diff --git a/webapp/src/components/BatchCreateItemModal.vue b/webapp/src/components/BatchCreateItemModal.vue
index 473467838..99ccf60c3 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/BatchCreateItemModal.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/components/BatchCreateItemModal.vue
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
     <Modal
       :model-value="modelValue"
       :disable-submit="
-        itemIDValidationMessages.some((e) => e) ||
+        isValidEntryID.some((e) => e) ||
         (!generateIDsAutomatically && items.some((s) => !Boolean(s.item_id)))
       "
       @update:model-value="$emit('update:modelValue', $event)"
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@
                     </tr>
                     <td colspan="3">
                       <!-- eslint-disable-next-line vue/no-v-html -->
-                      <span class="form-error" v-html="itemIDValidationMessages[index]" />
+                      <span class="form-error" v-html="isValidEntryID[index]" />
                     </td>
                   </template>
                 </tbody>
@@ -332,6 +332,7 @@
 import Modal from "@/components/Modal.vue";
 import ItemSelect from "@/components/ItemSelect.vue";
 import { createNewSamples } from "@/server_fetch_utils.js";
+import { validateEntryID } from "@/field_utils.js";
 import { itemTypes, SAMPLE_TABLE_TYPES } from "@/resources.js";
 export default {
   name: "BatchCreateItemModal",
@@ -414,16 +415,12 @@ export default {
         ? this.$store.state.sample_list.map((x) => x.item_id)
         : [];
     },
-    someValidationMessagePresent() {
-      return this.itemIDValidationMessages.some();
-    },
-    itemIDValidationMessages() {
+    isValidEntryID() {
       return this.items.map((item, index, items) => {
         if (item.item_id == null) {
           return "";
-        } // Don't throw an error before the user starts typing
-
-        // check that item id isn't repeated in this table
+        }
+        // Check if item ID is repeated in the table
         if (
           items
             .slice(0, index)
@@ -433,25 +430,7 @@ export default {
           return "ID is repeated from an above row.";
         }
 
-        if (
-          this.takenItemIds.includes(item.item_id) ||
-          this.takenSampleIds.includes(item.item_id)
-        ) {
-          return `<a href='edit/${item.item_id}'>${item.item_id}</a> already in use.`;
-        }
-        if (!/^[a-zA-Z0-9._-]+$/.test(item.item_id)) {
-          return "ID can only contain alphanumeric characters, dashes ('-') and underscores ('_') and periods ('.')";
-        }
-        if (/^[._-]/.test(item.item_id) | /[._-]$/.test(item.item_id)) {
-          return "ID cannot start or end with puncutation";
-        }
-        if (/\s/.test(item.item_id)) {
-          return "ID cannot have any spaces";
-        }
-        if (item.item_id.length < 1 || item.item_id.length > 40) {
-          return "ID must be between 1 and 40 characters in length";
-        }
-        return "";
+        return validateEntryID(item.item_id, this.takenItemIds, this.takenSampleIds);
       });
     },
   },
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/CollectionSelect.vue b/webapp/src/components/CollectionSelect.vue
index 5906111b6..539c8fcbf 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/CollectionSelect.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/components/CollectionSelect.vue
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
     @search="debouncedAsyncSearch"
   >
     <template #no-options="{ searching }">
-      <span v-if="validationMessage" class="form-error">{{ validationMessage }}</span>
+      <span v-if="isValidEntryID" class="form-error">{{ isValidEntryID }}</span>
       <span v-else-if="searching"> Collection already selected </span>
       <span v-else class="empty-search"> Search for a collection... </span>
     </template>
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 import vSelect from "vue-select";
 import FormattedCollectionName from "@/components/FormattedCollectionName.vue";
 import { searchCollections, createNewCollection } from "@/server_fetch_utils.js";
+import { validateEntryID } from "@/field_utils.js";
 import { debounceTime } from "@/resources.js";
 
 export default {
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ export default {
         this.searchQuery &&
         !this.collections.some((item) => item.collection_id === this.searchQuery) &&
         !valueSafe.some((item) => item.collection_id === this.searchQuery) &&
-        !this.IDValidationMessage()
+        !this.isValidEntryID
       ) {
         return [
           ...this.collections,
@@ -94,8 +95,8 @@ export default {
       }
       return this.collections;
     },
-    validationMessage() {
-      return this.IDValidationMessage();
+    isValidEntryID() {
+      return validateEntryID(this.searchQuery);
     },
   },
   methods: {
@@ -126,20 +127,8 @@ export default {
         loading(false);
       }, debounceTime);
     },
-    IDValidationMessage() {
-      if (this.searchQuery && !/^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+$/.test(this.searchQuery)) {
-        return "ID can only contain alphanumeric characters, dashes ('-'), and underscores ('_').";
-      }
-      if (/^[._-]/.test(this.searchQuery) | /[._-]$/.test(this.searchQuery)) {
-        return "ID cannot start or end with punctuation";
-      }
-      if ((this.searchQuery && this.searchQuery.length < 1) || this.searchQuery.length > 40) {
-        return "ID must be between 1 and 40 characters.";
-      }
-      return "";
-    },
     async handleCreateNewCollection() {
-      if (this.IDValidationMessage()) {
+      if (this.isValidEntryID) {
         return;
       } else {
         try {
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/CreateCollectionModal.vue b/webapp/src/components/CreateCollectionModal.vue
index 8741b8ccd..33e2eb71f 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/CreateCollectionModal.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/components/CreateCollectionModal.vue
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   <form @submit.prevent="submitForm">
     <Modal
       :model-value="modelValue"
-      :disable-submit="Boolean(IDValidationMessage) || !Boolean(collection_id)"
+      :disable-submit="Boolean(isValidEntryID) || !Boolean(collection_id)"
       @update:model-value="$emit('update:modelValue', $event)"
     >
       <template #header> Create new collection </template>
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
               required
             />
             <!-- eslint-disable-next-line vue/no-v-html -->
-            <div class="form-error" v-html="IDValidationMessage"></div>
+            <div class="form-error" v-html="isValidEntryID"></div>
           </div>
         </div>
         <div class="form-row">
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 import Modal from "@/components/Modal.vue";
 import ItemSelect from "@/components/ItemSelect.vue";
 import { createNewCollection } from "@/server_fetch_utils.js";
+import { validateEntryID } from "@/field_utils.js";
 
 export default {
   name: "CreateCollectionModal",
@@ -72,21 +73,8 @@ export default {
         ? this.$store.state.collection_list.map((x) => x.collection_id)
         : [];
     },
-    IDValidationMessage() {
-      if (this.collection_id == null) {
-        return "";
-      } // Don't throw an error before the user starts typing
-
-      if (this.takenCollectionIds.includes(this.collection_id)) {
-        return `<a href='edit/${this.collection_id}'>${this.collection_id}</a> already in use.`;
-      }
-      if (!/^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+$/.test(this.collection_id)) {
-        return "ID can only contain alphanumeric characters, dashes ('-') and underscores ('_')";
-      }
-      if (this.collection_id.length < 1 || this.collection_id.length > 40) {
-        return "ID must be between 1 and 40 characters in length";
-      }
-      return "";
+    isValidEntryID() {
+      return validateEntryID(this.collection_id, this.takenCollectionIds);
     },
   },
   methods: {
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/CreateEquipmentModal.vue b/webapp/src/components/CreateEquipmentModal.vue
index d90ae74ad..2136cd495 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/CreateEquipmentModal.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/components/CreateEquipmentModal.vue
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   <form class="modal-enclosure" data-testid="create-equipment-form" @submit.prevent="submitForm">
     <Modal
       :model-value="modelValue"
-      :disable-submit="Boolean(equipmentIDValidationMessage) || !Boolean(item_id)"
+      :disable-submit="Boolean(isValidEntryID) || !Boolean(item_id)"
       @update:model-value="$emit('update:modelValue', $event)"
     >
       <template #header> Add equipment </template>
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
             <label for="equipment-id" class="col-form-label">ID:</label>
             <input id="equipment-id" v-model="item_id" type="text" class="form-control" required />
             <!-- eslint-disable-next-line vue/no-v-html -->
-            <div class="form-error" v-html="equipmentIDValidationMessage"></div>
+            <div class="form-error" v-html="isValidEntryID"></div>
           </div>
           <div class="form-group col-md-6">
             <label for="create-equipment-modal-item-type-select" class="col-form-label"
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@
 import Modal from "@/components/Modal.vue";
 import ItemSelect from "@/components/ItemSelect.vue";
 import { createNewItem } from "@/server_fetch_utils.js";
+import { validateEntryID } from "@/field_utils.js";
 import { itemTypes } from "@/resources.js";
 // import CollectionSelect from "@/components/CollectionSelect.vue";
 export default {
@@ -138,27 +139,8 @@ export default {
         ? this.$store.state.equipment_list.map((x) => x.item_id)
         : [];
     },
-    equipmentIDValidationMessage() {
-      if (this.item_id == null) {
-        return "";
-      } // Don't throw an error before the user starts typing
-
-      if (
-        this.takenItemIds.includes(this.item_id) ||
-        this.takenEquipmentIds.includes(this.item_id)
-      ) {
-        return `<a href='edit/${this.item_id}'>${this.item_id}</a> already in use.`;
-      }
-      if (!/^[a-zA-Z0-9._-]+$/.test(this.item_id)) {
-        return "ID can only contain alphanumeric characters, dashes ('-') and underscores ('_') and periods ('.')";
-      }
-      if (/^[._-]/.test(this.item_id) | /[._-]$/.test(this.item_id)) {
-        return "ID cannot start or end with puncutation";
-      }
-      if (this.item_id.length < 1 || this.item_id.length > 40) {
-        return "ID must be between 1 and 40 characters in length";
-      }
-      return "";
+    isValidEntryID() {
+      return validateEntryID(this.item_id, this.takenItemIds, this.takenEquipmentIds);
     },
   },
   methods: {
diff --git a/webapp/src/components/CreateItemModal.vue b/webapp/src/components/CreateItemModal.vue
index 4fc2e2fd5..7273a0446 100644
--- a/webapp/src/components/CreateItemModal.vue
+++ b/webapp/src/components/CreateItemModal.vue
@@ -2,9 +2,7 @@
   <form class="modal-enclosure" data-testid="create-item-form" @submit.prevent="submitForm">
     <Modal
       :model-value="modelValue"
-      :disable-submit="
-        Boolean(itemIDValidationMessage) || (!generateIDAutomatically && !Boolean(item_id))
-      "
+      :disable-submit="Boolean(isValidEntryID) || (!generateIDAutomatically && !Boolean(item_id))"
       @update:model-value="$emit('update:modelValue', $event)"
     >
       <template #header> Add new item </template>
@@ -22,7 +20,7 @@
               :required="!generateIDAutomatically"
             />
             <!-- eslint-disable-next-line vue/no-v-html -->
-            <div class="form-error" v-html="itemIDValidationMessage"></div>
+            <div class="form-error" v-html="isValidEntryID"></div>
             <div class="form-check mt-1 ml-1">
               <input
                 id="create-item-auto-id-checkbox"
@@ -109,6 +107,7 @@
 import Modal from "@/components/Modal.vue";
 import ItemSelect from "@/components/ItemSelect.vue";
 import { createNewItem } from "@/server_fetch_utils.js";
+import { validateEntryID } from "@/field_utils.js";
 import { itemTypes, SAMPLE_TABLE_TYPES } from "@/resources.js";
 import CollectionSelect from "@/components/CollectionSelect.vue";
 export default {
@@ -156,24 +155,8 @@ export default {
         ? this.$store.state.sample_list.map((x) => x.item_id)
         : [];
     },
-    itemIDValidationMessage() {
-      if (this.item_id == null) {
-        return "";
-      } // Don't throw an error before the user starts typing
-
-      if (this.takenItemIds.includes(this.item_id) || this.takenSampleIds.includes(this.item_id)) {
-        return `<a href='edit/${this.item_id}'>${this.item_id}</a> already in use.`;
-      }
-      if (!/^[a-zA-Z0-9._-]+$/.test(this.item_id)) {
-        return "ID can only contain alphanumeric characters, dashes ('-') and underscores ('_') and periods ('.')";
-      }
-      if (/^[._-]/.test(this.item_id) | /[._-]$/.test(this.item_id)) {
-        return "ID cannot start or end with puncutation";
-      }
-      if (this.item_id.length < 1 || this.item_id.length > 40) {
-        return "ID must be between 1 and 40 characters in length";
-      }
-      return "";
+    isValidEntryID() {
+      return validateEntryID(this.item_id, this.takenItemIds, this.takenSampleIds);
     },
   },
   created() {
diff --git a/webapp/src/field_utils.js b/webapp/src/field_utils.js
index d0718fe3b..c34f3e1bc 100644
--- a/webapp/src/field_utils.js
+++ b/webapp/src/field_utils.js
@@ -60,3 +60,46 @@ export function createComputedSetterForCollectionField(collection_field) {
     },
   };
 }
+
+/**
+ * Validates an ID against various criteria and checks if it's already in use.
+ *
+ * @param {string} id - The ID to validate.
+ * @param {string[]} [takenIds=[]] - Array of already taken item IDs.
+ * @param {string[]} [existingIds=[]] - Array of IDs already known to exist.
+ *
+ * @returns {string} An empty string if the ID is valid and not in use, otherwise an error message.
+ *                   If the ID is in use, it returns a string error message with an HTML link to edit the ID.
+ *
+ * @example
+ * // Returns an empty string for a valid ID
+ * validateEntryID("valid_id_123");
+ *
+ * @example
+ * // Returns an error message for an invalid ID
+ * validateEntryID("invalid id with spaces");
+ *
+ * @example
+ * // Returns a message with a link if the ID is already in use
+ * validateEntryID("taken_id", ["taken_id"]);
+ */
+export function validateEntryID(id, takenIds = [], existingIds = []) {
+  if (id == null) {
+    return "";
+  }
+
+  if (takenIds.includes(id) || existingIds.includes(id)) {
+    return `<a href='edit/${id}'>${id}</a> already in use.`;
+  }
+
+  if (!/^[a-zA-Z0-9_-]+$/.test(id)) {
+    return "ID can only contain alphanumeric characters, dashes ('-'), and underscores ('_').";
+  }
+  if (/^[._-]/.test(id) | /[._-]$/.test(id)) {
+    return "ID cannot start or end with punctuation";
+  }
+  if (id.length < 1 || id.length > 40) {
+    return "ID must be between 1 and 40 characters.";
+  }
+  return "";
+}