---
id: KB-PR-012
url: https://app.codecontract.io/help/troubleshooting/there-are-two-identical-documents
idioma: en
categoria: problemas
audiencia: usuario
nivel: basico
actualizado: 2026-08-13
tambienEn: [es]
relacionados: [KB-PR-007, KB-DI-006]
citadoPor: [KB-PR-016, KB-PR-018]
---

# There are two identical documents

_Duplicates: why they appear, which to keep, and when they are not duplicates at all._

**Responde a:** i have the same document twice · removing duplicates · which of the two copies to keep · document uploaded twice by mistake

Two entries appear that look like the same document, and the instinct is to delete one. Before doing that, check which of four situations it is, because in two of them deleting is exactly the wrong move.

## The four situations

| Situation | How to recognise it | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Uploaded twice in a row | Same name, same time, same person | Keep one |
| Two people uploaded it | Different person, different times | Keep one, and say who maintains it |
| They are different versions | Different dates or content | Keep both: the earlier one proves what existed |
| Same paper in two matters | It appears in two files | Keep both, and it is not a problem |

> [!IMPORTANT]
> The third causes damage. Deleting the old version because it is "out of date" removes the proof of what the document said when someone took a decision with it in front of them. Old versions do not get in the way: mark them superseded and keep them.

## Which to keep when you must choose

1. **The one linked to the file** — The loose one has no context and probably nobody will find it.
2. **The one that read well** — If one is a skewed photo and the other the original PDF, there is no contest.
3. **The one with a provable date** — If one is sealed and the other is not, the sealed one is worth more.
4. **And when in doubt, neither** — A duplicate is an annoyance; a wrong deletion cannot be undone.

> [!WARNING]
> Watch the fourth row. A certificate appearing in the files of three different sites is not a duplicate: it is one document serving three purposes. Deleting it from two leaves two incomplete files.

## How they stop appearing

**En corto**

- A clear place for each thing: half of all duplicates are born of doubt.
- Whoever receives a document by email uploads it, instead of forwarding it to two more people.
- And versions treated as versions rather than new files.

> [!NOTE]
> Every upload consumes, repeats included. That is no reason to spend time checking before uploading, but it is a reason not to automate an import that uploads the same thing repeatedly.

**Can deleted material be recovered?**

It depends on when and on your retention policy. Do not assume.

**Can I link the same document in two places?**

Yes, and it beats uploading it twice.

**Is there a way to detect them?**

Identical content produces the same fingerprint; two identical files are recognisable even under different names.

## Ejemplos

**Someone finds the same insurance policy twice and deletes the older one.**

- Checks first and finds they were two different versions
- Marks the old one superseded instead of deleting

→ Keeps proof of what cover existed when last year's incident happened.

**The same document appears twice because two people uploaded it.**

- Keeps the one in the right file and deletes the other

→ One document and one reference remain.

**There are two similar versions and one is signed.**

- Keeps the signed one and marks the other as a draft

→ Nobody works again on the version with no standing.

**Two documents look identical and carry different dates.**

- Checks the validity of each

→ They turn out to be renewals rather than duplicates.

**A duplicate is deleted and a link in another file breaks.**

- Checks where it is referenced before deleting

→ Deleting does not break anything elsewhere.

**The supplier resends the same thing just in case.**

- Shows them what is already recorded as received

→ They stop sending copies for fear it never arrived.