How to Prevent Duplicate Records in Horilla CRM Using Matching and Duplicate Rules

Duplicate records are one of the biggest causes of messy CRM data. They create confusion for sales teams, affect reporting accuracy, and often lead to repeated follow-ups with the same customer. Over time, duplicate records can reduce productivity and make your CRM difficult to trust.

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Horilla CRM helps prevent this with two connected features:

• Matching Rules — define how records should be compared
• Duplicate Rules — define what happens when a duplicate is found

This guide explains the complete setup process step by step.

Creating a Matching Rule

Step 1: Navigate to Matching Rules

• Click the gear icon in the top-right header to open Settings
• Scroll down to the Duplicate Control section
• Click Matching Rules

The Matching Rules page opens.

Step 2:  Create Matching Rule Configuration

• Click the New button in the top-right corner of the Matching Rules page
• A create form opens in a modal window

Step 3: Fill in the Rule Details and Add Criteria

The form has three fields at the top:

• Name: Enter a clear name that describes what the rule compares. This name appears later in the Duplicate Rule dropdown, so make it easy to identify.
• Description
• Module: Select the module this rule applies to.
• Add Criteria: Criteria are what make the rule compare fields between records.
  • Field: Choose a field to compare from the dropdown list.
  • Matching Method: Choose how records should be compared.
    • Exact Match: Use Exact for fields that must match precisely:
    • Fuzzy Match: Use Fuzzy for fields where spelling variations are common:
  • Match Blank Fields:  Two empty values count as a match,
• Add a Criterion: A new criterion row appears
• Save the Matching Rule

Creating a Duplicate Rule

Step 1:  Access Duplicate Rules

• In settings, scroll to the Duplicate Control section
• Click Duplicate Rules

The Duplicate Rules page opens.

Step 2: Start Creating a Duplicate Rule

• Click the New button in the top-right to launch the create form in a modal window.

Step 3: Fill in the Rule Details

The Duplicate Rule form contains four main fields.

• Name: Use a descriptive name that explains the rule clearly.
• Description
• Module: Select the same module used in the Matching Rule.
• Matching Rule: Once a module is selected, the Matching Rule dropdown automatically filters available rules for that module. 
• Action on Create: Controls what happens when users create a new record.
• Action on Edit: Controls what happens when users edit existing records.
  • Allow:
    • Shows a warning modal
    • Let users continue saving if necessary
  • Block:
    • Shows a warning modal
    • Prevents users from saving
• Alert Title: Use a clear heading for a modal warning 
• Alert Message: Write an actionable instruction for the modal warning 
• Show Duplicate Records: Keep this enabled whenever possible. Users can view matching records directly
• Add Conditions (Optional): By default, duplicate checks run for every record. Conditions let you limit when the rule applies.
• Save the Duplicate Rule

The Duplicate Rule becomes active immediately.

What Happens When a Duplicate Is Found

Once both rules are active, Horilla CRM automatically checks records during create and edit operations.

The Warning Modal Appears

When a user clicks Save:

• The duplicate check runs in the background
• If a match is found:
  • The form stays open
  • No data is lost
  • A warning modal appears

Review the Matched Records

If duplicate records are shown:

• Users can click a matched record
• A detail modal opens
• They can compare the existing record with the new entry

This helps users avoid creating unnecessary duplicates. The available actions depend on your configuration.

When Action Is Allowed

Users see:

• Continue: Bypasses the warning and saves the record.
• Cancel: Returns to the form with all entered data preserved.

When Action Is Blocked

Users only see:

• Cancel: The record cannot be saved until the duplicate issue is resolved.

Matching Rules and Duplicate Rules in Horilla CRM work together to stop duplicate records from entering the CRM.

• Matching Rules define how duplicates are detected
• Duplicate Rules define what happens when duplicates are found

Together, they improve CRM accuracy, reduce manual cleanup, and help teams maintain clean and reliable data across Leads, Contacts, Accounts, and Opportunities.

Once your duplicate prevention setup is active, the next step is learning how to review and manage existing duplicate records using the Potential Duplicates feature.