How to prevent the creation of duplicate records in a Flow: Utilization of “Confirm Matching Records”

For example, consider a case where you wish to create only one opportunity, labelled “[Automatically Created] Opportunity”, for an account when the account’s “Rating” (API reference name: Rating) is changed to “Hot”.

If you do not use “Confirm Matching Records”, under normal flow settings, a new opportunity record “[Automatically Created] Opportunity” will be created each time the “Rating” of the account is updated to “Hot”.

Therefore, if the rating value is changed and subsequently updated back to “Hot”, the same opportunity record will be created multiple times, resulting in unintended duplicates.

This article describes how to prevent duplicate records from being created in such a flow.

1. Log into Salesforce, click the gear icon in the upper right of the screen, and click “Setup”.
2. Search for the flow in the Quick Find box, then click the New Flow button.
3. Click Triggered, and then click Record-Triggered Flow.
4. Specify the following values in Start.

Object: Account

Configure Trigger: A record is created or updated

Condition Requirements: All conditions are met (AND)

• • • Field: Account Rating
    • Operator: Equals
    • Value: Hot

When to Run the Flow for Updated Records: Only when a record is updated to meet the condition requirements

5. Click the + icon and add Create Record. Enter the following values into the Create Record elements.

Note: Enter an appropriate label and description. Although optional, best practice is to enter a description.

Label: Opportunity Creation

Description: * Enter an appropriate description.

How to Set the Record Fields: Manual

Object: Opportunity

Set Field Values for the Opportunity:

• • • Account ID: {!$Record.Id}
    • Opportunity Name: [Automatically Created] Opportunity
    •  Enter any value in the required opportunity fields for Close Date and Stage.

6. Enable Confirm Matching Records at the bottom of Opportunity Field Configuration and substitute the following values.

Condition Requirements: All conditions are met (AND)

Requirements Line 1

• • • Field: Account ID
    • Operator: Equals
    • Value: {!$Record.Id}

Requirements Line 2

• • • Field: Opportunity Name
    • Operator: Equals
    • Value: [Automatically Created] Opportunity

If there is one matching record: Skip matching record

If there are multiple matching records: Skip all matching records

7. Next, press the Save button at the top right of the Flow Canvas, and enter an appropriate flow label.

8. Finally, click the Activate button next to the Save button to activate the Flow.

Contributor: Motohashi Takaaki | Trailblazer Community Forum Ambassador

Transitioned to the Salesforce industry after working for a heavy industry manufacturer. Has experience as a Salesforce systems administrator, in AppExchange customer success and as a consultant.
He gives a lecture in the Pathfinder DX personnel development program for the group preparing for the Salesforce Certified Administrator Examination.
He has hosted over 80 “Salesforce Saturday” Salesforce workshops since 2018.

He continues to communicate information on Salesforce through his YouTube channel with over 3,500 subscribers and his blog.
In first group of Trailblazer Community Forum Ambassadors. Is also active on the Salesforce Community Advisory Board (CAB).

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