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Duplicate policies: an existing client submits the form again

Each form has one of four duplicate policies: create new, update existing, attach as activity, or ignore. You also choose the fields an existing client is recognized by.

4 min
Before you start · 1 thing · for owners
A field mapping that includes the field to match on
  • You need: Edit lead ads
  • A field mapping that includes the field you want to match on.

How an existing client is recognized

The system searches the unit for a record that isn’t deleted, whose values match the submission’s values exactly in the Match Fields. The default field is email.

If you choose more than one field, they must all match together. A field that came empty in the submission isn’t compared. And if all the matching fields came empty, a new record is created.

Matching is exact: “0555123456” doesn’t match “+966555123456”. Use one phone format in the form, or match on email.

How it relates to Deduplication Control

Clients from ads follow this form policy. Deduplication Control in the unit’s settings covers other entries.

Does the owner change?

No. Updating and attaching don’t change the existing record’s owner, and the record doesn’t go through distribution again.

At a glance

Policy
What happens to the existing record
Lead Form field
Entry status
Create New Record (the default)
Nothing; a new record is always created, without searching.
The form on the new record
Completed
Update Existing Record
The form’s answers are written on the existing record.
The form is added to its forms
Completed
Attach as Activity
Its data doesn’t change.
The form is added to its forms
Completed
Ignore Duplicate
Nothing changes.
No change
Skipped

If something goes wrong

What you see
Why
What to do
A duplicate record is created even though you chose update
The value’s format is different, or the matching field isn’t mapped in the form.
Use one format, or add a mapping for the field in Map the ad form’s questions to the unit’s fields.
The entry is “Skipped”
The policy is “Ignore Duplicate” and the client was found.
This is expected. Change the policy if you want the record updated.

A real example

Namaa Academy
The situation

The same person fills in the “HR Diploma” form, then the “Leadership Course” form a week later.

What they did
  1. They chose Update Existing Record, matching on email.
The result

One record for the client, holding both forms in the “Lead Form” field, and staying with their first employee.

A made-up company, to show the idea. The numbers are rounded.

Good to know

Matching is completely exact.
With several matching fields, all of them must match together.
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