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Question

Manually allow a duplicate entry in a field

  • April 11, 2023
  • 0 replies
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Currently I have a Serial Number field which is ticked for "Must be unique". This works 98% of the time in ensuring no duplicate user errors when entering the serial number. 

I have the situation where that same device may be returned and re-used again elsewhere requiring the need to capture the same serial number against a different job/site. With the "Must be unique" flag this will stop you from saving.

Is there a workaround  where it can still check for duplicates and if found provide a warning and way to allow the duplication? Thanks.



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Grant K
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    This topic has been closed for replies.

    MarkShnierYou
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    Yep, been there, done it, bought the T-Shirt (ie I had the same problem)

    Just make a new checkbox field called [Allow Duplicate Serial?].

    The make a new field called [Cannot use the same serial twice unless you flag as Allow duplicates].  

    The formula will be 
    IF(not [Allow Duplicate Serial?], [Serial Number])

    The one "value", that is allowed to be duplicated when the field is flagged as unique is null.  So the above formula would be null if  [Allow Duplicate Serial?] is checked.

    So flag this one as being unique and unflag the [Serial Number] as being Unique.

    The reason for the  long field name [Cannot use the same serial twice unless you flag as Allow duplicates]   is to give the user a good error message when they try to save a duplicate which is not flagged to allow duplicates.  




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    Mark Shnier (Your Quickbase Coach)
    mark.shnier@gmail.com
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    Mark Shnier. Your Quickbase Coach
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