# Phone Number Formats
The **Phone Number Formats** feature enhances duplicate detection by recognizing and merging records, even when same phone numbers are stored in different formats. No matter how numbers are entered—(###) #######, +## ##########, ## ## ######, and more—DeDupeD ensures potential duplicates are accurately identified and managed, keeping your CRM data clean and consistent.
To detect duplicates based on different phone number formats, follow the steps below:
* Once you have set up the [‘Duplicate Matching Rule,’ ](https://docs.inogic.com/deduped/configuration/set-up-duplicate-matching-rule)click on the **‘New Duplicate Matching Condition’** button.
* This will open up a **‘New Duplicate Matching Condition’** quick create form, where we need to fill in the following details:
* **Primary Entity Field:** Select your desired phone number field for which you want to enable duplicate detection. For e.g. Here we will select **‘Business Phone’** field.
* **Matching Entity Field:** Select the matching phone number field in which you want to detect duplicates. The fields in the Matching Entity Field dropdown will be of the same data type as the field selected in the Primary Entity Field. For e.g. Here we will again select **‘Business Phone’** field.
* **Matching Criteria:** Select a matching method for duplicate detection. Here we will select **“Exact”** matching method.
* **Ignore Blank Values:** Here you can select whether to ignore blank fields while executing duplicate matching conditions. By default, it is set to **‘Yes’.**
For Example, if you select **‘Ignore Blank Values’** as **‘Yes’** and have an existing contact record with a blank **Phone Number** field, and you create a new record with a blank **Phone Number** field, then the matching condition will ignore the blank field while performing duplicate detection and let you create a new contact record with a blank **Phone Number** field.
If you select **‘Ignore Blank Values’** as **‘No,’** then the matching condition will not ignore the blank field during duplicate detection, and it will not let you create a new contact record with a blank **Phone Number** field.
* **Phone Number Formats:** Enter the phone number formats you want to use for duplicate detection, such as **(###) ######**, **+## ##########**, or **##, ##, ######**, and click **“Add”** to include them.
* Once the required fields are filled in, click **‘Save and Close’**.
* Now the **Duplicate Matching Condition** will be successfully added.
* After creating duplicate matching condition, ‘**Click’** ‘**Publish’** to publish the **‘Duplicate Matching Rule’**.
