Answers.Body: <p>Try to simplify in every way possible, until the 500 Server error no longer occurs. Then progressively make small changes to what you are doing (moving towards what you actually want to do) until the problem reoccurs. By doing this you will isolate the precise trigger of the problem. </p>
  
  <p>Some things to try:</p>
  
  <p>1) Use the default dedupe rule or an "email only" dedupe rule and try to import one new contact with just a minimum of information - perhaps just one new email address. Does that give a 500 error?</p>
  
  <p>2) Try importing one new contact with name, email and address, while using different dedupe rules. Does the dedupe rule you use make a difference to whether the 500 occurs? </p>
  
  <p>3) Try the same, but with information matching (exactly or partially) an existing contact.</p>
  
  <p>A 500 error shows that something is going wrong in a way that civi has not anticipated might go wrong.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-07-24T13:01:40.457Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-07-24T13:01:40.457Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Jonathan
Answers.Body: <p>Damir, have you had a look at the <a href="http://book.civicrm.org/user/current/common-workflows/deduping-and-merging/" rel="nofollow">user guide's information on deduping</a>? Also <a href="https://civicrm.org/blogs/spidersilk/understanding-civicrm-dedupe-rules" rel="nofollow">this page</a> has a lot of information on deduping including importing contacts.</p>
  
  <p>As Jonathan has already mentioned, you need to be a lot clearer on what your problem is and which approaches you have already tried to solve the problem.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-07-24T11:35:17.510Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-07-24T11:35:17.510Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Fabian
Body: <p>I have problem updating contacts data.</p>
  
  <p>I know it has to do something with Dedupe rule that I have to use but I don't know how to ensure myself that I won't have duplicates.</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-07-24T09:42:10.190Z
Comments.Text: I doubt anyone will be able to help you without more specific information. What "problem updating contacts data do you have"? What dedupe rule do you have enabled? What version of CiviCRM are you using? What CMS? Do you have any relevant Civi extensions enabled?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Jonathan
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-07-24T10:23:18.583Z
Comments.Text: I have latest versions of both Wordpress and CiviCRM with no extensions. When I try to import contacts I use "name and email" rule but it gives me some "500 SERVER ERROR"
Comments.UserDisplayName: Damir Djordjevic
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-07-24T10:28:58.757Z
Comments.Text: * and instead of updating my contacts information it creates new contacts (duplicates).
Comments.UserDisplayName: Damir Djordjevic
Tags: <contacts><import>
Title: Contacts update
ThreadText: # Contacts update
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-07-24)
  
  I have problem updating contacts data.
  
  I know it has to do something with Dedupe rule that I have to use but I don't know how to ensure myself that I won't have duplicates.
  
  **Tags:** contacts, import
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: I doubt anyone will be able to help you without more specific information. What "problem updating contacts data do you have"? What dedupe rule do you have enabled? What version of CiviCRM are you using? What CMS? Do you have any relevant Civi extensions enabled?  
  > **username_0**: I have latest versions of both Wordpress and CiviCRM with no extensions. When I try to import contacts I use "name and email" rule but it gives me some "500 SERVER ERROR"  
  > **username_0**: * and instead of updating my contacts information it creates new contacts (duplicates).  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_1 on 2015-07-24. Score: 1
  
  Try to simplify in every way possible, until the 500 Server error no longer occurs. Then progressively make small changes to what you are doing (moving towards what you actually want to do) until the problem reoccurs. By doing this you will isolate the precise trigger of the problem.
  
  Some things to try:
  
  1) Use the default dedupe rule or an "email only" dedupe rule and try to import one new contact with just a minimum of information - perhaps just one new email address. Does that give a 500 error?
  
  2) Try importing one new contact with name, email and address, while using different dedupe rules. Does the dedupe rule you use make a difference to whether the 500 occurs?
  
  3) Try the same, but with information matching (exactly or partially) an existing contact.
  
  A 500 error shows that something is going wrong in a way that civi has not anticipated might go wrong.
  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_2 on 2015-07-24. Score: 0
  
  Damir, have you had a look at the [user guide's information on deduping](http://book.civicrm.org/user/current/common-workflows/deduping-and-merging/)? Also [this page](https://civicrm.org/blogs/spidersilk/understanding-civicrm-dedupe-rules) has a lot of information on deduping including importing contacts.
  
  As username_1 has already mentioned, you need to be a lot clearer on what your problem is and which approaches you have already tried to solve the problem.
  
  
  ---
  
  