Setting a future timestamp based off another timestamp field value

[Anonymous]

I would like the abilitiy to create a timestamp of a future date based off a current timestamp field. 

For example:

Trial starts date is 1/12/14
Trial length is 14 days

I need to set the "trial end date" timestamp to 1/26/14.

Salesforce can't (easily) do this right now. Seems pretty straight forward. 

[Anonymous]

Since Marketo does not do math in a field you prolly can't get the date stamped but you could always have wait steps after trial start date for sending specific emails. If you are trying to see how soon a trial ends easily you could add and upate update a field like "Trial Ending in". Use a date token with trial start date plus 1 day and update your "Trial Ending in" field to 13. Then do a trial Start date plus 2 days update your trial end date to 12... and so on. Hope this helps! 

[Anonymous]

Yes I have a "trail days left" field already, but we're testing 14 and 30 day trial lengths, and it's easier for sales to just see the closing date rather than adding 24 days to (a trial start date of) 2/17/14.

Thanks for the input though!

[Anonymous]

Do you use a CRM? If so, it's possible to have the CRM calculate a field (add 14 days for your example) based off of an update to the trial start date from Marketo.

[Anonymous]

Hey Caleb,

Yea I do use Salesforce. 

How would I add a certain number of days to a new field?

For instance if "trail start date" = "1/12/14" and "Trial length" is "30 days"

How do I change "Trial End Date" = "2/12/14"?

[Anonymous]

Great! Not sure how comfortable you are with writing formulas and workflow rules but it would be something along the lines of:

Workflow Rule:
AND(
ISCHANGED( Trial_Start_Date__c ),
ISPICKVAL(Length, "14 Day"))

The workflow action would be a field update to the Trial End Date:
Field Update Rule:
Today() + 14


It should be something along those lines--might have to mess with the formulas to get it right. My formula assumes you have a picklist field that you use to designate whether it's a 14 or 30 day trial. We don't have anything like this ourselves so the you'll need to test the formula--let me know if you need more help!

[Anonymous]

Gotta love salesforce formulas. Great post Caleb! 🙂

[Anonymous]

Thanks Jeffery, salesforce to the rescue!

[Anonymous]

I'm looking to doing something similar but for a previous 30 days to get around a wait token issue. This could work. Thanks.

[Anonymous]

Hey Caleb, 

I'm new to Workflows, although they seem similar to Marketo smart lists / flows. 
 

I get a "Error: Function ISCHANGED may not be used in this type of formula" error when I try to create that rule criteria. 

Any thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Hey Bobby,

In the "Evaluation Criteria" section, select the bubble that's labeled: "Evaluate the rule when a record is created, and every time it's edited"

That should allow the ISCHANGED operator to work.