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Re: How to stop the automation overwriting data?

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Krystal_Tobias
6 - Interface Innovator
6 - Interface Innovator

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!

5 Replies 5

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

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!

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!

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!