[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":276},["ShallowReactive",2],{"/updates/2026-07-28-reduce-duplicate-records-with-smarter-create-automations":3,"surround":267},{"id":4,"title":5,"body":6,"date":245,"description":246,"extension":247,"head":248,"meta":249,"navigation":255,"path":256,"schemaOrg":248,"screenshot":257,"screenshotMargin":258,"seo":259,"sitemap":260,"stem":261,"tags":262,"__hash__":266},"updates/updates/2026-07-28-reduce-duplicate-records-with-smarter-create-automations.md","Reduce duplicate records with smarter create automations",{"type":7,"value":8,"toc":236},"minimark",[9,13,18,30,63,67,89,93,188,191,195,215,219,227],[10,11,12],"p",{},"Repeated form submissions and overlapping processes can create duplicate records, leaving teams to clean up data and work out which entry is correct. Kinabase automations can now search for a suitable existing record before creating another one.",[14,15,17],"h2",{"id":16},"whats-new","What's new:",[10,19,20,21,25,26,29],{},"The ",[22,23,24],"strong",{},"Create a new record"," automation step now includes an option to use an existing record if one matches. The option uses the target collection's name, for example, ",[22,27,28],{},"Use an existing Contact if one matches, otherwise create a new one",". You can build filters using values from the form, the record that started the automation, or records used by earlier steps.",[10,31,32,33,36,37,40,41,44,45,48,49,44,52,55,56,44,59,62],{},"If several records match, ",[22,34,35],{},"Selection Criteria"," and ",[22,38,39],{},"Mode"," choose one consistently. Date and time fields offer ",[22,42,43],{},"Earliest"," or ",[22,46,47],{},"Latest",", while number and duration fields offer ",[22,50,51],{},"Min",[22,53,54],{},"Max",". The step can then ",[22,57,58],{},"Keep its existing values",[22,60,61],{},"Update it with the below values",".",[14,64,66],{"id":65},"why-it-matters","Why it matters:",[68,69,70,77,83],"ul",{},[71,72,73,76],"li",{},[22,74,75],{},"Reduce duplicate data"," by reusing a matching record instead of creating another entry for the same person, booking, request, or relationship.",[71,78,79,82],{},[22,80,81],{},"Design precise searches"," by combining several filter conditions, including text and linked record values, to represent how your organisation identifies a match.",[71,84,85,88],{},[22,86,87],{},"Control every update"," by choosing whether empty form values leave stored information untouched or deliberately clear the relevant fields.",[14,90,92],{"id":91},"how-it-works","How it works:",[94,95,96,103,120,138,149,168,177],"ol",{},[71,97,98,99,102],{},"Go to ",[22,100,101],{},"Settings → Operations → Automations",", then add an automation or edit an existing one.",[71,104,105,106,109,110,113,114,116,117,62],{},"Under ",[22,107,108],{},"What to do",", select ",[22,111,112],{},"Add step",", choose ",[22,115,24],{},", and select the target collection in ",[22,118,119],{},"In Collection",[71,121,122,123,131,132,137],{},"Turn on ",[22,124,125,126,130],{},"Use an existing ",[127,128,129],"span",{},"Record"," if one matches, otherwise create a new one",", where ",[133,134,135],"em",{},[127,136,129],{}," is the target collection's singular name.",[71,139,140,141,148],{},"Configure ",[22,142,143,144,147],{},"Check for ",[127,145,146],{},"Records"," where"," with one or more filters. If you leave the filters empty, every existing record in the target collection becomes a candidate.",[71,150,151,152,154,155,157,158,157,160,162,163,165,166,62],{},"Choose a number, duration, or date and time field under ",[22,153,35],{},", then select ",[22,156,51],{},", ",[22,159,54],{},[22,161,43],{},", or ",[22,164,47],{}," under ",[22,167,39],{},[71,169,105,170,176],{},[22,171,172,173,175],{},"If a matching ",[127,174,129],{}," is found",", choose whether to keep its existing values or update it with the assigned values.",[71,178,179,180,183,184,187],{},"If you update a match, use ",[22,181,182],{},"What to do with empty form values"," to keep the stored value or set it to blank. Turn on ",[22,185,186],{},"Use the matched or newly created record for subsequent steps"," when later steps should act on the result.",[10,189,190],{},"Note: This option is not available for create steps inside multi-row input action panels in forms.",[14,192,194],{"id":193},"when-to-use-it","When to use it:",[68,196,197,203,209],{},[71,198,199,202],{},[22,200,201],{},"Sales teams"," can match a contact using an email submitted through a lead form, reducing duplicate contacts while keeping details current.",[71,204,205,208],{},[22,206,207],{},"Event coordinators"," can look for an attendance record matching both a contact and an event before adding another registration.",[71,210,211,214],{},[22,212,213],{},"Operations managers"," can find an existing customer request, update selected details, and link later automation steps to the correct record.",[14,216,218],{"id":217},"get-started","Get started",[10,220,98,221,223,224,226],{},[22,222,101],{}," and add the find-existing option to your next ",[22,225,24],{}," step.",[10,228,229,230,235],{},"If you have questions or feedback, we would love to hear from you. Email ",[231,232,234],"a",{"href":233},"mailto:support@kinabase.com","support@kinabase.com"," — we're listening.",{"title":237,"searchDepth":238,"depth":238,"links":239},"",2,[240,241,242,243,244],{"id":16,"depth":238,"text":17},{"id":65,"depth":238,"text":66},{"id":91,"depth":238,"text":92},{"id":193,"depth":238,"text":194},{"id":217,"depth":238,"text":218},"2026-07-28T00:00:00.000Z","Search for an existing record before an automation creates another one. Flexible filters and simple update controls help you keep data accurate without breaking what happens next.","md",null,{"readingTime":250},{"text":251,"minutes":252,"time":253,"words":254},"3 min read",2.385,143100,477,true,"/updates/2026-07-28-reduce-duplicate-records-with-smarter-create-automations","/updates/2026/2026-07-28-reduce-duplicate-records-with-smarter-create-automations.png",false,{"title":5,"description":246},{"loc":256},"updates/2026-07-28-reduce-duplicate-records-with-smarter-create-automations",[263,129,264,265],"Automation","Filter","Field","uLNCsAyvGAEjD0rgyREV1He8Xjk3B35h2mbKy9p8njE",[268,272],{"title":269,"path":270,"stem":271,"children":-1},"Choose the right record with detailed previews","/updates/2026-07-23-choose-the-right-record-with-detailed-previews","updates/2026-07-23-choose-the-right-record-with-detailed-previews",{"title":273,"path":274,"stem":275,"children":-1},"Open related work directly with child collections","/updates/2026-07-30-open-related-work-directly-with-child-collections","updates/2026-07-30-open-related-work-directly-with-child-collections",1786124068203]