s working, and don’t be afraid to tweak as you go. That’s how you actually get value—and give your teams data they trust.