Values for Custom Fields not Stamping over Previous Data

[AshleighMo]

Ok what am I missing? I have a very simple program set up to stamp UTM values for ungated web visits. The program is working as inspected, triggered by the action and stamping the value to the activity record. However, that's where the success ends. The lead utm_source field is not updating over the previous data in the field. 

1. Can you not overwrite the information already in the field? 
2. If you can overwrite it, would an API push of data trump a data change in marketo? 

For this scenario May 1st was the initial utm_source stamp "Speaker" and then today May 9th the lead was stamped "Email". The field is essentially supposed to be the last touch so we want it to change as they interact with other channels from us.

 

[AWmindtree]

Hi @AshleighMo 

This is interesting. My first point to investigate will be to check if this field is Blocked from Updates enabled from Field Management. 
You can check via Admin-> Field Management-> Select the field from the right side and check if Blocked Field Updates is selected for this field.  

If not, could you check to update the field values manually? 

[AshleighMo]

Great thought! Unfortunately it is set to block updates from: None

In terms of updating manually, what do you mean? Like type the information in? 

[michellechopin]

Are you able to share the Smart Campaign that updates these leads for you?

I notice that the CDV information says "Changed utm_source from [null] to Email" but your post and screenshots show that the field has "Speaker" in it before the new UTM value is generated - wondering if that has something to do with it?

I love a good Friday mystery 😋

[AshleighMo]

Yes of course, it is incredibly basic. I thought maybe I was referencing the wrong field for the information to go elsewhere but there are no other fields that I could find for this to go to. It's set up to not block updates so i'm confused why that field is not working. I was thinking also that it had something to do with the fact that the record is reading "null" meanwhile the old value is "Speaker"

[michellechopin]

I'm also stumped - this is exactly how I would have set up the campaign myself.

Are you able to test with another UTM source to see if it's a general issue or if it's specific to the Email one?

I can't explain why the Null is being recorded but it really does seem like that's the issue (and not sure what to do to rectify that - gonna let this marinate in my brain pan for a while as sometimes answers come to me at the most random of times!).

[AWmindtree]

Hi @AshleighMo 

Yes, if you can type the information in to the field and check if that is updating the values? 

Also, I could see that this field is synced with SF. Can you the activity log if SF is updating the values back to the original value? 

Regards
Ankit W

[Jo_Pitts1]

@AshleighMo ,

Let's step back a bit.  There is a key question that's not been asked:  How are you trying to write the UTM data to the field?

Can you show us config, code, etc.

Cheers

Jo

[AshleighMo · Accepted solution]

Fun Fact for everyone following the thread: It appears that Marketo had a strange moment of confusion because all of the leads are stamping correctly and I did not make any changes to the program. So this thread can be an example of UTM stamping for others now (haha).  

[Katja_Keesom]

In that case I would like to make the case for capturing this data in a completely different and more scalable way.

With your current process you can only capture utm parameters with values you already know. However, you can add the fields as hidden on your forms, setting the capture from a query parameter, so the field will populate with any value for that specific query parameter. So if you add any new values in the future it will capture without you having to make any adjustments.

This solution also is far less of a strain on Marketo processing capacity, as it does not require any flow steps to be processed.