Cannot manually edit pick-list fields

[Eva_Yu]

I just realized that I cannot edit the pick-list fields in marketo. Is this standard? Those fields were created from SFDC and synced to Marketo. However, some times some leads may have the wrong value in it, and I tried to edit it in Marketo, but the picklist only shows the one value. The same field in SFDC has mutiple values and can be edited in SFDC and sync to Marketo.

[Dan_Stevens_ · Accepted solution]

Even though the values may come from a picklist, when clicking on the drop-down arrow for a select field on the lead record, Marketo will only show the current value (or values that have the same string of text that's currently in the field) or any value that may have populated that field (by any lead) in the past.  So if you want to view all of the possible values containing all possible picklist values - then simply delete the value and then click the drop-down (on an empty field).  Just beware that these data value changes could trigger off some processes/smart campaigns behind the scenes.

[Grant_Booth]

^ What Dan said. Also beware that if the field maps to both a lead and contact picklist field in SFDC, it will only prepopulate values that exist on BOTH fields in SFDC.
That is, if the lead field has values A, B, and C while the contact field has values B, C, and D, then only values B and C will display in the dropdown.

[Eva_Yu]

Thank you both. I guess I will just go to SFDC to edit the value. Very inconvenient though.

[Dan_Stevens_]

Actually, this is preferred for source fields that exist in CRM.  You should always change the values at the source field level. 

The inconvenient piece is when you have that field scattered across multiple forms and you need to manually force an update of those values - they don't update automatically:

The other inconvenience is when you have a standard multi-select field in Marketo used across several forms (and not a field that's synced to CRM).  If you ever want to change those values, you have to edit that field within every form:

[Eva_Yu]

Hi Dan,

The field I was trying to update  is actually generated from Marketo. We had to create it in SFDC due to Marketo's lack of ability to create picklist fields. I wonder what's the situation with leads only in Marketo. Am I still not able to edit the field?

[Dan_Stevens_]

Hi Eva - if you're unable to modify the field, I wonder if you have "block field updates" on that field.  So if a value exists, you can configure that field in Admin to block updates to it.

[Eva_Yu]

I checked Marketo admin and there is no block. I'm wondering if there is similar setting in SFDC blocking Marketo field updates, because I just realized that even I changed a string field (like name) manfully, it will be overrode by SFDC and go back to original value.