TABLE OF CONTENTS
- What is Unique Fields for Custom Objects?
- Key Benefits of Unique Fields
- Rules, Limits & Field Support
- How to Mark a Field as Unique in Custom Objects
- How to Modify Unique Fields
- Example Scenarios
- Best Practices
- Frequently Asked Questions
What is Unique Fields for Custom Objects?
Unique Fields is a data-integrity setting that you can enable on selected custom-object fields. When a field is flagged as unique, TWIM CRM checks every new or updated record and blocks any value that already exists anywhere in the sub-account. This ensures every custom-object record stays truly unique and eliminates messy deduplication projects down the road.
Key Benefits of Unique Fields
- Stop duplicates: Enforce unique fields at create/update so repeats are blocked across UI, forms, workflows, imports, and API.
- Accurate reporting: Preserve true one-to-one relationships so dashboards, attribution, and metrics stay trustworthy.
- Safe automations: Protect bulk imports and workflow actions from accidental double-creates with built-in pre-checks.
- Future-ready: Establish the foundation for upcoming advanced deduplication and merge tools.
Rules, Limits & Field Support
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Mark custom fields as unique during creation.
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Limit of 10 unique fields per object (applies across the subaccount).
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Enforced across all record creation methods — UI, Workflows, Forms, and APIs.
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Supported field types:
- Single Line Text
- Multi Line Text
- Number
- Phone
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Allows downgrading a unique field to non-unique (irreversible action).
How to Mark a Field as Unique in Custom Objects
Option 1: While Creating a New Custom Field
- Navigate to Settings.
- Click on Custom Fields.
- Click + Add Field.
- Select a supported field type (Single Line, Multi Line, Number, or Phone).
- Enter the field name, object, and group.
- Check the box for Mark Field as Unique.
- Click Save.
Option 2: Marking a Primary Field as Unique While Creating Custom Object
- Go to Settings.
- Click on Objects.
- Click on**+ Add Custom Object.**
- Define the Custom Object Name and Primary Display Field.
- Check Mark Primary Field as Unique.
- Click Create Custom Object.
- This ensures the primary field (for example, Case No. or VIN Number) cannot have duplicates.
How to Modify Unique Fields
- Go to Settings > Custom****Fields.
- Find or Search the Unique Custom Field.
- Select the Field.
- Click on Bulk****Actions > Edit.
- Deselect Mark Field as Unique option.
Example Scenarios
| Scenario | Action | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Two records have the same value in a Primary field | User saves | Error: “A record with the same value already exists.” |
| Two records with the same value in a non-primary unique field | User saves | Partial success – duplicate rows skipped with warnings |
| Field marked as unique, then user attempts deletion | Delete | Warning – field cannot be deleted |
| Unique field downgraded to non-unique | User saves | Allowed, but irreversible |
| API used to update with duplicate value | Update call | API returns validation error |
Best Practices
- Use unique fields for identifiers or keys (for example, Patient ID, Case No., Employee Code).
- Avoid marking frequently updated text fields as unique.
- Before imports, deduplicate data externally to prevent import warnings or skips.
- Plan field uniqueness early — re-enabling unique later is not supported.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does uniqueness apply account-wide?
Yes. Uniqueness is enforced globally across the sub-account.
Q: Is the check applied on updates as well as creates?
Yes. Create and update actions are both blocked if the unique value already exists.
Q: What error do users see on a duplicate?
You’ll see a message like: “A record with the same value for <fieldName> already exists.”
Q: Where is uniqueness enforced?
Across all entry points: manual record creation, workflows/automations, and forms.
Q: Can I mark a dropdown or email field as unique?
Only Single Line, Multi Line, Number, and Phone fields are supported in this release.
Q: What happens during a CSV import if duplicates exist?
The import finishes, but rows with duplicate unique-field values fail.
Q: Do uniqueness checks slow down API bulk inserts?
No. The validation is optimized at the database layer, so performance impact is negligible even for large batches.
Q: Can two sub-accounts have the same value in a unique field?
Yes. Uniqueness is enforced per sub-account, not across the entire agency.
Related Articles
- Getting Started with Custom Objects
- Creating and Editing Custom Objects
- Creating and Updating Custom Object Records
- Using Custom Objects in Workflow Actions and Triggers
Related Articles
- Bulk Import Custom Object Records (CSV) with Bulk Actions
- Creating and Editing Custom Objects
- Workflow Action - Custom webhook
- Custom Objects In All Plans + Higher Limit
- Import Companies & Custom Objects Using a CSV File
- Getting Started with Custom Objects