We are excited to announce the newest Workflow Automation release: Data Passing. Data passing allows you to run workflow steps using data from steps that have previously run as an input. For example, if you create a fulfillment project as an action step, a delay until the logic step can wait until the new fulfillment project has been completed.
We are continually adding more data combinations between different steps to be used in data passing. If you have a specific example of a connection you need, let us know in the Conquer Local Community!
What can I do with it?
This release includes the ability to name steps in workflow automation, jumping from one named step to another named step (for instance, if a sales order was initially declined and then approved by a salesperson, the automation will jump to the next named step rather than having to build out the workflow steps again), better error handling (for instance, if an error occurs the automation can restart from a different named step in the workflow), and passing data for the actions: create a fulfillment project and trigger a webhook.
See the following links for more information:
How do I use it?
1. Create an automation
You can add data passing features to either a new or existing automation. In this example, we are going to start with new automation. Create new automation using the account automation type. For the trigger in this example, we choose "when an account is created".
2. Create a fulfillment project step and pass the data
To set up data passing, choose the action step you would like to pass data from.
In this example, we will choose the Create a fulfillment project for the account action. In the side panel, toggle ‘On’ Data passing and name the step in the Step identifier. We named ours 'Data passing step 1'. If this step contains any data to pass to other steps, they will now be available in the following steps' input options.
3. Wait for the fulfillment project
For this example, add a Delay until an event happens logic step and choose the A fulfillment project status for the account is changed trigger.
3a. Choose the Delay until an event happens logic step
For this example, we want to wait until the fulfillment project created has been completed. Choose the Delay until an event happens logic step so that the automation will wait until a specific trigger event has happened.
3b. Choose the workflow step to use data from
Now we need to specify what to wait for in the delay until step. To do this, specify the Workflow data origin we want to use data from in the first dropdown. In this case, choose the step you named in part 1 of the lesson.
3c. Choose the data from that workflow step
As you can imagine, action steps can output a number of different data fields. For this example, the Create a fulfillment project action step only outputs the Fulfillment project data field. Select Fulfillment project in the second dropdown to specify what data you are using from `Data passing step 1`.
4. Choose a trigger event to wait for based on the data selected
With the Fulfillment project data field selected, you can now choose one of two triggers that relate to fulfillment projects. Choose A fulfillment project status for the account is changed. Next, choose the fulfillment status you want the step to trigger. In this example, the trigger will start when a fulfillment project status is changed to “Completed”.
The delay until logic step will now wait for the fulfillment project created in “Data passing step 1” to have its status change to “Completed”.
5. Notify the assigned salesperson
To fully experience this automation in action, we should do something when the project has been completed. Let's notify a salesperson that the fulfillment project has been completed.
6. Try it out!
Our automation will now trigger when a new account is created. Then, it will create a fulfillment project for that account. The workflow will wait until that new fulfillment project is complete, then send a notification to the assigned salesperson. Turn the automation on and test it out!
