User Tips: How to Disable Cloning of Records - Workaround using auto-number field and layout rules

User Tips: How to Disable Cloning of Records - Workaround using auto-number field and layout rules

How can I stop my users cloning records?
I see this question popup a lot so thought I'd post up my simple workaround that stops people cloning records but still allows them to create records.

Steps involved.
  1. Add an auto-number field to your module layout (Settings>Modules & fields) and another text field which should be unique (no duplicate values allowed)
  2. Use a layout rule (Settings>Modules & fields) to always hide this field (it's hidden on record creation automatically)
    1. For example if you have an email field then only show the auto-number field when email = a@b.c

How it works
  1. When a record is created & saved it generates a unique auto-number field which you can copy to your unique text field. 
  2. When a user clones a record the unique text field is already populated (hence not unique) so you can't save it and you can't change the value because the layout rule hides the field

Pro's of this method
You can't clone record!

Cons of this method
When you try clone a record the auto-number field is hidden so when you click save you won't see the error message saying "No duplicate values allowed for this field"  (so you'll prob receive a flood of calls saying... I can't create a record!!)

Hopefully it helps you out...

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