Auto-populating from one contact field to another using workflows
SOLVE
Hello-
I have a client who is offering open enrollment training at multiple locations. So the form has one field that asks for location that then triggers the next drop-down of enrollment date options.
Based on the customer's choices, I want to customize two emails. One to confirm enrollment, another for a three day reminder.
All of this is setup, but I'd like to simplify the current workflow I have. Basically, if anyone fills out the form and selects a training location, I want to set a date in a universal field (say, "class date") that auto-pulls from the other date fields (that are contingent upon location and are drop-down select items.)
This would allow me to use a personalization token in the emails and more importantly, trigger a global workflow off of that one property (rather than having several different date fields to mess with.)
Depending on how often the events are happening, you could have workflows set up for each option. The enrollment criteria would be contact property "date for event" is equal to "Choice 1" which would allow a series of emails to flow out to those recipients. You would have a separate workflow for "day 2", etc.
Depending on the amount of events, this may not be scalable.
You could also use smart content. This option would require lists (based on the form submission and contact property), and then use the list membership criteria to have different email content populate for the recipients.
So the problem with a date stamp, is the date is not either of those options (static date or date of step.)
The issue is the person attending the event selects which location they are going to go for a training event first. Based on which location they select, a set of predetermined dates pops up in the next dropdown that they can choose from.
The property type for both of those properties is a drop down. The dates that are available
are therefore not really in a "date format."
What would be ideal would be to be able to dump those drop-down dates in a single date field (i.e. personalization token) upon which we could then trigger the two emails. i.e.
Email #1: Thanks for registering! Here are the details about the event.
Email #2: Two days prior to event reminder email containing details again.
Hopefully that makes sense. I'm tagging my client in case she would like to provide further context or links. @julieclarkebush
I am not too cody, but wondering if I need to create a custom query that would format the info appropriately and dump it into a single property field.
Depending on how often the events are happening, you could have workflows set up for each option. The enrollment criteria would be contact property "date for event" is equal to "Choice 1" which would allow a series of emails to flow out to those recipients. You would have a separate workflow for "day 2", etc.
Depending on the amount of events, this may not be scalable.
You could also use smart content. This option would require lists (based on the form submission and contact property), and then use the list membership criteria to have different email content populate for the recipients.
For the first option, you are right. It is a bit wonky because these events are basically held every month (not scalable as you suspected.)
For the second option, I had thought of that as well but I'm glad you suggested it because it helped confirm what me and my colleague suspected: we have this set up the most efficient way possible (at least at the moment.)
My other thought is maybe there is an opportunity with a third-party app to make the whole thing more manageable/smooth. I'll mark this as a solution, even though to be perfectly honest it is less than ideal (obviously not your fault.)
