Override Sync to SFDC on 1 Marketo form

[Reanna_Pelkey]

Hi,

I have one form where we are asking known leads/contacts for their mailing address. However, if the lead/contact already has a mailing address in SFDC then we do not want to override that information with a new address. Is there a way to do this on only this form? We don't want to impact any other forms that collect address information.

Thanks!

Reanna

[SanfordWhiteman · Accepted solution]

Yes. Use proxy fields on this specific form (Marketo-only fields of the same type and similar name -- append "(self-service proxy)" to the name for example).

Then use Change Data Value to set the primary fields to the values of the proxy fields only if currently empty.

Proxy fields are frankly underused. They're an important data management mechanism.

[Nicholas_Manojl]

>Proxy fields are frankly underused

yet also totally abused..

ask yourself OP - which address am I going to trust when I have a separate address in "Address" and "Proxy Address"?

you specifically said "one form", suggesting you have other forms where it is OK to update the address field.. this leads us to a proxy field discussion.

On the other hand, if this is not the case, I recommend you research "block field updates" functionality, which will be a global ability to stop a form from updating an existing value on a particular field.

[SanfordWhiteman]

>Proxy fields are frankly underused
yet also totally abused..

How are those both possible?

I (essentially) see no one using them to separate self-service updates from sales/back end updates. Are you seeing people using them, but using them wrong?

[Nicholas_Manojl]

Sorry, what i meant was that I see lots of people creating temporary fields to solve individual business processes and ending up with a hot-mess of data and confusion!

I'm certainly not diminishing your input here, which is wise as always!

[Jay_Jiang]

The mailing address field on the SFDC contact record is made up of the (address, city, state, country, post code) fields on the marketo lead

Here you would run into issues where, if you blocked field updates on all 5 fields and someone inputs a new address but in the system one or many of the existing fields are blank, then you're saving a mix and match of 2 addresses

Even with the proxy fields solution, some advanced logic is required before committing an address to the database

[SanfordWhiteman]

Even with the proxy fields solution, some advanced logic is required before committing an address to the database

Yep, you need advanced filters to ensure that all 5 interlocked fields are empty at the time.

[Nicholas_Manojl]

good call!