Update contact node

Learn how to use the Update contact node in an automated program.

Henry Huish avatar
Written by Henry Huish
Updated over a week ago

The Update contact node is used to update contact data fields and marketing preferences as a contact passes through an automated program. You might, for example, want to opt contacts into a marketing preference based on a link they have clicked in an email campaign or update a data field to show that a contact is currently inside a program.


Before you start

  • To follow the steps in this article, you must have already created a program and configured the Start node, at minimum.


1. Place the node on the canvas

  1. Drag an Update contact node from the Program nodes menu on to the canvas.

  2. Select the node.

  3. You see a set of radio buttons to choose from:

    • Have the selected data field updated

    • Be opted in to the selected preferences

    • Be opted out of the selected preferences


2. Configure the node

To update a contact data field

  1. Select Have the selected data field updated.

  2. To choose from your existing data fields, select SELECT DATA FIELD and then select the data field name from the list, or, to create a new data field, select + CREATE DATA FIELD.
    To learn more about creating data fields, check out the article Create, delete and edit contact data fields.

  3. The configuration options you have depend on the type of contact data field you have chosen. View the Configuration options table below.

  4. Once you’ve finished configuring the node, select APPLY.

Configuration options

Data field type

Node options

Text

Enter the text value you want the data field to be updated with in the Set value to field.

Date

Select either:

  • Set to the date this node is reached.

OR

  • Set value to, and enter a date of your choice

Numeric

Select either:

  • Set value to, and enter a numeric value of your choice.

OR

  • Increment value by, and enter a numeric value of your choice to increase the value of the data field by the specified number.

OR

  • Decrement value by, and enter a numeric value of your choice to decrease the value of the data field by the specified number.

Boolean (Yes/No)

Expand the Set value to drop-down menu and select is yes or is no.

All types

Select Use a value from a similar data field.

This option allows you to overwrite the value in the data field you select with the value from another data field of the same type.

Expand the Search or select a data field drop-down menu and select the data field you want to copy the value from.

It’s possible by special request to enable the option to update the Mobile number system field using the Update contact node. If you’re interested in being able to do this, learn more in Transfer mobile numbers from a custom data field to the Mobile number field.

To update a Marketing preference

  1. Select Be opted in to the selected preferences or Be opted out of the selected preferences.

  2. Select SELECT PREFERENCE.

  3. Select the checkboxes to choose either a preference category or individual preferences.

  4. Select APPLY.

  5. A list of the selected preferences is displayed. To confirm, select APPLY.

Your Update contact node is configured, and any contact passing through the node has their data fields or marketing preferences updated as specified.

You can continue to build out your program with additional nodes, or link the Update contact node to your End node to exit contacts from the program.

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