How do I use the Update Record node in Orchestrator?

In this article, we will learn more about the Update Record node and how to set it up in Orchestrator, ensuring your Flows keep existing CRM records accurate and up to date, automatically.

Table of Contents

• What Is the Update Record Node?
• Create vs. Update
• How to Set It Up
• Setting Values
• Good to Know

What Is the Update Record Node?

The Update Record node updates fields on a record that already exists. In the product, it is labeled Update Record. It works for Salesforce and HubSpot.

For example, a meeting gets marked as a no-show, so the Flow updates the Lead's status, or stamps a "last touched" date on the Account.

Create vs. Update

Create makes a new record. 

Update changes one that is already there. Because of that, Update needs to know which record to touch, so it almost always comes right after a Matching node that found the Lead, Contact, or Account.

A useful pattern: use a Condition to check that an Event, Opportunity, or Case ID exists, and if it does, update that exact record by referencing its ID.

How to Set It Up

1. Object and record: pick the object, then the record variable that points at the exact record to update. That variable is what Matching provides;
2. Fields and values: map each field to its new value, static text or a variable;
3. Overwrite (Salesforce): for each field, decide whether to overwrite a value that is already there. Leave it off to avoid overwriting something a rep already filled in.

Setting Values

The same rules apply as for Create Record.

Writing to a User Field in CRM: Owner fields expect the CRM's own ID. The Host, Booker, and Assignee objects each carry a CRM ID that can be mapped straight into the owner field, so the Salesforce ID is passed, not the Chili Piper one.

Or else, you can use the result of CRM Owner from Matching Node

Dates are finicky: date fields, such as an Opportunity Close Date, can fail on a format mismatch; double-check the format when mapping them.

Dates do not support formulas yet: some fields, such as Close Date on an Opportunity, require a formula for a date (for example, 90 days after the meeting is booked). This is not supported yet; only fixed dates are allowed, which can still be useful for companies that use end-of-quarter dates.

Good to Know

• The fields shown are scoped to the object picked; choosing a Lead means editing Lead fields, not Account fields;
• Like Create Record, Update Record is editable on tenants connected to that CRM, and read-only everywhere else.