Do not submit blank data in field

[Anonymous]

I have an email subscription form.  I'd like to make it so that if any of the data on this form is left blank, it doesn't overwrite the current data in those fields on the lead record, as this is an initial subscribe form rather than an unsubscribe or subscription management page.

For instance, if a lead were already subscribed to 2 of our 4 lists, and use our subscription form to subscribe to a third, if they don't also check the checkboxes for the lists that they are already subscribed to they would be removed from them.  From a user stand-point this seems counter-intuitive, if they were already subscribed, why would they need to subscribe again?

I contacted Marketo support and they said "In regards to not submitting data in a field if it is blank, this will be something that needs to be done by adding some Javascript code.  On a high level, the Javascript will need to block updates from a field if it is left blank but was populated before."

Has any one tried this before?  Do you have any work arounds or sample code that we could use as a starting off point (our web developers are kinda snowed under at the moment)?

This seems like something that should be a native option in Marketo...subscription pages are pretty standard in the industry.

[Josh_Hill13]

Katharine,

Perhaps one option is to have 4 separate subscription pages so you can target specific lists, one at a time.

Then your Sub Management form will assume the person is returning and let them change all of the options at once.

Another option which may still require some javascript/jquery is to use Blank/Yes/No fields instead of T/F. Then your jquery can display the current option. Unfortunately I don't have code for this, but someone else may have posted this. Try looking for "jquery and subscription management."

[Anonymous]

Hi Josh,

Thanks for the suggestions.  Unfortunately having unique subscription pages for each of our newsletters isn't really an option.  Besides the fact that it would force our subscribers to fill out essentially the same form 4 times to get all of our newsletters, and we want to make it as easy on them as possible, we also want to promote all 4 at the same time so that our subscribers are aware of all of our options.

Can you explain your second option a bit more?  If we change it to Blank/Yes/No, then wouldn't we have the same issue where we're potentially overwriting a Yes (or a No) with a Blank if the subscriber leaves it blank when subscriber?

Best,
Katharine

[Stijn_Heijthuij]

Hi Katharina,

Did you manage to find a solution for this?

It seems pretty straight forward to me that you want to have some data fields only update if the value is not blank.
The only way I can think of doing this is with a 'mirror' field in front of the actual field. It's a cumbersome solution for something that should be pretty straight-forward.

The way that would work is that your mirror field would be updated. With a Smart Campaign you can update only values that are not blank.