New winner election on origin contributor detachment
Learn how Reltio handles winner selection when the origin contributor is detached from a composite object, whether by manual or automatic unmerge.
When a composite profile contains three or more contributors and the origin contributor (the entity whose ID defines the profile) is detached, Reltio determines the new winner based on the unmerge method and the status of the NEW_WINNER_ELECTED_ON_ORIGIN_DETACHMENT feature flag.
In manual unmerge operations, detaching the origin contributor always creates a new composite entity (a “shell”) for the remaining contributors. This shell may retain crosswalks or data but does not represent any actual source contributor. It cannot exist independently outside the merge context.
In automatic unmerge operations, Reltio does not detach the origin contributor by default. When the NEW_WINNER_ELECTED_ON_ORIGIN_DETACHMENT feature is enabled, the system permits automatic detachment of the origin and automatically elects a new winner from the remaining contributors, avoiding the creation of a shell entity.
This table summarizes the outcomes of manually or automatically unmerging the winner contributor (E1) from a composite object, depending on whether the NEW_WINNER_ELECTED_ON_ORIGIN_DETACHMENT feature flag is enabled (default) or disabled:
| Feature | Operation | Resulting Objects | Winner after Unmerge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Disabled
(default) | Manual Unmerge of E1 (always allowed) | Standalone E1 E_shell (E2, E3, ...) | E_shell is the winner (contains only former losers) |
| Automatic Unmerge of E1 | Not allowed |
— | |
| Enabled | Manual Unmerge of E1 | Standalone E1 Composite (E2, E3, ...) | E2 is the new winner |
| Automatic Unmerge of E1 | Standalone E1 Composite (E2, E3, ...) |
This behavior ensures that:
- Only the origin contributor is detached during automatic unmerge
- The remaining contributors stay merged
- A new winner is selected based on the oldest crosswalk (
reltioLoadDate) - If multiple contributors share the oldest date, the one with the lexicographically smallest ID is chosen
- All other contributors become losers under the new winner
By electing a real contributor as the new winner, the system improves survivorship consistency, data continuity, and overall reliability when unmerging profiles with complex contributor histories.