How can I prevent duplicate items in a Webflow Collection List, even if they have the same name?

To prevent duplicate items in a Webflow Collection List, even if they have the same name, you can utilize the distinct filtering option within the Collection List settings. The distinct filter allows you to display only unique items in the list based on a specific field or property.

Here's how you can set it up:

1. Within your Collection List element, click on the Settings icon (gear icon) to open the Collection List settings panel.

2. In the settings panel, scroll down to the "Filtering" section.

3. Enable the "Filter Duplicates" toggle switch.

4. Select the field or property that you want to use as the basis for deduplicating the items. For example, if you have a field called "Name" and want to prevent duplicate items with the same name from appearing in the list, choose the "Name" field.

5. Save the settings and preview your website to see the filtered Collection List without duplicate items.

By enabling the "Filter Duplicates" option and specifying the relevant field or property, you ensure that only unique values for that field are displayed in the Collection List. This filter essentially eliminates all duplicate items with the same value for the specified field.

Please note that this distinct filtering technique only works within the scope of the Collection List component. It does not affect the actual data stored in your Webflow CMS Collection, nor does it prevent duplicates from being created within the CMS itself. The filtering occurs solely on the frontend when rendering the Collection List on your website.

If you need to prevent duplicate items from being created in the CMS Collection itself, you may need to implement additional measures on the form submission or data creation workflow. This could involve custom validation rules, unique identifiers, or scripting outside of the Webflow platform.