Field validation and duplicate leads
Apply form-level field rules and avoid processing the same lead repeatedly.
Configure server-side validation
Step 1: Open form settings
In your form Settings, find Validation rules. Add a rule for a known payload field.
Step 2: Choose the field type
Choose text, email or number. Set Required, supported length or numeric bounds and optionally allowed values. The editor supports up to twenty rules.
Step 3: Test invalid and valid inputs
Submit a test with the expected field names and one invalid value. Check the HTTP response; then send a valid test and confirm the stored payload. Unknown fields may pass through unchanged.
After configuring email as a required email field, compare these safe test submissions. The first should fail validation; the second should be accepted if other form rules permit it.
curl -i -X POST 'https://pantherhook.com/f/YOUR_PUBLIC_FORM_KEY?test=true' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{"email":"not-an-email"}'
curl -i -X POST 'https://pantherhook.com/f/YOUR_PUBLIC_FORM_KEY?test=true' \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' -d '{"email":"valid@example.com"}'Enable deduplication
Turn on Enable deduplication in Lead quality, choose up to five comma-separated field names such as email, phone and select a comparison window of 1 minute, 5 minutes, 1 hour or 1 day.
Field values are normalized before comparison. Duplicates are still stored and visible in the inbox; turning off Deliver duplicate leads anyway prevents creating normal downstream delivery work for those repeats.
Different from anti-spam
A duplicate is a repeated legitimate-looking lead, not necessarily bot traffic. Suspected spam and invalid verification proof follow separate quarantine/rejection paths.
Understand spam controls