How to stop the automation overwriting data?

[Krystal_Tobias]

Hi!  Using an automation designed to send and collect wedding rsvps via a form - I customised the automation to use it for our events company.

The automation uses a CRM/Contacts table, a RSVP table to collect the new responses, and a form linked to the RSVP table. A personalised link in the CRM/Contacts table is sent to each contact. This link (image attached) is a form prefilled with their name and details, and few empty fields for them to complete. The data entered into the form > feeds into the rsvp table > then updates the CRM/Contacts table records.

The problem we're having is invited people are forwarding their personalised links to others for them to attend the event. Inviting new people isn't a problem - the problem is the new person overwrites the existing data/user in the CRM table (unlike a wedding where guests don't invite other guests). I have to manually go, roll back the data, and create a new record for the new person.

To circumvent this I created another step to pick up anomalies in the contact ID field in the form - but its not working effectively (image attached). 

Ideally, I'd love it if AT was able to tell that a new email is entered into the form that's different from the prefilled information. If they enter a new email it would be great if the form wouldn't submit. Instead an error tells them to complete a different new contact form. Does anyone have any other ideas what I could do? Thanks!

[TheTimeSavingCo]

Hmm, it looks like you've got a "Contact ID" field which is the record ID from the Contacts table, and I'm assuming that's a linked field ot the "Contacts" table from your "RSVP" table? 

If so, I think I would try:
1. Create an automation that'll trigger whenever a form gets submitted
2. Give it a "Find Record" action to look for any submitted form entries with that record ID
3. Give it a conditional where, if the number of records found is 1 (i.e. only one person has submitted a form with this Contact record ID), then the automation to overwrite the Contact record runs
4. If the number of records found is >1, then create a new record like you have now

Another way to potentailly deal with this is to just not overwrite stuff at all I think.  Treat the RSVP table as the true "Contacts" table, and treat the original "Contact" table as a "RSVP send out list", you know what I mean?  That way you won't need to worry about the date overwrites at all, just use it to see whether the status of the RSVPs instead

[Krystal_Tobias]

Hi Adam

The ContactID field is in the RSVP table. There is not ContactID field in the Contact table.  Will your first solution still work?

In regards to your second idea... I understand but I think we're aiming to have all the information in 1 table. Thank you!

[TheTimeSavingCo]

Hi Krystal, yeap, we're on the same page: the Contact ID field is a linked field to the 'Contacts' table from the "RSVP" table.  Sorry, I phrased things weirdly, and yeap, it'd work!

[Krystal_Tobias]

Hi Adam

Sorry, I'm trying to create the automation but I don't know what exactly to select? 

How do I create the condition "if the number of records found is 1"?

I've attached some images based on a demo of the tables. Thanks!

[TheTimeSavingCo]

Ah you'd do it like this:

Link to base