Flagging duplicate record

Hi @Katie_O_Connell
You would not be able to enter a formula in the field in your screen shot, it is just looking for a string to match.

Have you taken a look at the DeDupe application? It is free and will show you all duplicates and give you options to delete or merge.

There are some other steps you can take if the DeDupe app is not sufficient, feel free to let me know here and I can guide you to another path.

@Vivid-Squid, are you aware of an automated way of doing this (without using other apps such as Zapier, etc.)?

That all depends on your data and what you have to work with. Simply matching names is not a good solution and will not catch everything.

Do you have a unique identifier like an email address?

Hi @Katie_O_Connell
I know of three ways of finding duplicates.

1. Use the DeDupe App
2. Use a script like this one.
3. Build in the original Deduplication 3.0 by @W_Vann_Hall into your base. It’s a bit of work, but has an example base, support documentation and video to guide along the way.

Method 3 is the only way I know that you then can use color by field or conditions like you showed.
I’ve used it in the waaaay past in my total n00b days, before the Dedupe App, and it works. A lot of work and fields to get there though, but it givs live ‘commentary’ in your base without you running a script or app.

Might not be the way for you, but it’s a way.

Hi,
it depends on what kind of duplicate search you need
quick check for duplicates

duplicates here:

change to Single select
sorted list of duplicates will be at the top

don’t press Save, press Cancel

Primary field can’t be single select, so one additional step needed

If you have large table and want to mark duplicates

Select whole column, ctrl+c/ctrl+V (to new column)

If you want to prevent entering existing value by automation - it depends on what kind of “prevention” do you need. Inform by mail alert, delete/rename… in forms, the only way to “validate” - is to create conditional required field, make it single select, put warning in description and delete all choices. Thus, user can’t submit until it disappears…

Hello,

I’m coming from zzBots and we created a plugin (pre-built bot) that flags duplicate records.

Here is a link to our community post that includes written and video instructions. I hope you find this helpful!