Using Subform Records to Update Form Records

Introduction

Feature Overview

After adding or updating records to the subfield in a form, Automation Pro can automatically update the main records in another form.

Scenario

Scenario Name	Problem Statement	Problem Solving
Student management	Difficult to synchronize the new records in the Score Entry Form to the Student Score Form and change its status	After adding the score of a student to the subform of Score Entry Form, it will trigger Automation Pro to update the student status as "Pass" for students who pass the exam in the Student Score Form
Equipment management	Difficult to synchronize the new records in the Equipment Borrowing Form to the Equipment Basic Information Form and change its status	After adding a record to the subform of Equipment Borrowing Form, it will trigger Automation Pro to update the equipment status as "Borrowed out" and update the "Borrower" as "Corresponding Applicant" to the Equipment Basic Information Form

Preview

Take the scenario of equipment borrowing, add borrowing record in the Equipment Borrowing Form, after approval, it will automatically update the corresponding status and borrower in the Equipment Status Form. As shown in the following picture:

Building a Form

1. Create a Equipment Status form and add necessary fields (used to record equipment information and borrow details) to this form.

Field Name	Field Type	Field Setting
Equipment ID	Serial No.	/
Equipment Name	Single Line
Equipment Modal	Single Line
Equipment Type	Single Select	Option: Manufacturing equipment, Fire-fighting equipment
Borrower's Name	Member	/
Equipment Status	Single Select	Option: In stock, Borrowing

2. Create another workflow form Equipment Borrowing, and add a subform as Equipment Info to this form.

Field Name	Field Type	Field Setting
Name of Borrower	Member	/
Borrow Date	Date&Time
Equipment Info	SubForm
Equipment Info.Equipment User	Member
Equipment Info.Equipment Type	Single Select
Equipment Info.Equipment Name	Single Select
Equipment Info.Equipment ID	Single Line
Equipment Info.Equipment Modal	Single Line
Equipment Info.Equipment Status	Single Select
Approval Comment	Radio	Option: Approved, Rejected

3. On the Workflow page, set the workflow for the workflow form. The settings include choosing approvers at each nodes and setting the field-viewing permission.

Set Field Permissions (including the permissions for viewing/editing certain fields) for the start node.
Tick all fields under View and Edit at the task node, and choose an approver at the node. Then the approver has permission to view and edit all fields in the form and can receive tasks.

Setting Automation Pro

Creating an Automation

To create an automation,

1. Go to Extension > Automations, and click New Automation.

2. Rename the automation.

3. Choose the trigger type Form Trigger, and choose Equipment Borrowing from the drop-down as the triggering form.

Setting the Trigger Node

Select the trigger node and set the node as follows:

Select a trigger: Workflow flows to next node

Select a workflow node: the approval node
Select a trigger event: Submit

Add a condition: Approval Comment equals Approved.

Based on the settings above, Automations Pro will be triggered once your application for equipment borrowing is approved.

Adding an Action Node (Update Record)

Adding an Update Record node after the trigger node.

Setting the Action Node (Update Record)

Set the Update Record node as follows:

1. Set the records to be updated.

Choose Record in the form to update records in a form, and choose Equipment Status as the target form.

2. Retrieve the records to be updated using filters.

Add a condition: Equipment Number equals any Trigger Data--Equipment Info.Equipment Number. Once triggered, Automations Pro will check the condition and show you all the records of borrowed equipment for updates.

Note:

The condition mentioned above is added to retrieve the records that you want to update. No action is performed on these records.

3. Set the field value

Update the equipment records filtered out, settings are as follows:

Add the fields to be updated and set the field values: update Equipment Status and Borrower to the corresponding information in the trigger data.

Borrower equals Trigger Data--Equipment Info.Equipment User
Equipment Status equals Trigger Data--Equipment Info.Equipment Status

Set the relationship between records to be updated and the data source: While updating, if you trigger multiple equipment borrowing records in the subform, then it will match the corresponding equipment records through equipment number and update the field value.

Equipment Number equals Trigger Data--Equipment Info.Equipment Number

Saving & Enabling

After completing all the settings, click Save & Enable to put the Automations Pro into actual use.

Notes

1. If you want to learn more about how to assign values using subform fields when choosing the trigger event Add record, refer to Subform Assignment Rules.

2. For details about how to set the relationship between records to be updated and the data source, see Guide to Use Update Record Nodes.