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Update Field Value

Required Permission
Workflow - You must have the Workflow permission to access this setting.

The Update Field Value action modifies any field on the record that triggered the workflow. Use this to automatically change stages, set dates, assign users, or update any other field value.

Configuration​

  1. Select Update Field Value as the action type
  2. Choose the Field to Update
  3. Set the New Value
  4. Optionally enable Dynamic Value to use tokens

Supported Field Types​

All field types can be updated, including:

Field TypeExample Values
Text"Follow-up needed", "VIP Customer"
Number100, 250.50
Money$50,000.00
Date2025-01-15
Datetime2025-01-15 9:00 AM
Dropdown/Select"Pre-Production", "In Progress"
UserJohn Smith (from user list)
CheckboxYes/No, True/False

Meeting Format on Activities​

Activities have a Meeting Format field with two options, Virtual and In-Person. This is the same setting shown on the appointment itself, so a workflow can switch an appointment to Virtual and the activity will display accordingly.

note

Changing Meeting Format does not change the appointment's Location. If an appointment was booked as in-person, its street address remains after switching it to Virtual — update the Location separately if you need it changed.

Appointments created before Meeting Format existed have no value set. They count as neither Virtual nor In-Person, so a condition like Meeting Format equals In-Person will not match them.

"Is not" conditions behave the other way around: an appointment with no value set counts as not In-Person, so Meeting Format is not In-Person matches those older appointments as well as the Virtual ones. If you mean Virtual, use Meeting Format equals Virtual.

Static vs Dynamic Values​

Static Value​

Enter a fixed value that is set every time the action runs:

  • Select a dropdown option
  • Enter a specific number
  • Choose a specific user
  • Set a fixed date

Example:

Field: Production Stage Value: "Pre-Production"

Dynamic Value​

Enable the dynamic value toggle to use tokens that reference other field values:

  • Reference the current date
  • Copy a value from another field
  • Use the triggering user

Right-click to insert a token from the available fields.

Example:

Field: Last Updated By Value: [Current User] (insert via right-click)

Setting Date and Datetime Fields​

When the field being updated is a Date or Datetime, the value can be a fixed date (2026-04-01) or a relative expression evaluated when the workflow runs:

  • today or Current Date
  • today + 7 days, today - 1 month, next monday
  • today + 4 business days — business-day offsets skip weekends
  • Add a time of day for datetime fields, e.g. today + 2 business days 7:00am

Expressions are forgiving of everyday phrasing — surrounding brackets or quotes and commas (for example [Current Date + 4 days, 7:00am]) are handled automatically. If an expression genuinely can't be understood, the step records an error instead of silently doing nothing, so misconfigured values are easy to spot in the execution history.

Use Cases​

Update Stage Automatically​

When a contract is signed, move the project to production:

Field: Production Stage Value: "Pre-Production"

Set Reminder Dates​

Calculate and set a follow-up date:

Field: Follow-up Date Value: [Current Date + 7 days] (insert via right-click)

Assign Records​

Automatically assign a record to a user:

Field: Project Manager Value: Jane Smith

Clear Field Values​

Set a field to empty/blank to clear it:

Field: Temporary Notes Value: (empty)

Copy Values Between Fields​

Use tokens to copy from one field to another:

Field: Billing Contact Value: [Primary Contact] (insert via right-click)

Example Workflow​

Best Practices​

Verify Field Exists​

Ensure the field you're updating exists on the object type. If a field is deleted, the action will fail.

Check Field Permissions​

Users running the workflow need permission to update the field. System-level workflows bypass user permissions.

Consider Dependencies​

Other workflows or automations may trigger when you update a field. Plan for cascading effects.

Use Descriptive Labels​

Label the action with what it does:

  • "Mark as VIP"
  • "Set to Pre-Production"
  • "Assign to Sales Manager"

Troubleshooting​

Field Not Appearing in List​

  • Verify the field exists on the object type
  • Check if the field is active (not archived)
  • Ensure you have permission to view the field

Value Not Saving​

  • Verify the value matches the field type
  • Check for validation rules on the field
  • Ensure the value is within allowed options (for dropdowns)

Action Failing​

  • Check execution history for error details
  • Verify the field hasn't been deleted
  • Confirm the value is valid for the field type

Next Steps​