Original Question:
Dan Garbarz asked:
“Hello, I created a new form, campaign, and funnel for an insurance campaign. I removed the ‘last name’ field on the form as an experiment. When a new contact is submitted (testing), I am seeing strange behavior, like two contacts being created and not being able to find or pull up the new submission. Is the ‘last name’ field a key or index to the database? Or is this problem something else?”
Answer:
The issue you’re experiencing is not caused by removing the last name field, but rather by the way Agent CRM processes form submissions based on IP addresses.
If you are submitting test entries multiple times from the same computer, Agent CRM does not create a new contact for each submission. Instead, it updates the existing contact linked to your IP address, which can cause unexpected behavior when reviewing new submissions.
How to Properly Test Your Form Without Overwriting Data
Option 1: Use an Incognito Window for Each Submission
- Open your form in a new incognito (private browsing) window before submitting each test entry.
- This prevents Agent CRM from recognizing and updating your previous submission.
Option 2: Use a Different Device or Network
- Try submitting the form from a different device (such as your phone on mobile data).
- This ensures a completely fresh submission without linking to your previous IP address.
Option 3: Manually Check for Duplicates in Contacts
- Go to Contacts > Smart Lists
- Search for any records with your email or phone number to see if your test submissions are updating an existing contact rather than creating a new one.
Is the Last Name Field Required for Submissions?
No, the last name field is not a required index in Agent CRM. Contacts are typically indexed based on:
- Email address (Primary key)
- Phone number (If an email is not provided)
If a form is submitted without a last name but with an email or phone number, Agent CRM will still create a contact record, as long as it does not detect an existing contact with the same information.
Why This Happens
- Agent CRM prevents duplicate entries by linking submissions from the same IP address.
- Forms without email or phone fields may create duplicate records instead of merging correctly.
- Testing without using an incognito window results in previous submissions being overwritten.
Best Practices When Building and Testing Forms
✔ Always include either an email or phone number field in your form to ensure unique records.
✔ Test in incognito mode or on a different device to prevent Agent CRM from updating past test entries.
✔ Use tags or campaigns to track new submissions separately from test contacts.
✔ Check your contact list after testing to confirm correct data entry.
By following these steps, you’ll get a clearer picture of how real submissions will behave without any unexpected issues.
More Resources
To further refine your understanding and improve your Agent CRM experience, explore these related blog posts:
- Insights to Inspire Action: Agent CRM’s Survey and Forms Tool
- Unlock AI’s Power in Your Insurance Business with Agent CRM
- Automate New Insurance Lead Campaigns
Watch and Learn
For additional insights, check out our YouTube channel for helpful tutorials like this one:
