> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.camo.ag/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Merging Operations

> Merge entities that belong to the same producer into a single operation, so their entire footprint shows up in one place.

Many producers, investors, and families own or operate land under multiple entity names or addresses. Merging those entities in CamoAg combines them into one operation—so you can see their entire footprint at a glance instead of piecing it together from separate searches.

<Note>
  Merging is different from **connecting**. Merging combines two entities into a single operation; connecting keeps them separate while recording the relationship between them. See [Connecting Operations](/operations/connecting-operations) if you want to keep the entities distinct.
</Note>

## Why merge operations?

Once merged, CamoAg shows the combined acreage, parcels, and relationships across all the entities—on the map and in the operation profile.

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Investors with multiple LLCs" icon="building">
    An investor owns land under three separate LLCs. Merging them reveals total acreage across all entities on a single map view.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Family operations" icon="users">
    Two siblings operate land together but live at different addresses. Merging their operations shows the combined farm footprint.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Multi-entity operators" icon="tractor">
    A producer farms under their personal name and a family trust. Merging the two shows the full scale of their operation.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Business networks" icon="diagram-project">
    A grain elevator holds land through several holding companies. Merging them maps the full extent of their landholdings.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

## Before you start

<Steps>
  <Step title="CamoAg Core">
    Merging operations requires a CamoAg Core subscription.
  </Step>

  <Step title="The Merge Operations permission">
    Your user needs the **Merge Operations** permission. An organization admin can enable it in user settings.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Both operations saved to your organization">
    You can only merge operations your organization owns. Platform operations—the ones CamoAg provides—have to be saved to your organization first with **Save to Edit**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## How to merge operations

Merging is a three-step flow: pick the operation to merge with, review which details to keep, then confirm.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Find the operations on the map">
    Enable the **Operation > Producers** layer and click the operation you want to keep. This is the *current* operation—the other one merges into it.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save each operation to edit">
    The Operation panel appears. Click **Save to Edit** to the right of the operation name. Do this for each operation you want to merge—platform operations have to be saved to your organization before you can change them.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Open the operation menu">
    Click the three vertical dots (⋮) to the right of the operation name, then click **Merge Operation**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Step 1 of 3 — Merge">
    The top of the form shows a summary card for the current operation. Under **Operation to Merge With**, type the name of the contact or operation you want to merge in, select it from the results, then click **Review**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Step 2 of 3 — Review">
    Choose which details the merged operation keeps. Each section is marked **Needs Resolution** until you pick an option, and the summary card at the top updates as you choose so you can preview the result:

    * **Operation Name** — keep the current operation's name or take the merging operation's name.
    * **Primary Address** — keep the current primary address or use the merging operation's primary address.
    * **Category** — only appears when the two operations have different categories (for example, Producer and Agribusiness). If both share a category, it's kept automatically.

    Sections collapse if you need more room. To pick a different operation instead, use the back arrow in the header to return to search. Click **Next** when every section is resolved.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Step 3 of 3 — Are you sure?">
    The **Potential merged operation** card shows exactly what the combined operation will look like. Click **Confirm Merge** to finish, or use the back arrow to change your selections.

    <Warning>
      Once merged, an operation cannot be undone.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="View the result">
    On the map, the merged operation's marker takes the name you chose, and a dotted line connects the merged locations so you can see at a glance that they belong together. The operations also appear together under **Connections** in the operation profile. Repeat to merge additional entities—there's no limit of two.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Changing the name or primary location later

The name, category, and primary address you pick during the merge can all be changed afterward.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the operation menu">
    Click the three vertical dots next to the operation name and select **Edit Operation**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Update the details">
    Rename the operation to something your team will recognize (for example, "Smith Family Farms"), assign a category such as Producer or Agribusiness, update estimated operated acres, or pick a different address under **Operating Locations** to use as the primary location.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save Changes**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Tips

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="The map shows contacts at their address, not the parcel location">
    Contacts are pinned to their mailing address—not to the parcels they own or operate. A landowner who lives in Des Moines but farms in central Illinois appears in Des Moines. Enable the Contacts layer and zoom to the contact's address if you don't see the marker where you expect it.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Include the Operation ID on mailers">
    The Operation ID is unique to CamoAg and is used to deduplicate mailing addresses across merged operations. Including it on mailers keeps the same address from being contacted multiple times, even when an entity appears under several names.

    See [Why You Should Include the Operation ID on Your Mailers](/training/workflows/why-you-should-include-the-operation-id-on-your-mailers) for details.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="CRM contacts are read-only">
    If your organization has a CRM connected, contact information from the CRM appears as read-only in CamoAg, and edits have to be made in the CRM. If you create a contact manually in CamoAg and later add that person to your CRM, the CRM data takes over automatically.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related guides

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Connecting Operations to View Their Entire Footprint" icon="video" href="/training/use-cases/connecting-operations-to-view-their-entire-footprint">
    Video walkthrough of the full workflow.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Creating a Contact" icon="user-circle" href="/contacts/creating-a-contact">
    Add contacts from the map or the contacts dashboard.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Navigating the Operation Profile" icon="id-card" href="/operations/navigating-the-operation-profile">
    Explore everything visible in an operation profile.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Editing an Operation" icon="pencil" href="/operations/editing-an-operation">
    Rename, categorize, and set the primary location for an operation.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>