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Best answer

QuickBooks Online error: Duplicate Name Exists Error: The name supplied already exists

  • November 21, 2023
  • 5 replies
  • 436 views

Sending a contact through the Zapier step, “Find Customer in QuickBooks Online,” creates the following error:
“Duplicate Name Exists Error: The name supplied already exists.”

See first screenshot.


The Zap is up to create a new contact IF no contact is found based on the contact’s email. See next screenshot.

​

Why this issue? There can be tons of contacts with the same name, and it shouldn’t be any issue.

I found at least 1 related but closed topic from 3 years ago, which seems to describe more or less the same issue. Can this be fixed? And if so, how?

Best answer by Troy Tessalone

Hi @Funnelmatix 

Good question.

Customer Name Already in Use

Zapier uses the Display Name as a unique handle for finding customers inside of QuickBooks.
If you attempt to create a new customer, employee, and vendor that reuses an existing Display Name you will experience an error.

This post has been closed for comments. Please create a new post if you need help or have a question about this topic.

5 replies

Troy Tessalone
Zapier Orchestrator & Solution Partner
Forum|alt.badge.img+14
  • Troy TessaloneZapier Orchestrator & Solution Partner
  • Zapier Orchestrator & Solution Partner
  • Answer
  • November 21, 2023

Hi @Funnelmatix 

Good question.

Customer Name Already in Use

Zapier uses the Display Name as a unique handle for finding customers inside of QuickBooks.
If you attempt to create a new customer, employee, and vendor that reuses an existing Display Name you will experience an error.

⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Top Zapier Solution Partner | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
    • FunnelmatixBeginner
    • Author
    • Beginner
    • November 22, 2023

    Hi @Funnelmatix 

    Good question.

    Customer Name Already in Use

    Zapier uses the Display Name as a unique handle for finding customers inside of QuickBooks.
    If you attempt to create a new customer, employee, and vendor that reuses an existing Display Name you will experience an error.

     

    @Troy Tessalone Thank you, I wasn’t aware of this. As the display name is not a required field, I suppose the easiest would be to leave it blank and have Quickbooks create a unique one itself? Is that what you would recommend?

    Troy Tessalone
    Zapier Orchestrator & Solution Partner
    Forum|alt.badge.img+14
    • Troy TessaloneZapier Orchestrator & Solution Partner
    • Zapier Orchestrator & Solution Partner
    • November 22, 2023

    @Funnelmatix 

    When in doubt, test it out!

    ⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Top Zapier Solution Partner | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
    • FunnelmatixBeginner
    • Author
    • Beginner
    • November 24, 2023

    @Troy Tessalone  Removing the settings for the display name did not solve this issue. It persists the same way as before. Any other ideas?

    Troy Tessalone
    Zapier Orchestrator & Solution Partner
    Forum|alt.badge.img+14
    • Troy TessaloneZapier Orchestrator & Solution Partner
    • Zapier Orchestrator & Solution Partner
    • November 24, 2023

    @Funnelmatix 

    You may have to add additional Zap step logic to first find a record based on the name, then use paths to handle whether to create or update.

    ⚡ Troy Tessalone - AutomationAce.com | Top Zapier Solution Partner | #1 Zapier Community Contributor
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