# Duplicate element

**URL:** https://forum.adalo.com/t/duplicate-element/22597
**Category:** Database
**Created:** [January 26, 2022, 3:46pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/duplicate-element/22597 "2022-01-26T15:46:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 4
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Rene115](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/rene115/32/3821_2.png) [@Rene115](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Rene115)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2022, 3:46pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/duplicate-element/22597/1 "2022-01-26T15:46:17Z")

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duplicate item

Greetings. Does anyone know how the elements in a database can be controlled, that is, that no element is repeated.  
in a database we can have texts, numbers, dates etc… how to do so that the elements cannot be repeated?

example. in a form we load the data of “name” or “phone number” How do we make the database tell us if the element is already used?

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### Author: ![charleshope](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/charleshope/32/25088_2.png) [@charleshope](https://forum.adalo.com/u/charleshope)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2022, 4:12pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/duplicate-element/22597/2 "2022-01-26T16:12:29Z")

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When creating the item from the form, set a condition that the action will only take place if there’s no other property with the same value.

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### Author: ![Dilon](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/dilon/32/39815_2.png) [@Dilon](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Dilon)
#### Post date: [January 26, 2022, 4:27pm UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/duplicate-element/22597/3 "2022-01-26T16:27:54Z")

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If I’m correct you need a Custom Form to do this. And make the Create action conditional.

These videos explains it better.

[![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/adalo/original/3X/5/3/53755e4410e0a168563f903b53a1662bf1664e06.jpeg "Adalo Hints: how to prevent from creating duplicate records in the collection") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ybmmRBTlvo)

[![](https://us1.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/uploads/adalo/original/2X/c/cb07685def499d08c0cc488d4209003995eaeb8f.jpeg "Adalo Prevent Duplicate Records & allow user to update existing record instead.") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H20sgX8K6ok)

Thank you

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<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Rene115](https://sea2.discourse-cdn.com/flex020/user_avatar/forum.adalo.com/rene115/32/3821_2.png) [@Rene115](https://forum.adalo.com/u/Rene115)
#### Post date: [January 27, 2022, 4:07am UTC](https://forum.adalo.com/t/duplicate-element/22597/4 "2022-01-27T04:07:14Z")

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Incredible!  
Very grateful for this.

Actually it was as simple as being able to hide the “create button” whether or not “X” condition is met.

I always believe that the simplest process is the best and in this case I could see 2 solutions!!

very thankful!!