Notify me if a card I create is a duplicate

Question

Good afternoon,

I am trying to figure out how to set an automation/rule to have Trello notify upon creation of a card if it is a duplicate. I create hundreds of cards daily, each with a different name (Insurance Inspector is the name), and we are coming up with hundreds of undesired duplicates which is complicating workflow. Is there a way to program Trello to notify me upon creation as to whether or not a card with that name has already been created? This would be suuuuuuuuuuper helpful!

Thanks so much and have a wonderful day!

Sincerely,

Amber Ferris

Luca Waters · Answer

I know exactly what you mean — Trello doesn’t have a built-in “duplicate checker,” but you can get close using Butler automation or a Power-Up. One common workaround is to set a rule in Butler like: when a card is created, search the board for cards with the same title and post a comment or send yourself a notification if one exists. It’s not perfect, but it helps flag duplicates before they pile up.

Some teams also lean on third-party Power-Ups that handle advanced card management — those can scan for duplicate names and alert you right away. Since you’re creating cards like Insurance Inspector at high volume, that extra layer would definitely cut down on clutter.

It’s the same principle as having a good insurance plan — you don’t always think about it until there’s a problem. I once had to review policy options through tree.com.sa en
for my own work, and it made me realize the value of having systems in place before the headaches start. Setting up Trello automation is a similar safety net.

Amber Ferris · Answer

Hi @Alex W !

Thank you! My issue is that each card I create has a different title (Insurance Inspector's names) so I can't use a general title. I was hoping there was a way to create an automation or rule which would automatically notify me upon creation if a card is a duplicate by recognizing the title alone. It looks like there used to be an application called 'Trellinator' but it's no longer active. I think I'm just going to have to search each Inspector's name in Trello before I create the card, which is what I was trying to omit and avoid, but it looks like the only answer for now. Thank you for your help and response! Have a great day!

Alex W_jr9vvs · Answer

Hey @Amber Ferris - welcome to the Community!

Try something like this:

This automation will post a comment to the original card if someone creates a card that has the same name as it (aka a duplicate).