Validate form fields against existing data

Feature Requests
1

Feature Request: Validate form fields against existing data

  • There are so many use-cases for this its not even funny :laughing: However, easily the highest-value use-case is the prevention of duplicate data. For example, no duplicate emails or phone numbers being entered if only one instance should be allowed.
  • This means no more de-duping automations for particular data points :grin:
  • The current data validation options only measure against static parameters, e.g. text length, text contains, or even parameters defined in regular expressions.
  • But being able to validate a form field (like text) against all data currently existing in the table and more specifically in that same field, would be a game changer.

Here’s how I envision this working:

Operators

  • text contains / text does not contain
  • text equal to / text not equal to

For the target, builders can select any field from that same table to measure against (provided the target field is the same type as the form field being configured).

4 Likes
2

I was just thinking about posting this last night, it would be a game changer with forms for sure.

1 Like
3

This would be really useful, every single day I’m data cleansing when staff add a new client rather than seeing if they exist first :frowning:

We end up with lots of ‘new clients’ with ‘new products’ rather than an existing client with an additional new product.

Probably a staff training issue at my end but would be nice to take it out of their hands.

1 Like
4

Perhaps this could me augmented or supported by declaring certain fields in a collection as “MUST BE UNIQUE”?

5

We do have the possibility of making certain fields unique, it will simply reject the form-save when you submit the form, instead of searching the DB when it’s typed

Let us know if you want to trial that on any field

6

Not sure, if that is what @buildwithjoel is looking for. I presume he would want a “flag” as you enter the info into the form vs. getting a rejection upon saving?

Is the “unique” feature available already? I would like to test it, if it is still in beta.

1 Like
7

@darragh @Tobias I’d be happy to test the upon-submission validation! But Tobias is right–I’m more so looking for real-time validation against existing data (with a real-time notice when an entry is invalid). And ideally, the ability to check the form field entry against any field of choice from the same table that is the same data type (as mentioned in the post).

Another thing I thought of is what should happen if a data entry is invalid. To start, the ability to simply get an in-line notice would be nice, but even better would be that PLUS the ability to conditionally hide/display fields based on that field’s validation’s success or failure.

1 Like