Automation Loop
I have an automation that is triggered when a field "order status" is changed to Approved. Order status is changed to Approved when the user clicks a button. My issue is that when one record is a...
Forum Discussion
Perfect, thank you!
Basically we are having the [Copy Record] field be something that we can turn on with the button and the automation turns it off or makes it false before completing, therefore making sure it doesn't get copyed a 2nd time when the next order is approved right?
Thank you,
Mike Klausing
------Original Message------
Mike,
You're already on the right track by thinking about this Automation in terms of the "state" of a record. We just need to determine which state change should trigger the Automation. The record's order status is a state, and it does help identity the type of records this Automation should pick up. However, what we really want to know about the record's state is "should it sync," and using a record's order status state isn't giving us a complete answer for the state of "should it sync." I've found tracking the state of "should it sync" is easier by using a "trigger checkbox."
Here's a quick example:
Let's say the trigger field is named [Copy Trigger]. When a user clicks the "Approve" button, that record would be updated to have [Order Status] = "Approved" and [Copy Trigger] = True. The automation would then search for records where [Copy Trigger] = True, and set [Copy Trigger] = False on the first step. Since we're just looking for the state of "should it sync" instead of the state of "Order Status = Approved", we are excluding any "Approved" records that have already sunk. To recap:
- Button sets [Order Status] = "Approved" and [Copy Trigger] = True
- Automation triggers on record update where [Copy Trigger] = True
- Step 1 of Automation is to set [Copy Record] = false on the record that that triggered the Automation
- Automation then does stuff
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Evan Westbrook
PRIME Developer
Harder Mechanical Contractors Inc.
Portland OR
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Mike,
I suggest going one step further. The check box method will eliminate the copying of the old records. However there can be value in knowing the sync status and timing.
A new relationship to Sync Status will do this as well and show you the progression and timing.
Orders<< Order Sync Change >> Sync Status
Imagine that the Sync Status Table has three values
When the Order is created, the Sync Status is New
When the Order status is Approved, the Sync Status moves to Pending
When the Sync Automation completes, it changes Sync Status to Synced.
You can now report against both of the different Status types in the Orders Table. Invariably questions come later about the timing of the status changes and simple check box does not give that to you. Your intermediate table for the change can do a lot of useful things.
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Don Larson
Paasporter
Westlake OH
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I suggest going one step further. The check box method will eliminate the copying of the old records. However there can be value in knowing the sync status and timing.
A new relationship to Sync Status will do this as well and show you the progression and timing.
Orders<< Order Sync Change >> Sync Status
Imagine that the Sync Status Table has three values
- New
- Pending
- Synced
When the Order is created, the Sync Status is New
When the Order status is Approved, the Sync Status moves to Pending
When the Sync Automation completes, it changes Sync Status to Synced.
You can now report against both of the different Status types in the Orders Table. Invariably questions come later about the timing of the status changes and simple check box does not give that to you. Your intermediate table for the change can do a lot of useful things.
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Don Larson
Paasporter
Westlake OH
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